Leinster Minor Football Championship

[Junior Ex Laoistalk]

Laois begin their campaign at home to Longford on Wednesday evening in O'Moore Park at 7.30pm.
They travel to face Offaly in Round 2 a week later and then host Kildare in their final game on April 26.

LAOIS:
                                                  Liam Conroy (Portlaoise)

   Ben O'Connor (Portlaoise), Tadhg Dineen (St Joseph's), Danny McGrath (Graiguecullen)

Robbie Murphy (St Joseph's), Jack Brennan (Killeshin), James Dunne (Clonaslee-St Manman's)

                                 Eoin Johnson (St Joseph's), Niall Lalor (Kilcavan)

   Darren Brennan (Portlaoise), David Donohue (Stradbally), Paddy Fitzpatrick (The Heath)

   Ennae Byrne (Arles-Killeen), Fionn McEvoy-Mullally (Stradbally), Evan English (Killeshin)

SUBS:
Ben Dillon (Stradbally), Tom O'Connell (Mountmellick), Fionn O'Sullivan (Crettyard), Callum Hogg (St Joseph's), Jomilio Salvador (Graiguecullen), Dan Boland (Courtwood), Sean Kirby (The Heath), Cathal Buggie (Stradbally), Sam Lynch (St Joseph's)

EXTENDED PANEL:
James Horahan (Graiguecullen), Robbie McEvoy (Mountmellick), Cody Tucker (Graiguecullen), Conor Kearney (O'Dempsey's), Pauric Ramsbottom (Timahoe), Jack Julian (Ballylinan), Jake Byrne (Portlaoise), Ben Howe (Barrowhouse), Darragh Pendergast (Ballyfin)

[Heshs Umpire]

Tadhg Dinneen is very highly rated. Hope he pushes on to under 20 and senior in years to come.

[Laois Rising]

What I find particularly interesting about the make up of the starting minor team is the return of our traditional powers such as Portlaoise, Joseph's, Graigue and Stradbally back-boning the team. It's good to see as these clubs getting their underage development structures right. On the flip side no players from O'Dempsey's, Portarlington or Ballyroan-Abbey in the starting team or subs. Have the other clubs caught up with them in terms of underage development? or has underage standards slipped in these clubs and too much priority put on successful sides to detriment of those following after?

[clonadmad]

What I find particularly interesting about the make up of the starting minor team is the return of our traditional powers such as Portlaoise, Joseph's, Graigue and Stradbally back-boning the team. It's good to see as these clubs getting their underage development structures right. On the flip side no players from O'Dempsey's, Portarlington or Ballyroan-Abbey in the starting team or subs. Have the other clubs caught up with them in terms of underage development? or has underage standards slipped in these clubs and too much priority put on successful sides to detriment of those following after?

Joseph's bet Stradbally Parish Gaels in last years minor A final with a team made up of a fair few u16's u15's and even 1 if not 2 u14's

I'd fully expect Joseph's to be even better again this year and to probably play the parish Gaels again in the Minor A final which would be a repeat of the u15 A final of 2 years ago

Portlaoise have a talented bunch of u16's who won the u15A last year and you would think they would be the backbone of a team that will start as favourites for the Minor A title next year and beyond.

At u15 A this year you'd have another right good Joseph's outfit,Portarlington and Park,probably a kick of a ball between the 3 of them with O'Dempseys not too far away

[Jd]

I think port had 3 triallists but none of them committed. O Ds have a chap on the panel but he was injured for last night. Ballyroan just had a less successful crop this year so it's not that standards are slipping in those clubs but just that they for whatever reasons don't have lads on the team

[redsetanta]

Started very well last night but goals killed them.

[Sideline12]

Goals are killing us in all our teams both
football and hurling why can't we defend ?

[redsetanta]

Anyone at the game last night.

Kildare seemed to be on top for the whole game and were convincing winners.

[Jd]

I was in and they put in a very good first half turned over at 7 points all. Second half kildare dominated and won easily. Kildare ability to kick long range points killed the laois defensive structure. I think their keeper kicked 4 frees from 45 mtrs and then they got a few from play from that distance too. Once they got ahead the laois lads struggled to get the ball up the field and then when they did the support just couldn't get there quick enough. Laois probably left 4 or 5 simple points behind them too. Some fine footballers there despite the loss

[Butch Cassidy]

Shocking. Anyone in the know, can you tell me if they were missing anyone?

[Tier2]

Seen on laois today manager was sent off for an altercation with linesman. Anyone at it see what happened?

[georgedoylesrightleg]

I was in and they put in a very good first half turned over at 7 points all. Second half kildare dominated and won easily. Kildare ability to kick long range points killed the laois defensive structure. I think their keeper kicked 4 frees from 45 mtrs and then they got a few from play from that distance too. Once they got ahead the laois lads struggled to get the ball up the field and then when they did the support just couldn't get there quick enough. Laois probably left 4 or 5 simple points behind them too. Some fine footballers there despite the loss

You do well 2 explain this one

[Blow-in]

Where's the future? It's all a solid mess

[Laoiseabu]

Where's the future? It's all a solid mess

I follow all the games very closely in Laois football whether it be club or county and I hate to say it but we STILL haven't hit rock bottom yet despite us being in division 4.  I can visibly see our underage teams particularly our minor teams becoming increasingly further off the mark every year . It was like men vs boys down in Wexford park tonight . Wexford were physically a much more superior team to Laois and we had no answer to their power and pace . Laois are not lacking ability or anything but the department where we are CONSTANTLY getting shown up in at all levels is our size , power , pace and mobility compared to other sides . Interestingly enough that Wexford team lost to Wicklow by 3 points and Wexford only bet Carlow by 3 points which suggests that Wexford are nothing special themselves
I think in 3-5 years from now that our senior team will be worse than it currently is now to be honest. I mean for a start the likes of Timmons , Lillis and J Finn who have been great servants will probably pack it in in the next year or two . More worryingly when P Kingston (30 next year ) and particularly OCarroll ( 29 next year ) move on there will be a gaping hole up front . None of the forwards I've seen at minor or u20 for us the past few years look like they will be anywhere near the level of Paul or Evan . I haven't seen anyone as of yet who is capable of replacing OCarrolls  size , ball winning ability , ability to get fouled and draw frees and ability to break the tackle and bully full backs with his sheer size . He brings others into play too by plucking dirty ball and throwing it around to others . He's also comfortable shooting off both feet and taking frees with both feet too. Them attributes are not easily replaced especially in a county like Laois where we struggle to do even the basics right . Once he's gone thats our main focal point and scoring threat gone . Everything comes through him . In my eyes he was our closest thing to Donie Kingston in a way .
Basically I feel that it will probably get worse again before it gets better as I think that what's coming through is actually worse again than what's currently on our senior team . Our recent minor teams in the past few years have been a lot worse than the minor teams that most of our current senior players were on . The longer this rut continues the harder it will probably be to convince lads to commit to playing Senior with Laois too . There was as many as 7/8 lads from my club asked to play senior with Laois this year and only 1 lad committed for example. I try to see light at the end of the tunnel for us but it just feels that the walls are still closing in on us with no end in sight for foreseeable future

[redsetanta]

Amidst all the doom and gloom lets not forget that the mighty Kilkenny almost beat our AI winning minor team back in the day.