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[no ideal what Mrath/Ballyfin are like but they won well last week]

U20 Cship games this weekend Harps v Borris/Kilcotton Harps by a bit. Camross V Cbolla loser here could be gone so it will be closed. Castletown V Mrath/Ballyfin no ideal what Mrath/Ballyfin are like but they won well last week. Aleix to beat Rdowney /Errill.

They can't be too bad, won well again today. That's them in the final, no?

Clan na Gael should win the B in a canter. Bet a strong-ish PRT today.

They got the result wrong way around on the website.  Castletown won

I hear Cha is going on his travels again but wasn't invited in regardless. Him and sean Downey heading to Australia apparently

Did the harps not beat abbeyleix in the 2023 minor final..I remember it being a a classic whenever it was.
Castletown have a great chance in this year's u20. Well balanced and full of minor winners

Absolute brilliant idea. Gives proper insight and some accountability on what's actually happening in the county. Keegan is very ope to any ideas from anyone that might improve our underage structures

I agree. To lose to portlaoise and ballinakill was criminal.  The tactics they used especially against portlaoise was unbelievable in addition to playing the best centre back in the county in the forwards.

In saying that castletown were very poor. Their supporters might nt like to acknowledge it, but they could maybe benefit for a year at PI and let the steady flow of promising young hurlers develop.

The Harps losing to Ballinakill was criminal? Sorry but come on now. Ballinakill should have beaten Borris-Kilcotton and deservedly beat both the Harps themselves & Castletown.

The Harps also lost to Portlaoise in the group stage (who are now in a relegation final). What is it that the harps have actually achieved at this level over the past maybe 10 years? When is the last time they were in a semi-final even? Ballinakill were probably in one or maybe even two since the harps were last in one. Stand to be corrected on that.

Think the expectations for them need to be adjusted. I don't understand what people see.

I appreciate that Harps have been in the doldrums for many a year and both Ballinakill and Portlaoise deserved their
victories over them. The criminal comment was based on the crazy tactics used by the Harps management in both games.
Once Cha Dwyer went centre forward in that game he blew the Harps out of the water, whilst in my opinion the best centre back in the county (Podge Delaney) was like a fish out of water, wing Forward.

I havent a clue what they were at in the Portlaoise game tactically but it didnt look good. It was a golden opportunity for them to make a quarter final and establish themselves as serious contenders, but maybe theres a bigger problem than raw talent out there,

I agree. To lose to portlaoise and ballinakill was criminal.  The tactics they used especially against portlaoise was unbelievable in addition to playing the best centre back in the county in the forwards.

In saying that castletown were very poor. Their supporters might nt like to acknowledge it, but they could maybe benefit for a year at PI and let the steady flow of promising young hurlers develop.

Fair point but I clearly saw 2 established county men rolling on the ground, now as I said earlier it was tame but clearly instigated by the CB man.

I was at the match and both sides were giving as good as each other. In saying that it was handbags. Pushing and shoving from both sets of players, subs, mentors. How you single out 3 players from one club is a mystery to me.

I believe 3 harps suspensions and none from CB.
Thats outrageous if true.

Right battle in the park last night. Could of gone either way. Harps fragility in winning big games is still a problem. The gap is definitely closing though and you have to imagine that it will continue to even out over the next few years.
It's hard to describe where they are after this year. Beating two strong senior teams and losing to two so called weaker teams albeit with crazy tactics from the line.
Clough Ballacolla will go close but I think Camross will have to much fire power and hunger

1st in Group A & B into semi finals

2 & 3 in Group A paly against each other in 1/4 final, and same with Group B, 2 & £ play each other in 1/4

4 in group A & B go no further, their season over

5 In group A plays 5 in group B in relegation

They changed the relegation aspect as far as I know. 4th play 5th in group A and same in B. Losers obviously play in relegation final while winners play some bullshite shield final

The new format has worked out extremely well notwithstanding some average games.
The final round of games all have meaning and consequence which is great to see. Anything was better than the last structures. 

Like other commentators on here I'd love to see games played in club venues around the county but I heard from the horses mouth that will never happen.

Camross and RE definitely the two championship favs going into the last round of games. It's been a crazy few weeks tho with some big upsets along the way.

Great to see it proven the decision to increase the amount of teams in the SHC was farcical and it's only Round 1. Our hurling clubs feel they should be in All Ireland club final each year but in essence they are more suited to junior hurling in most of the big counties. I think it's about time the hurling people in Laois get off their high horse and start to taste the bacon. Clubs afraid of relegation, thought they were better than they were, got the teams increased and I watched every hurling game this week and bar a bit of excitement in Portlaoise v Camross, it was a very poor opening round.

And the standard of refereeing is at an all time low. I do feel sorry for the Portlaoise v Camross referee but it was his first ever senior hurling championship game. What did the county board expect to happen? Camross to win easy so we will put an inexperienced referee into it? That fairly backfired.

Finally, on the new format: Who in gods name thought this would be a good idea? Where has this been done before? I think it's a serious joke

Poor games all round with exception of ballinakil and Bk.
Offaly have had 10 senior teams the last couple of years and it certainly hasn't stopped their progressionat IC level. Clubs remained defiant when the county board looked to reduce the numbers.

A big problem with the games this week is the lack of atmosphere. 4 rounds should be played in local grounds where the you'd expect much more passion. I agree with castletown summary,  looked like a junior team. Their decision to play 4 to 5 young lads in junior b league finals came back to haunt them

Easier said than done but if you hold the 3 Byrne brothers, you ll go a long way to beating Abbeyleix.
The Harps done that in the main and dealt with Rowlands pucks outs effectively. 
I have to say that the new championship format has the potential to have meaningful fixtures right down to the wire.
Scoring difference will be hugely important

Are all the games in O'Moore Park or are some of them in club venues?

Does anyone have the full senior fixtures for Round 1?

Fri 11th
Harps v abbeyleix @ 7.30pm
Sat 12th
Rosenallis v R/E at 5.30pm
Ballinakil v B/K at 7pm
Sun 13th
C/B v castletown at 1pm
Portlaoise v Camross at 2.30pm

All games in O Moore park