Underage squads 2024

[Laois Rising]

Completely ran out of steam and once game got away from them Kilkenny were free to tag on scores. needed that second goal early in second when game was still close but unfortunately didn't get it.  Excellent post regarding the minors. Very informed and honest of things.

[The infidel in exile]

Fellow Laois patriots, I'm going to say some statements about what I watched last night over here in thee UK on YouTube, and I'm not in the least bit sorry for seeing the game very differently than some of you. I made a comment about when Eddie Brennan managed the senior team to win a Joe Mc and going on to be the only team in the history of the Joe Mc to go on and beat a top tier team and get Laois senior hurlers into the TOP EIGHT IN IRELAND.

Kilkenny played running hurling, hand passing through the thirds, thus unlike Laois, they ALWAYS HAD A TEAM MATE to pess to, unlike young Cormac Byrne, who ran at the Kilkenny defense on three occasions but got crowded out, because it actually pains me to say, but Laois had no game plan, identity or plan B to trouble Kilkenny once.

I don't enjoy what I'm saying, but someone remarked that Laois were in it for 40 minutes? I'm sorry brother but Laois were only in it because their free taker missed FIVE FREES.And we scored a lucky goal.

I accept that we most probably played the All Champion's, but I was very very poor as we couldn't even score double digit points. Sometimes one has to be brutally honest and accept that Laois Hurling is slowly improving but not fast enough. I shall leave you with a comparison that you will understand. Laois played direct Hurling, against a Kilkenny team that had eight players over 6" whilst we had six players over 6". Limerick won their last three All Ireland's with 13 players over 6", and built like SH1T BRICK HOUSES, meaning that the direct game suits their anatomical frames. Laois are not Limerick. Mossy 5'9", James Duggan 5'10", Aidan Corby 5'9" Dooley 5'11" Benny Conroy 5'9". We have three players standing at 6'2" but nobody taller.

I have no problem with people disagreeing with me but, I truly would love so much if we brought in more top Kilkenny, Cork or Tipp coaches brought in to work closely with u14 upwards. Otherwise we are wasting our time as we are far too strong for division 2A and just off 1B

[Blueforever]

Have to agree exile Kilkenny were using the modern style of hurling get possession have player running off the shoulder either side giving the pass and the launching long accurate passes to the forward All the Laois lads were doing was getting possession soloing into trouble and losing the ball on a turnover or launching high ball into the forwards the problem we have is that very few ex county hurlers are unwilling or unable for many reasons to commit to training our underage teams the lads that are doing the training are doing  there best but are way out of there dept

[Spiritof1915]

Have to agree exile Kilkenny were using the modern style of hurling get possession have player running off the shoulder either side giving the pass and the launching long accurate passes to the forward All the Laois lads were doing was getting possession soloing into trouble and losing the ball on a turnover or launching high ball into the forwards the problem we have is that very few ex county hurlers are unwilling or unable for many reasons to commit to training our underage teams the lads that are doing the training are doing  there best but are way out of there dept

Agree but with the high surplus of revenues laois gaa are making at the moment it's time to pay ex players to for their time to help out with underage squads. Their out there but there's no desire from within

[Voice of tReason]

I don't necessarily disagree but I do think we need to accept that the number 1 difference between the teams was athleticism. Their power, pace and strength blew tactics out of the water. It's easy say they're playing a modern game when they're winning 70% of breaks.
Laois competed well for as long as they could but once the dam burst, we were blown away. How many of our players could compete directly with their counterpart? Hogan, Kelly, Cuddy, Flynn, Jer maybe? And at times only. Pearson did well but he was on a huge man. Eoghan Cuddy too, have his all but physically he struggled and he's a great young hurler by our standards.

Kk set up with 5 forwards and it left Laois in an awful situation. From the start, Kk were able to get great joy running from deep. Laois were brave and tried to push up and go man-to-man. It worked to a point because we were competitive but it was always going to be high-risk and as our fitness levels dropped, we couldn't track Runners with the same intensity and space opened up.

If we had got that goal on around 40 mins, it might have energised the lads to dig in for longer but I don't think it would have changed the outcome.

I though the defenders in general deserved great credit for hanging in for as long as they could. They probably would have preferred to sit Tom Cuddy sweeping but the reality was that if we dropped off, KK were going to build from deep and we could have been blown away far earlier than we were.

A lot of those forwards are underage next year and need to be well-supported.

[Voice of tReason]

I have no problem with people disagreeing with me but, I truly would love so much if we brought in more top Kilkenny, Cork or Tipp coaches brought in to work closely with u14 upwards. Otherwise we are wasting our time as we are far too strong for division 2A and just off 1B

I think the current U14 and U15 set-ups are excellent. Look at the calibre of personnel involved; Laois men who care deeply and are more than capable of coaching to a high level. Support them and trust them. This inferiority complex you have with other counties isn't helping. Nobody will pick us up and improve us unless we look after ourselves.

[The infidel in exile]

Sadly for almost 7,8 years, Laois Hurling has been stuck in Hurling purgatory. Too good for Tier 2 by a country mile, and very slowly improving at underage level and Senior level, but for over a decade we were too good for Offaly, but over a two year period, Offaly just exploded onto the scene ( Kilcormac/ killoughy) and produce at least eight or nine future seniors.

Finally I don't believe for one second that it is all doom and gloom, as we definitely have a few toppers coming through.but three years ago Our current u20s beat Kilkenny in a Leinster semi. But in a mere 3 year's Kilkenny not only turned it around but quite simply showed us a lesson in getting their own back.

I know that we are better than the likes of Antrim Westmeath and Carlow. But for the love of Jesus Christ, we should be way ahead judging by the last 7 year's at underage level. I stand by the opinion that if we want to win a Leinster underage title, we have to source good coaches from outside the county. As unlike some contributors, I believe that their are a few Kilkenny men that would relish the challenge. Opinions please

[The infidel in exile]

Also, I m slightly discombobulated as the fella George hasn't insulted me, abused me or called me disgusting names in over 2 weeks.

He must have gone on his holidays to Rathangan

[Voice of tReason]

I believe that their are a few Kilkenny men that would relish the challenge. Opinions please

The U20 coach this year is a very highly regarded Kilkenny coach.....

[Hurling123]

This conversation seem to all heading  in the same manner .
It all about modern style quailty  coaching.  I seen to many clubs training using line drills it drives me mad! Is this how the game is played? All training  should  be game based?? I go back this year's minor hurling team .there was two groups that went for the gig. One had two good kilkenny  coaches  along with two laois senior  hurlers [ enda roweland and Aaron dunphy] yet laos cb picked a different bunch and we all got to see the consequences??.so I make the point that the good management teams here were refused the role.

Can you please tell me with these decisions how can things get better?

[Zooming around]

This conversation seem to all heading  in the same manner .
It all about modern style quailty  coaching.  I seen to many clubs training using line drills it drives me mad! Is this how the game is played? All training  should  be game based?? I go back this year's minor hurling team .there was two groups that went for the gig. One had two good kilkenny  coaches  along with two laois senior  hurlers [ enda roweland and Aaron dunphy] yet laos cb picked a different bunch and we all got to see the consequences??.so I make the point that the good management teams here were refused the role.

Can you please tell me with these decisions how can things get better?

Is that the Aaron Dunphy that's on the senior panel. He'd never have had time to do it.

[John1]

This conversation seem to all heading  in the same manner .
It all about modern style quailty  coaching.  I seen to many clubs training using line drills it drives me mad! Is this how the game is played? All training  should  be game based?? I go back this year's minor hurling team .there was two groups that went for the gig. One had two good kilkenny  coaches  along with two laois senior  hurlers [ enda roweland and Aaron dunphy] yet laos cb picked a different bunch and we all got to see the consequences??.so I make the point that the good management teams here were refused the role.

Can you please tell me with these decisions how can things get better?

Laois123, You are contradicting yourself a bit now. You said in above posts how can you give a management team a new group of players and expect them to know the players 6 months later. That management team of the minors were involved last year were they not firstly as far as I am aware and your clearly eluding to, resulting in surely known the vast majority of your players coming through  this year.

Now you are saying bring in new KK coaches who would know less surely of them players and 2 senior county players at the time of appointment be it if they were appointed  ( who would not have had the time to commit to be there every night and to get to know them players ). So basically as you saying personal agenda you did not want them lads in and anyone else accepted

I agree with you developing our coaches and agree with continuation of coaches within the same groups coming through the age-groups if there is progression both in the coaches and players.
Who was over them Minors and what success had they coming up along

Also what background has Brendan Phelan as I also do not know anything or have heard of him ?

As for 20s Age Group, seems to always be let fall apart, when was the last time an u20 Team competed or hurled a Leinster Final.?
Feeding group for seniors and they seem to regress before Senior . No fault of management in my opinion as sometimes similar your point regarding Minors , managers come in for 1/2 year stints haven't worked with the players at some level and they're gone again , down to county board not working on keeping groups together putting plans in place etc etc
What we say here does not matter, go to county board if you feel strongly enough to air your thoughts and see how you get on

[Mad Mentor]

IMO it is always far better to have a consistent management team at an age group then one which follows the team up through the ages.
A management team needs to know what it takes to perform at the standard of that age group. To manage a team at say u15, and then step up to u17 with the same group means too big a learning gap for the management. By the time the management figures it out time is up and roulette wheel spins again. Far better to set up long term management teams at each age group (with no parents involved) and have the players move up through the ages with experienced coaches at each level. The same goes for club or county. I don't believe the coaches have to have seen every player since they were kids. A coach who is looking at players and knows what is needed at that level is probably in a better position to judge than the one who still remembers the great goal little Johnny scored at u13 and will be blind to the fact he hasn't progressed since.
From my own observance I have also seen lads who were good enough to be in county squads but who didn't get on for what ever reason with a particular management group and then never went back. While we still rely on parents to manage our county squads, I fear we will never really progress.

[Blueforever]

See Offaly minors Leinster champs tonight Louth senior and Under 21 champs see what can be achieved with proper structures put in place

[oneshot]

offaly are different gravy.