SHC 2026

[Laois345]

Before I go, Portlaoise got absolutely pummelled tonight. A proper embarrassment.

Yet they'll be in the quarter finals. I like the new system, but the only issue I have with it is that some teams get knocked out without having the chance to play those who finished ahead of them.

I suppose it's swings and roundabouts. Argument can be made another way too.

[Border Rail 26]

Senior

I think ballacolla by 5 but week after the picnic and with no pressure on they could be vulnerable to a slow and boring game which might give portlaoise a sniff.

Camross by whatever they want. Il guess 20.

Everyone has a lot of time for ballinakill and they will bring everything against the Harps but hard to see them keeping it up for a full game. It has been a couple of weeks since Justin Duggan threatened a hat trick and The Harps are the form team in lots of ways so should win by 7/8 after a battle.

The sunday games are a bit closer i think but rathdowney came out swinging the last day and will want to put a lot of pressure on borris. I have a feeling they'll come through with some comfort in the end. Rath by 8.

I would give rosenallis a chance as borris without scully are a bit weakened. Im going to go for a tense and low scoring draw that knocks borris out.

Rathdowney and the harps would be some tasty 1/4 final and the winner would have some cut off ballacolla or camross.


Senior B

Clonad and ballacolla to win in close games. Could go any way I guess.
I think rathdowney will win the relegation match easily enough.

Inter

Slieve bloom by 7 and the Harps by 5.
I think the gap between inter and senior B is as close as it has ever been.

Do you want to call the IHC game Trumera v Ballacolla there for the competition (that has no prize!)?

Ill go with ballacolla.

Big win for ballacolla last night but portlaoise still at the picnic. There has to be a look at some kind of preliminery quater-finals if the criss-crossover groups stay. How can rathdowney or borris be knocked out and portlaoise get through.
And camross could post a similar score later.

[Verbal]

I see your point about the preliminary QFs , but you'd want some jeopardy in the groups too?

If we kept the criss cross & did that;

1- Semis
2- Quarter Finals
3 & 4 - Preliminary Quarter Finals
5- Relegation Playoff


But- the Prelimary Quarter Finals are the week after Round 5
The Quarter Finals the following week

So your "punishment" for finishing 3rd or 4tg is playing 3 weeks in a row, and only getting a break if you beat the team that finished 2nd in the quarter finals.

Week 1- Round 5
Week 2- Preliminary QFs
Week 3- QF

Week 5- Semi Finals

Week 7- Finals


This would also mean that the team who finished 1st & 2nd don't get punished by extending the break they get.

Even if you went on to win it from finishing 3rd or 4th, you'd have played 5 games in 7 weeks. Winning all of games 2, 3, 4, 5.

I wonder is it possible to do the above with the football championship?
Might mean adjusting the start dates so Round 5 & Preliminary QFs happen when the football championship is well advanced.

I'm not sure I agree with scheduling around EP.
It's not a novelty anymore.

[Leixman]

Do we need more teams into the SHC now? Shocking standard of club hurling. They need to take away 2 spots from the SHC. Shame on the clubs who voted for teams for their own entitlement. Hurling in Portlaoise should be ashamed of themselves also

[Verbal]

Should never have went to 10.
If it's 8, the structure we had in 2012-2017(ish) where we had a draw after every round was streets ahead of group stages

[KyleExile]

Senior

I think ballacolla by 5 but week after the picnic and with no pressure on they could be vulnerable to a slow and boring game which might give portlaoise a sniff.

Camross by whatever they want. Il guess 20.

Everyone has a lot of time for ballinakill and they will bring everything against the Harps but hard to see them keeping it up for a full game. It has been a couple of weeks since Justin Duggan threatened a hat trick and The Harps are the form team in lots of ways so should win by 7/8 after a battle.

The sunday games are a bit closer i think but rathdowney came out swinging the last day and will want to put a lot of pressure on borris. I have a feeling they'll come through with some comfort in the end. Rath by 8.

I would give rosenallis a chance as borris without scully are a bit weakened. Im going to go for a tense and low scoring draw that knocks borris out.

Rathdowney and the harps would be some tasty 1/4 final and the winner would have some cut off ballacolla or camross.


Senior B

Clonad and ballacolla to win in close games. Could go any way I guess.
I think rathdowney will win the relegation match easily enough.

Inter

Slieve bloom by 7 and the Harps by 5.
I think the gap between inter and senior B is as close as it has ever been.

Do you want to call the IHC game Trumera v Ballacolla there for the competition (that has no prize!)?

Ill go with ballacolla.

Big win for ballacolla last night but portlaoise still at the picnic. There has to be a look at some kind of preliminery quater-finals if the criss-crossover groups stay. How can rathdowney or borris be knocked out and portlaoise get through.
And camross could post a similar score later.

Portlaoise still at the picnic? It must have been some picnic....regardless of what went on last weekend, thats an embarrassment from our county town. I'm sure Clough/Ballacolla had lads in Stradbally to.

[Verbal]

As far as I know!


Name.         Total.  Round 5
Verbal           40   7
Genocide   37   7
Ballygowan   36   8
Border Rail   34   6
Laois Heritage   32   5
Les Antiques   32   7

[Border Rail 26]

Thanks verbal. It wasnt a massively exiting round of matchs but abbeyleix will be delighted and will fancy there chances against rosenallis.
I would have zero sympathy for portlaoise after the last 2 games but then pat critchly is a legend and i feel for him.

The 2 quarters should be good. The Harps and abbeyleix have the scoring power but borris and rosenallis will be ready.

[Verbal]

Where now for Rathdowney Errill?

First time with no knockout hurling since they amalgamated.
It has been heading this direction.

Camross, Clough Ballacolla, The Harps, Abbeyleix should all move away from them.
Based on current team + what's coming behind.
Castletown could break into that category.

Rosenallis & Borris Kilcotton are in my opinion as good as they are going to get.

Ballinakill aren't going to get stronger.

[Blow-in]

Where now for Rathdowney Errill?

First time with no knockout hurling since they amalgamated.
It has been heading this direction.

Camross, Clough Ballacolla, The Harps, Abbeyleix should all move away from them.
Based on current team + what's coming behind.
Castletown could break into that category.

Rosenallis & Borris Kilcotton are in my opinion as good as they are going to get.

Ballinakill aren't going to get stronger.

Some of the stuff coming out of R/E regarding management is shocking. A once seemingly well run club. Heard the players have already approached a new manager for 2027.

You may laugh at me but I actually don't think they are as poor and with a proper structure would easily be back in the top 4 for a couple more years.

[Ogie]

Do ye know anything about Laois hurling or watching anything happening?

R/E could be relegated in the next 3 to 4 years their underage is in such a mess Blow in you obvs are not involved

Castletown have not senior quality coming through, bar one or two players off two minor panels, Abbeyleix ? I dunno where they come into the conversation
Camross are Camross and culture trumps all else
Ballacolla have moved ahead of the pack in the last few years, again building a culture for players to come thought, but are struggling underage

Portlaoise are never going to be the force they were again, not in hurling maybe in football.
The harps could potentially take over for next few years if they could make a breakthrough with the numbers they have and funding in the area,
BK will be fine too, young senior team and good juvenile club bringing through a few each year

[Verbal]

You're a bit blinkered there re BK.

Fleming
Kilbane
Finan
Whelan
Stapleton
Campion
Foyle
Scully

Nobody could classify them as young.
Backboning senior team for last 13/14 years.

Ones below are heading for 30. 
Dunphy x 2
Eoin Fitz
Parlon

When is the last strong minor team?

I don't think 1 or 2 a year is going to be enough to replace the above.

[KyleExile]

Where now for Rathdowney Errill?

First time with no knockout hurling since they amalgamated.
It has been heading this direction.

Camross, Clough Ballacolla, The Harps, Abbeyleix should all move away from them.
Based on current team + what's coming behind.
Castletown could break into that category.

Rosenallis & Borris Kilcotton are in my opinion as good as they are going to get.

Ballinakill aren't going to get stronger.

Some of the stuff coming out of R/E regarding management is shocking. A once seemingly well run club. Heard the players have already approached a new manager for 2027.

You may laugh at me but I actually don't think they are as poor and with a proper structure would easily be back in the top 4 for a couple more years.

Not a hope RE climb back into the top 4 for a few more years. They literally have nothing coming through and all their best players are moving further past their prime.

[KyleExile]

Do ye know anything about Laois hurling or watching anything happening?

R/E could be relegated in the next 3 to 4 years their underage is in such a mess Blow in you obvs are not involved

Castletown have not senior quality coming through, bar one or two players off two minor panels, Abbeyleix ? I dunno where they come into the conversation
Camross are Camross and culture trumps all else
Ballacolla have moved ahead of the pack in the last few years, again building a culture for players to come thought, but are struggling underage

Portlaoise are never going to be the force they were again, not in hurling maybe in football.
The harps could potentially take over for next few years if they could make a breakthrough with the numbers they have and funding in the area,
BK will be fine too, young senior team and good juvenile club bringing through a few each year

Ballacolla are an interesting one. Have they ever truly had a period of domination underage? They obviously produce good teams.

But as long as I've known them they have a good crop one year, then a crop behind them comes along and plays in the B grades, then they might have a year of an amalgamations. Then another good crop may come along. They obviously only pick from 2 small schools so numbers will vary. Ive been told they have no class going into junior infants in one of the schools this year.

But they seem to maxamise every single player that comes along. Is it some kind of luck that will eventually run out? I'm not trying to insult the great work that they obviously do. I'm just curious about what makes them successful longterm.

[Border Rail 26]

Theres no better club than ballacolla to make a story about low numbers. They have always done it.
Id be amazed if there schools had no infants starting.

Not being smart and they have had a gold period but it wont last for ever. Hurling is the only sport and they dont compete with football rugby or soccer. Used to be a lot of players with the lions but very few any more.

The Harps, castletown and camross (maybe borris) will be the top tier soon just look at consistent underage success.