Tailteann Cup 2023

[SCFC]

Playing Paddy O'Sullivan in his proper position has been the one biggest factor in turning it around to some extent.

[Spiritof86]

Playing Paddy O'Sullivan in his proper position has been the one biggest factor in turning it around to some extent.

Absolutely.
Hope the team gets the support it deserves Sunday .

[Laois Rising]

We have rode our luck so to speak against Limerick. However, players must be credited for staying in the game and finishing so strongly. Hopefully we can put a full 70 minutes together against Down. If we reproduce the period just before half time and the first 15 minutes of the second half against Limerick we could see ourselves on the end of a 10 point beating. Down were hugely impressive and efficient against Cavan the last day. If they replicate that performance they will probably prove too strong for us even if we play to our best. I can't see a Down team who are full of confidence passing up those opportunities that Limerick did in front of goal.

Any update on Kingston's fitness? He will be a big loss if he's not fit to start the next day.

[Jd]

I'd be quietly hopeful against Down. Longford actually cut them to shreds early in the group gameand should have been out of sight by half time. They gave up a few ridiculous scores and Down clawed out a win. Defensively they aren't wonderful so I'd be hopeful we could outscore them. Our fadeout after halftime seem to be an issue but we always seem to finish strongly. So hopeful but not confident

[High Fielder]

Have to confess I'm neither hopeful or confident. Would love to be proved wrong of course

[GAAFan2003]

Has Sheehan redeemed himself with the last two wins or does he need to win Sunday or the competition to stay another term?

[Laois Rising]

I think he has a strong argument for staying in the job. The players seem united, no one has dropped off the panel. Performances have improved. The problem with an inexperienced coach was that they have to learn on the job. Mistakes are part of the course. He's certainly made them. There are definitely issues I have regarding his management style but if the team continue on an upward trend with their performance against Down I think he will be given a third year in the job.

[Joeythelips]

Like some Im hopeful but not optimistic. For Billy to get another year you would have to imagine a final appearance would be needed but Laois have had so little to cheer its surprising that the Senior mens football team that are giving us the most to shout about, I would not have seen that 3 weeks ago never mind 3 months. Any manager will be judged on results and can they get the best out of the players at their disposal, he is a novice coach so learning as he goes but League was not good, and London game a disaster but if he got the Tailteann Cup final he may have enough in the bank to get another season.

As a previous poster mentioned, Limerick did create plenty of goal chances and if we give those to Down we are in big trouble but my big take away from the Limerick match was the last quarter where Laois showed real composure and quality when it really mattered, and the players knew it. That will fill them with real confidence that only winning matches brings.

[statto]

Like some Im hopeful but not optimistic. For Billy to get another year you would have to imagine a final appearance would be needed but Laois have had so little to cheer its surprising that the Senior mens football team that are giving us the most to shout about, I would not have seen that 3 weeks ago never mind 3 months. Any manager will be judged on results and can they get the best out of the players at their disposal, he is a novice coach so learning as he goes but League was not good, and London game a disaster but if he got the Tailteann Cup final he may have enough in the bank to get another season.

As a previous poster mentioned, Limerick did create plenty of goal chances and if we give those to Down we are in big trouble but my big take away from the Limerick match was the last quarter where Laois showed real composure and quality when it really mattered, and the players knew it. That will fill them with real confidence that only winning matches brings.

Down are 1/5 shots to win the game.  Surely if Laois lost this game by tight margins he would have done enough to get another year as there would be clear signs of progress during this campaign all be it the league was poor. 

[Laois Rising]

Laois were 7/2 to beat Fermanagh and 2/1 to beat Limerick.. Hopefully can defy the bookies odds for a third time. Laois will have to be more cynical if they are to stop Down. They are masters at the counter attack so our half forward line e.g. will need to be prepared to take yellow cards and engage in some cynical fouling at certain times. We cannot allow Mason, Magill, and Guinness to carry and move the ball at pace against our defence. Limerick showed that we can be opened up easily and exposed. We cannot be as nice as we have in previous games, especially against London where we let them run at us, gain some momentum and play football in the second half.

[High Fielder]

Has Sheehan redeemed himself with the last two wins or does he need to win Sunday or the competition to stay another term?

For me, it's not about redemption. If the players don't walk away and are happy to play for him, I'd leave him in place; assuming he wants to be there of course. We have no internal alternatives. Unlikely we have any external options either

[Joeythelips]

Has Sheehan redeemed himself with the last two wins or does he need to win Sunday or the competition to stay another term?

For me, it's not about redemption. If the players don't walk away and are happy to play for him, I'd leave him in place; assuming he wants to be there of course. We have no internal alternatives. Unlikely we have any external options either

Would you keep him if they lost to Down?

Season review:

Highlights - Beating Fermanagh (Div 2 side next year) & Limerick (Div 2 side this year) away from home in TC

Lows - Failing to get to Div 4 final, drawing with London in TC.

If they perform well against Down he might have edged another season but he could hardly complain too much if they looked elsewhere. For me beat Down and he has earned another go as he is learning on the job essentially and getting out of Div 4 is certainly achievable next season.

[rrhf]

Next time year. Would it be an idea to play this comp earlier and have both finalists renetry into Sam prelim quarter finals and the winner the team holidays etc

[Butch Cassidy]

Is success in the Tailteann cup greater than the league? Personally think Laois have had a better season than Wicklow who got promoted to division 3. If the league was starting this month I would expect us to get promoted, Billy playing lads in their natural positions and Murphy getting back fit another plus. As the season has gone on I believe the team and Billy are all learning.

I'd worry about our mobility in the middle on Sunday. We don't have the natural athletes playing half forward or in midfield and this can get exposed in the big field of Croker. Hopefully there's a plan for this as Limerick broke through the middle a good few times last week.

[Joeythelips]

Next time year. Would it be an idea to play this comp earlier and have both finalists renetry into Sam prelim quarter finals and the winner the team holidays etc

I agree, lets be honest if they did proper tier 2 structure they should scrap the provincial championships imo. So have League early season and then have TC run off, like the Joe McD in hurling the winner gets promoted to AI series for next year but also go in to provisional quarter final for current year. Thats a huge carrot. It would work even better in football as the gap between top and bottom tier is not as wide as hurling.