Leinster Senior Football Championship 2023

[blueandwhite1]

Agree with almost everything on last post except point about TC. Most teams in it will be above our level unfortunately. We are a division 4 team and there is maybe 3 or 4 in the country that we can beat   . A long way back from here but it starts with acknowledging where we are truthfully and building from the ground up.

[High Fielder]

That's important. You're right. For years now, there has been this mistaken belief that we have the players to do this. We just don't.

[on the hop]

there seems to be a general lack of anger at what happened yesterday, or is it just acceptance? the beatings of the last few years have probably worn us down and dublin were always expected to win but is it acceptable that a senior county football team can concede 4-30,  it could have been even more if dublin didn't just take points instead of working goals. After the problems we had in the league and championship both this year and last year with the concession of goals in particular that a defensive plan was a priority?. this won't be far off the highest scoring return by a team this year.

we are about ranked about 27th in the country, is that acceptable ? There is so much wrong, not just in the football but also in some of the other codes in the county, underage team, schools in lower grades, club championship sizes.

[SCFC]

That's important. You're right. For years now, there has been this mistaken belief that we have the players to do this. We just don't.

Unfortunately true. Realistically for the next few years, I cannot see us do better than possibly getting back up to Division 3 and maybe the odd win or two in the Tailteann Cup.
I've said before here that there are some players out there on the club scene who would probably improve us enough to be Division 3 material but it just doesn't look like it's attractive to young lads to be part of the county senior panel these days.

[High Fielder]

there seems to be a general lack of anger at what happened yesterday, or is it just acceptance? the beatings of the last few years have probably worn us down and dublin were always expected to win but is it acceptable that a senior county football team can concede 4-30,  it could have been even more if dublin didn't just take points instead of working goals. After the problems we had in the league and championship both this year and last year with the concession of goals in particular that a defensive plan was a priority?. this won't be far off the highest scoring return by a team this year.

we are about ranked about 27th in the country, is that acceptable ? There is so much wrong, not just in the football but also in some of the other codes in the county, underage team, schools in lower grades, club championship sizes.

You're a smart cookie. I read your analysis of games with more interest than most. And you're right, there's an ocean of things wrong. I have got myself into many scrapes on here debating this very issue, but I wouldn't have a clue where to start. And I don't think anyone else knows either, which is why we just keep on doing the same things year after year

[Gmac]

there seems to be a general lack of anger at what happened yesterday, or is it just acceptance? the beatings of the last few years have probably worn us down and dublin were always expected to win but is it acceptable that a senior county football team can concede 4-30,  it could have been even more if dublin didn't just take points instead of working goals. After the problems we had in the league and championship both this year and last year with the concession of goals in particular that a defensive plan was a priority?. this won't be far off the highest scoring return by a team this year.

we are about ranked about 27th in the country, is that acceptable ? There is so much wrong, not just in the football but also in some of the other codes in the county, underage team, schools in lower grades, club championship sizes.

You're a smart cookie. I read your analysis of games with more interest than most. And you're right, there's an ocean of things wrong. I have got myself into many scrapes on here debating this very issue, but I wouldn't have a clue where to start. And I don't think anyone else knows either, which is why we just keep on doing the same things year after year

apathy, not many care anymore

[Sideline12]

There is lots of anger in our county
with the setup and with the performance of our
Team's, and it's start with the top
and as  im a silent one that goes to most
of ours games,  I  Do Care

[Gmac]

When you are getting beat by Wicklow by 15 points in a championship game and giving up 30 points or so to fermanagh and that doesn't trigger a complete overhaul either there's nothing else in the county or there's no competent people in charge , or nobody cares

[Laois man]

Minors in qfinal tonight in O Moore Park and U15 league game on aswell crazy.

[Chrimtain]

It would appear that football in Meath is at a low ebb as well. Is there a team in Leinster capable of giving Dublin a game?   

[High Fielder]

Kildare should be, but they find ways of tripping themselves up invariably. They really ought to be better and achieve more than they do, but they are great at making trouble for themselves. Meath will bounce back at some point because they're ignorant enough to sort it out. It's us and the others like us that are worrying. Small populations, comparative lack of funding and an ever decreasing interest either forced (eg emigration) or chosen (eg not prepared to commit, lack of interest etc). Nobody actually gives a shite about us by the way, so we either fix this ourselves or we drift. The bigger counties see no problem with the way things are, and eventually will just say go down to Division 4 and rot

[on the hop]

i never thought things would fall so bad, so quickly. i actually thought there was a bit of hope in making the two under 20 finals. While there would always be a bit of a fall off due to injury etc, i thought that a good young squad would have been established from the two teams. i remember talking (in loose terms!!!) to Dublin CEO John Costello after attending one of the finals in Carlow. He had the misfortune of standing on the terrace, but the conversation was that Dublin would cherry quick what they needed from these teams but Laois would need everyone one of them such was the problems in Leinster Football and to survive. Of course there were a few other barbs about Dublin funding etc thrown in but 4 years later i would have been hoping a lot more players would have been involved. The two teams from the finals,

2019 Leinster u20 Final
1. David O'Hanlon (Na Fianna) 2. Darren Maher (St Patrick's Donabate) 3. Daire Newcombe (Lucan Sarsfields) 4. Eoin O'Dea (Na Fianna) 5. Kieran Kennedy (Ballyboden St Enda's) 6. Neil Matthews (Erin's Isle) 7. Sean Lambe (St Vincent's) 8. Peadar O'Cofaigh Byrne (Cuala) 9. Donal Ryan (Na Fianna) 10. Niall O'Leary (Kilmacud Crokes) 11. Karl Lynch Bissett (Naomh Mearnóg) 12. James Doran (Na Fianna) 13. Brian O'Leary (Na Fianna) 14. Ciaran Archer (St Maurs) 15. Ross McGarry (Ballyboden St Enda's)
Subs 20. David Lacey (Na Fianna) for Donal Ryan (43) 22. Harry Ladd (Lucan Sarsfields) for Brian O'Leary (55) 17. Aaron Lynch (St. Sylvesters) for Darren Maher (55) 18. Conor Kinsella (Kilmacud Crokes) for Eoin O'Dea (57) 23. Mark Lavin (Lucan Sarsfields) for Niall O'Leary (60) 24. Sean Foran (Whitehall Colmcilles) for Kieran Kennedy (60)

Laois
1. Matthew Byron (Courtwood) 2. Michael Dowling (Portlaoise) 3. Seamus Lacey (Ballylinan 4. Alex Mohan (Portarlington) 5. Colin Slevin (Portarlington) 6. Sean O'Flynn (Courtwood) 7. Dean Brophy (St Joseph's) 8. Robert Tyrrell (Camross) 9. Eoin Dunne (Rosenallis) 10. Mark Barry (O'Dempsey's) 11. Michael Doran (Killeshin) 12. Ronan Coffey (Portarlington) 13. Alan Kinsella (Courtwood) 14. Dan McCormack (O'Dempseys) 15. Diarmuid Whelan (Ballyroan Abbey)
Subs
18. Jack Owens (Emo) for Michael Doran (36) 17. Niall Dunne (Courtwood) for Dan McCormack (38) 19. Jason Maher (Portlaoise) for Ronan Coffey (48) 22. Kevin Byrne (Ballylinan) for Lacey (55) 23. Ross Brennan (Portlaoise) for Brophy (58) 24. Jack Lacey (St. Joseph's) for Mohan (58).

2020 Leinster u20 Final
LAOIS: Mathew Byron (Courtwood); Michael Dowling (Portlaoise), Alex Mohan (Portarlington), Neil Keane (The Heath); Sean O'Flynn (Courtwood), Gary Saunders (Portlaoise), Jack Lacey (St Joseph's); Barry Howlin (O'Dempsey's), PJ Daly (The Heath); Ronan Coffey (Portarlington), Jack Owens (Emo), Damon Larkin (Portlaoise); Colin Slevin (Portarlington), Darragh Galvin (Portarlington), Mark Barry (O'Dempsey's).

Subs: Dean Brophy (St Joseph's) for Howlin (27), Sean O'Neill (The Rock) for Daly (42), Ross Bolger (Killeshin) for Lacey (47), Josh Lacey (St Joseph's) for Galvin (50), Sean Michael Corcoran (Portarlington) for Larkin (53)

DUBLIN: Josh O'Neill (St Vincent's); Alan Murphy (Lucan Sarsfields), Adam Rafter (Na Fianna), Josh Bannon (St Sylvester's); Rory Dwyer (St Margaret's), Adam Waddick (Thomas Davis), Lee Gannon (Whitehall Colmcilles); Killian McGinnis (Skerries Harps), Evan Caulfield (Clan na Gael Fontenoy); Mark Lavin (Lucan Sarsfields), Lorcan O'Dell Templeogue Synge Street), Sean Foran (Whitehall Colmcilles); Ciaran Archer (St Maur's), Luke Swan (Castleknock), Kieran McKeon (Clontarf).

Subs: Aaron Fearon (Skerries Harps) for McGinnis (41), Padraig Purcell (Kilmacud Crokes) for Foran (45), Conor Kinsella (Kilmacud Crokes) for Bannon (47), Stephen Braiden (Thomas Davis) for O'Dell (54), Conor Tyrell (St Oliver Plunkett's-Eoghan Rua) for Murphy (60)

[County Man]

Sad to see what happened there on Sunday. We knew obviously that we would lose but just the manner of what unfolded there in the first half. Hard to just turn it on against one of the top 2 teams in the country when operating in division 4 and Dublin were on it from the start. They must have converted over 90% of their chances on the day. They were back to their brilliant best and I would tip them for All Ireland success in July. We needed them to be off colour and us to be unreal just to make it somewhat competitive. On a positive note, Dublin have only conceded more than one goal in a Leinster championship game 3 times since 2011 and we were one of those there on Sunday. We also did it in Kilkenny back in 2016. Will be interesting to see what resistance Kildare can put to Dublin next Sunday as Dublin chase their 13th Leinster title in a row.

In the immediate term, lets try and bounce back for the Tailteann cup. The draw will take place next week I believe. Last year we responded well to the defeat against Wicklow by really putting it up to the champions Westmeath in the 1st round of the Tailteann. This time there will be groups of 4 and we will go in as 3rd seeds. Hopefully we can work on a stronger defensive plan in the next few weeks and balance that out with the decent attacking threat that we have. Will be nice to have the chance to compete with teams of our standard on hopefully a dry summer sod and see how we go. No doubt the lads will be hurting but at least we have this competition to try and bounce back and finish the season on a better note.

As mentioned by others, was nice to have a decent support there on Sunday and hopefully this can continue for the upcoming games. I think there will be one home game, one away and one neutral.

[High Fielder]

Games development funding was at club level not county level. Low level coaches half funded by clubs mostly at primary school age - boys and girls - to get them up to the club to participate in football and hurling/camogie. Such coaches do not go near elite level players, who are coached from U14 up by ex-Dublin players who volunteer. They do get diet plans and other add-ons, which has to be paid for and I presume is funded by sponsorship, but I doubt they are looked after better than Kildare, Kerry, Galway, Tyrone.

That was taken from another thread. It's another world and shows what we're up against

[Chrimtain]

Isn't it possible though, for counties of a similar size to Laois to compete with the bigger counties? Offaly, for instance, appear to be coming out of the doldrums in both hurling and football. Two years ago their under 20 footballers won an All Ireland. Last year they were beaten in an All Ireland final at minor level in hurling. Only last Sunday, they shocked Meath in the Leinster football championship. Why can't we aspire to do as well as Offaly? What are they doing that we can't do?