Laois SHC 2024

[Verbal]

Lots of league final on this weekend. Div 6 borris/kcotton Ballyfin. Div 5 harps v Castletown. Div 4 Rathdowney /Errill v Clonad. Div 3 Bkill v Sbloom. Div 2 harps v Cbolla. Div 1 borris/kcotton Aleix. Should be a few good games in these. Anyone having a guess off the winners? 🤔

Whatever happens it's good to see 10 different clubs involved.
Often be years when C/B or R/E or Camross would have 3 teams in finals.

[Laoisred]

I agree with some of the comments above. The County Board get a lot of stick (on here and elsewhere) but by and large they run the championships well. I like the alternate structure of hurling one week, football the next and so on. They also give every team a THursday night game, Friday game as well as weekend games. The new format with the groups is a bit strange but by and large it has worked well . That is not the same in every county. Carlow, Kerry, Wexford come to mind.
Again with the leagues there is a lot that is right: set fixtures, upfront definitive dates and times and so on gives clarity to everyone. But there is no need at all for league semi finals, especially after playing 7 group games. For example I see that RE who topped the group and were undefeated after 7 games were knocked out of their Div 1 league by Abbeyleix last weekend. To me the Top 2 should just play in the final and let it at that. And on the final, there is no way at all it should be on a Sunday morning at half 11 or whatever it is. Thats not the right way to promote and showcase the leagues.

[Verbal]

Top team definitely shouldn't have a semi final.
I think I'd keep 2v3 in one semi. With 2 at home.
Just to keep the competition alive as long as possible. Could be a lot of walkovers if top were sown up after rounds 4 or 5.

[Laoisred]

A good point on walkovers. Top Team in the final with 2 (home) playing 3 in the semi final makes sense and is the way it was in the past, as far as I remember.

[The infidel in exile]

Is it only myself, but has anyone else noticed the clear unambiguous lobsidedness between Groups A and B. It seems to me that More points will be picked up by group B, I Truly don't mean any disrespect,  But other the Clough Ballacolla and Abbeyleix, the 2024 winner, and the 2023 finalist, and 2024 Semi finalist, the other three ( IN THEORY) are slightly weaker although Rosanallis have 4 fine hurlers, I think that some teams may really struggle in Group A, playing R/E, B/k, Camrose, and the team that are my outside bet, The Harps, Castletown.if a team from group A manages 3 wins, will walk into a Semi

[Laois man]

Rosenallis didn't even get of of div 2 league.

[John1]

Rosenallis could struggle this year If they don't get their house in order promptly. 2 weeks to Championship and after loosing to The Harps second team in Div2 League last weekend. It could come down to themselves Balliniklll Portlaoise for relegation. Castletown should have enough.  Rosenallis will need their full hand avoiding injuries to survive, The Dual setup has taken its toll also it seems.
The Harps have been too inconsistent over the years to be backing. they are talked up so much but are so disappointing plus talks some are going travelling for summer, time will tell. Don't be surprised to hear of Castletown to start been mentioned again in near future of been really competitive. League form generally means little especially to the bigger teams, Can not see Abbeyleix making a championship final with the players they are missing with very few back for any of the championship. They hurled the league with close to their full compliment when the bigger teams were down county players. could reach a semi final at best.
Wouldn't be surprised if Camross v Ballacola final although Picky & Willie in bother, maybe that's the difference to allow another team sneak into contention, RE / B/K look spent but one could reach another final.

[The infidel in exile]

John1 ( The Word was God), with respect although I can understand to a point, that people expect the status quo remain, But I  really don't understand why people use history to dispell the chance of a Club winning a championship.

Both Abbeyleix and the Harps have proven beyond doubt, their creditintials as to winning the senior championship after winning previous underage titles.

I couldn't help but notice when asked, picking B/K last years intermediate champions to defeat last year's senior semi finalists, Abbeyleix in the league final tomorrow. I, on the other hand expect Abbeyleix to win this by a few points, if they expect to make it to a second senior county final in three years, then you have to expect then to put B/k away. But we shall know tomorrow on clubber for myself

[Laois man]

2 league losses for the harps again over the weekend.

[Verbal]

I don't think losing league finals with their 2nd or 3rd teams will be any sign of how the Harps do at senior level for the year.

[Laois man]

Verbal winning is a habit harps have a habit of losing games they should win.

[Spiritof1915]

In fairness to the harps, they won the league last year. Also looking at the teams for div 5 and 2 finals on LT both castletown and CB seemed to have more potential senior personnel on their respective teams.

[Verbal]

League teams are not something to go on. Especially 2nd & 3rd teams.

Looking at the Castletown team for example. Some of the lads who were on their third team in the league final will be hurling Senior.

Everybody wants to win, but those games are no indicator.

[The infidel in exile]

Well, Abbeyleix win handsomely by 9 points, probably should have won by more. Their first senior title since 1949.

I personally wasn't surprised as although was the only one that felt that they would have too much and win by 5 plus.

I'm very very surprised that at least two of the three Byrne brothers, Ciaran and Cormac are growing into fine hurlers, young Ned Fitz is dynamite at number 4, and Fionan mahony, all deserve to be on the laois Panel.

They played Camrose in a County final 3 years ago with an average age of 23, and I expect Themselves a C/B to come out of group A, and they will only get better, with an average age of 24.

[The infidel in exile]

Sorry 2 years ago