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It mainly relates to how Laois played and were coached last year versus what I see this year so far. Similar to 'painting by numbers'. The previous head coach can be very prescriptive in how the team sets up, in how the game is played, where the players stand, deliver the ball and so on. Take the re-starts for example - he favours making a plus one in the full back line and getting the ball away short to the spare man and playing forward from there. (something that KK are now implementing and taking time to adjust to). This and other reasons made Laois fairly predictable last year and easy to analyse and play against. The world and its mother could see what we were doing in Dr. Cullen last year and Kildare prepared appropriately for us.
This year I still see structure but it seems to me that we have a bit more variation and freedom to play and trust the lads on the pitch to make positive decisions. Just an observation that will hopefully carry through the championship.

I agree with redsetanta. A good league overall. Topped the group and comprehensive win in the final. Plenty of players used and blooded and almost everyone that was asked in has committed. It also shows the benefit of Tommy and Management having a full pre-season done with the players unlike last year. The move away from 'hurling by numbers' has also helped Laois in my view. Yes, Laois would be expected to beat all the Div 2 teams and we are not the finished article by any means but moving in the right direction in my view.

A word of caution though as Carlow away is a tough start, followed by Antrim at home (who are capable on their day) and Westmeath away who are always difficult championship opponents. Should win the last two easily versus Down and London so its all about mid-April to mid-May for me.

Heard that Paddy Purcell decided not to go back in this year. Instead trying to get his groin injury sorted out, which troubled him all of last year.
Might not see him in Laois colours again, but you'd never know. Fitzgerald has left door open to him apparently
But I agree, he has been a brilliant servant as has Dunphy but it's time for others to step up and try to get to their levels.

I think Hogan was with BK a few years back when they went to a final. Would be decent progress for the Harps to make the knockout stages of the championship. I think they'll have a decent league too.

I agree with the poster above, and thought Cha Dwyer was really good in the senior championship games this year. Jack Kelly  was impressive and has been rewarded by being called back in with Laois. Mossy Keyes was excellent in the semi final but had a quiet final so that probably worked against him. Bergin had a good semi-final and a very good final, which is when it matters. I guess he also took on the mantle of primary scorer this year too in Picky's absence so can totally understand how he got the award.
In Premier Intermediate Connolly was good but so was his team mate James Finn, often tasked with picking up the key opposition player. Micheal Cleary looked good for RE this year too but had a quiet final.

For me it was interesting to see that some of the older players are still playing very well for their club teams - Zane Keenan for Camross, Willie Dunphy for Clough Ballacolla, Joe Fitz for RE at Premier Intermediate level.

Also interesting that the inter county hurler of the year Dooley, wasn't one of the 5 Laois men that made the Joe Mc Team of the year - Dunne, Conway, Delaney, Purcell and Keyes. Different criteria being used I suppose or maybe Dooley was nominated by his teammates. I'm not sure. Either way, it also serves to show how long the season is for these lads, (some went very well earlier in the year), and how hard it is for them to maintain high standards from February through to October.

I was at RE v Naas. Both more or less at full tilt. I agree you cant judge too much off challenge games but both were in semi finals at the time. RE beat them easily and lost to Camross. Naas won their semi by a huge score and went on to claim 7 in a row. They are playing nothing in the Kildare championship...we have to be carefull saying at club level that there is a gap. There is not. County team maybe at the moment but not at club level.
I was also at RE v Doon and RE v Glen Rovers. Both really good games at a very high standard. Problem for RE was that they played some of their best hurling in these games and were flat v Camross.
Ballyfin would have been a decent match for Clane yesterday if you are playing like for like.

Both RE and CB beat Naas by 15 points at end of Sep/start of October 2025.
Naas stroll to county every year in Kildare. No real challengers at the moment. It is a poor championship.

Unfortunately I think 10/1 on that the bookies have Ballyhale is realistic.

They could play 10 times and Clough Ballacolla would run it close once.

They simply don't have the physique to match Ballyhale.
If you watch club games in Tipp & Kilkenny, no Laois team does.
Gap with Offaly is emerging.
Wexford gap is widening.
Worryingly, there could be a gap with Laois clubs & the top 2 or 3 Kildare clubs soon too.

Sorry for being pessimistic. Best of luck to Ballacolla.

Definitely a gap between top Laois clubs and Kildare. Both Rathdowney Errill and Clough Ballacolla put 15 points on Naas in the lead up to their 7 in a row in Kildare this October.
Sure it comes in for criticism on this forum but as one that has the time to get to a lot of games in person, Laois Senior hurling championship is ahead of Kildare championship, westmeath championship, carlow championship to name a few. It might lag, KK, Dublin, Wexford but it's not miles off Offaly as we are led to believe by some.
Hopefully Clough Ballacolla will give a good account of themselves tomorrow.

Big turnaround in the last few weeks. They went from being very average in the group and easily beaten by RE and Camross to county champions. Even in the semi they stumbled over Ballinakill (who will have nighmares about the last miss), Willie even brought himself on in a recent challenge game. It was not going to plan. And they went from there to easily disposing of Camross. Big turnaround in a couple of weeks, whatever they did, it worked.

Most clubs have no issue with senior/int teams playing the same weekend. Just not back to back. A Friday/ Sunday approach would be a big help. A small but important tweak to the existing set up.

It causes issues for clubs believe me. Top performers for Prem Intermediate can be potential subs for seniors. 12 or 13 lads can be on both panels.
If Int play on the sat night then most of those lads are out of the reckoning for the following day. If seniors play first (not normally the case) you have lads going through 2 pre-match preps. Warm up to play on a saturday night, sit through a championship match if not used, get back up and go again the following day. Probably at same venue and often within 14/15 hours of the previous match. It causes injuries but beyond that it is not fair on lads in my view. Especially when matches could be spread out a bit and the clubs helped.
It also means that both senior and int managers need to be aligned, which my experience is not always the case. 

I like Willie's interviews. The theme last year after the final was volunteerism. They don't do back room teams, just have volunteers. He couldn't go there this year as CB have the largest back room team from what I can see and added a volunteer coach from Tipp at the start of the year. So this year he went after the Board. He made some valid points to be fair though especially in relation to fixtures. I like the alternate weeks hurling/football but clubs that are competing in the knockout rounds at Senior and Premier Intermediate simultaneously often play Saturday/Sunday with huge overlaps between the squads. It causes issues for these clubs especially when they go deep in the championship.
In one way he can be thankful of the same incompetent Board as if they had followed through Ballacolla could have been down 3 or 4 for their semi final and would not have made the final. They deserve huge credit for the turnaround though. I attended most matches and they were 4th or 5th best of the teams during the group and they are sitting on Top now again. Doing it when it matters most has to be admired.

It was a strange year. 7 /8 championship games is a lot to maintain. Lots of up and down form. RE looked the team earlier on and beat CB easily enough as did Camross. Camross ate RE in semi and were way off it in the final. CB are champs again so they wont mind. Rosenallis decent progress. Ballinakill possibly the team of the year.

Killeshin has some good underage teams and big numbers at academy level too. They have been competitive at a few grades this year. Plenty of people settling in the area, houses being built there and also seem to be benefiting from a growing primary school where there is a good emphasis on football. My understanding (and I could be wrong) is that Killeshin had a minor team this year which competed at another grade but that the top lads/certain amount  of lads were also permitted to play for this amalgamation in the A competition too.

Injuries happen and it is just part of the game. I heard Ryan, Bowe, Dowling all injured for RE heading into yesterday's match. A bruising battle with Limerick champions Doon, ten days ago. Looked very flat yesterday anyway especially upfront and definitely missed Killeen, King and Pearson this year, in my opinion. O'Connell did well on Dowling and held him to one point. He might not be as quiet in the final. No bearing on the result whatsoever, Camross by far the better team in second half, but there is no way Padraic Dunne should have reffed RE and he after leading the charge for Colt-Shanahoe against the PIHC outcome a week or so earlier. Do they have rocks in their heads in there?
First game was very competitive. Ballinakill will be kicking themselves with that chance to win it. CB hanging in there all year but are still there nonetheless. Has the makings of a decent final.