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I think winning a Tailteann Cup in two year's time might be more realistic ambition. Sweep the carpet of many of the older players and really commit to blooding the younger players from our last 3/4 u20 squads and developing a new core squad not burdened by a legacy of sub-par performances and disappointing losses. Division 4 really gives the younger players an opportunity to develop as intercounty footballers and with a guaranteed minimum of three Tailteann Cup games next year that provides a minimum of 11 competitive league and championship games to progress a new Laois team. If managed properly, you should have a team backboned by the likes of O'Flynn, Greene, O'Sullivan, Heffernan, Kelly etc. These lads will be hitting their prime come 2024. By then, I would like to think we will see a physically strong Laois team that will be able to compete and match the intensity of most intercounty sides.

I know a lot of people were critical of Michael Quirke in the aftermath of his final game in charge and what he said about the players at his disposal then. He was probably right in many respects. We need to bring into the team young players with the necessary speed and physical attributes as well as potential to compete at intercounty level in it's modern guise. That's Billy's challenge for 2023.

Who in the Dublin full forward line will be able to mark Tom O'Sullivan as he gets forward? Poor Cillian O'Connor was a broken man by the end of the game as he tried to chase back down the field after O'Sullivan for the umpteeth time.

A very valid observation Laois Man. There should be nurseries (when the new Laois GDOs are appointed who can oversee and help clubs out) provided for certain attachment areas that will allow younger players from 4-8 years of age play hurling, learn the skills and develop an interest. Make connections with the primary schools connected with these clubs and encourage children to come along to the nurseries. If three clubs smaller for example came together and ran a collective nursery it would perhaps help these clubs grow the participation numbers for these clubs once they get to u13 and need to find the numbers to field team. It could also help develop long term amalgamations where clubs still struggle for numbers, instead of this bed hopping scenario that we currently have. 

Thomas Gleeson is viewed as a very good up and coming referee. On reflection, I'm sure he will be disappointed with this performance. It seemed to be a case of natural biasism towards the more "elite" side in Galway in some of the decisions he made. He unfortunately proved the difference in the game and to Laois' cost. That Laois team deserve a semi final placing, however, Clare have had an extra week to prepare themselves for this game and with home advantage it might prove telling. I hope I'm wrong. 

After such a long break since our last game, hopefully Billy the the management team have found a way of hitting the re-set button and we see a reinvigorated Laois side on Sunday. Having the Kingstons back playing will give a boost of confidence to the team as well. Had we had to play a week or two after the Wicklow loss I wouldn't have expected much. However, having brought in a number of younger players to add a bit of freshness and competition for places in the last couple of weeks in training, let's hope it has the desired effect.

 

We have a group of talented minors and U20s from the last couple of years coming through. Blended in with the likes of Podge Delaney, Ross King, Paddy Purcell etc. Laois have the potential to put together a competitive team over the next couple of years. I would suggest the Joe McDonagh might be a good placement for the team next year. Young players winning games breeds confidence and some of the younger lads coming through would benefit from not facing into 20 plus point championship hammerings as they develop as senior intercounty hurlers. Going back into Joe McDonagh hasn't dampened Antrim's progress and they seem set to rejoin the Leinster championship next year (once they overcome Kerry) in good stead. Hopefully, we can do the same. A new face as manager might serve the team well.   

Winning a provincial title at home against our near neighbours in front of a large passionate Laois support having already beaten Wexford and Kilkenny in the earlier rounds. It's the stuff of fairytales for Laois hurling.

However, this Offaly team dismantled a strong Dubin team in their semi-final. They seemed to have upped a few gears since they beat us earlier in the year. Granted we have done the same. It should be a right battle on Monday night. Hopefully the Laois lads can play to their potential on the night. 

As highlighted a few weeks ago by some posters- the madness of the championship structure at underage level is coming to fruition. This should not be allowed to happen. Very unfair on the young Rosenallis players.

U-15 Hurling Championship Phase 1 Group A Round 2
Rosenallis 1-3 Rathdowney Errill 15-28

Over the last few years our minor team , while not setting the world alight, have performed on par with a county with our playing population. Meath, Dublin, Kildare have far bigger numbers to select from in Leinster. Unlike in the 90s and 00s, every county has a pretty good underage set up. Therefore, it has made the success Laois had in the 90s and early to mid 00s pretty impossible to replicate as the bigger counties are more than likely to hoover up the titles between them.

While we took a hammering in the end against Offaly that can happen with young lads of 16/17 playing football. Their heads went down after a bad start to game. The Offaly players had their tails up and with the result not in doubt proceeded to put up a good score against a defeated Laois team. I wouldn't read too much into one game. After the Louth game some of the same players were receiving huge praise on this very forum for their footballing ability.

The one thing that Laois county board were slow to do in the last ten years was to invest in juvenile football, upping the skills of the players and upping participation numbers. The number and quality of some of our Gaelic development coaches left a lot to be desired in that time. We have finally started to try rectify that situation. There is a long road to travel with it yet. Also, Laois will not regain the success of old until proper investment is made into re-invigorating GAA in Portlaoise and getting kids interested and involved in playing.

That's disappointing to hear Sean Moore has stepped away. Billy gave him every chance in the O'Byrne Cup.

The Tailteann Cup is still there to be won-there isn't really anything much between any of the teams in the competition. If Westmeath were to beat Kildare in a Leinster semi-final that would take them out of contention as well-I would have them as favourites to win the T.C. if they do end up in the competition.

It's funny what a favourable couple of draws in the opening rounds of the competition can do for a team's morale and confidence. You'd be hopeful that with the likes of Kelly, the two Kingstons etc. back fully fit that it will provide a badly needed impetus to that Laois side. The likes of Lillis, O'Loughlin, Timmons, Finn and Munnelly are probably in their final year as inter-county footballers. Surely the opportunity to win a national title at the end of their careers with Laois will drive them to give this competition a right crack. You'd nearly hope that the senior players in that Laois side would take it on themselves to take control of what is currently a sinking ship and put some semblance of order on things.

Injuries have taken the wind and momentum out of the Laois sails this year. It is a pity. The age profile is still good for a lot of our players going forward and with some very decent U20s stepping up over the next couple of years it could be a job with potential for someone. Tommy Fitz would be an excellent shout if he wanted the job. He has served his time as selector and is surely gaining valuable experience with St. Thomas' in Galway coaching one of the top club sides in the country. If he sets up teams to play hurling how he hurled himself it would also help bring the supporters back to O'Moore Park.

Now that Laois footballers won't be playing Meath as part of a double header with hurlers game with Wexford you think some common sense would prevail and switch the minor to be the curtain raiser.

This forum is a copy and paste job of the 2021 Leinster championship forum. We are just unfortunately in a bad cycle at the moment. Our underage isn't as bad as what is made out. At u20 level the last 4 years our teams have been relatively competitive (outside of competing with Dublin) and have put in some impressive displays. It's time to rebuild in division four next year with a side predominantly 25 and under.

As a county we really do lack players who enjoy the physicality side of things and being touch tight, dogging with their opposition number. Aidan Fennelly and Cahir Healy were great examples of players who really made life difficult for the man they was marking and their opponents really had to fight to get on the ball. Those lads sacrificed a part of their own game for the good of the team.  Wicklow must have kicked half a dozen points where ball was simply handpassed on to one of the forwards who just swung the ball over with his marker half heartedly throwing his hands up in the air trying to block the ball. Pathetic stuff. Too many of our players love being in possession of the ball and going forward but don't really want to commit to the hard part of the game which is tackling and defending and making life difficult for your opponent. 

It's a real pity that this Laois team had key players that were injured coming into this game along with a couple of guaranteed starters who were unable to commit to U20s this year as well. It's an opportunity lost. Very talented bunch of players over the last two years but unfortunately didn't achieve that big scalp that we hoped they would get.

After the strong showing by our u21s last year and with a number of those lads involved again this year you'd be optimistic that this team will be highly competitive against any side in Leinster (perhaps with the exception of a very strong Galway side).  Missing the likes of Burke, Mahony and possibly Keyes as well is a big blow to perhaps taking a scalp in this year's championship. However, some very decent players filtering through with potential to add to the Laois senior squad in the next couple of years.