The future of laois hurling

[mcwregor]

Heard an interview with cheddar after the Antrim game. The passion in his words and his voice is infectious and heart warming. He hit the drum yet again regarding support for weaker counties. He said we are getting no help so we are going to have to do it ourselves. The leinster councils move to assist with payment for clubs to put in place GPOs is a hugely positive step. All clubs in laois should be looking to get on board with this asap.

Ive mentioned it on here numerous times that we need a plan for laois hurling. The concept is simple and obvious what needs to be done but I feel we've been talking about this in laois for 30 years. Even back in Liam O Neills time (20 odd years ago) he had a plan for laois hurling, that wasn't followed through. Cheddar had a plan a couple of years ago, when he brought it to the co board he ending up leaving as senior manager in frustration.

Money is an obvious stumbling block but that can be worked on too and there are investors out there that would commit if a proper plan was in place. We have plenty of intelligent and passionate laois hurling people. We need them all sitting around a table trashing this out. Cheddar is our senior manager but id love to see himself and Shane Keegan heading up a plan for laois hurling. One that covers all bases and one that would over come any obstacles including financial. They would need help to delegate out jobs but there are people there can can carry out expertise specific tasks.

The clubs and crucially the schools need backing and help first and foremost.
Following that a major emphasis need to be put on our development squads. I wont be popular for suggesting this but i believe we need to take an elitist approach with our development squads! They need to be provided with the best possible coaching, athletic development(s&c), nutrition, sports psychology etc.
All of this must be done in a FUN manner. While the best should be provided for these young lads there should be little to no pressure put on them, at the ages of
12-17 it it can be serious to an extent but with a fun element, it can never get too serious. The is a balance there that should allow them to excel without getting fed up of the whole thing. I think we could learn a lot for soccer academies overseas who have kids from a very young age(a cohort from laois GAA should travel over and pick up ideas on how to do it). All of this should be coordinated and monitored by a Laois GDO. The idea would be that every kid in laois that has a hurl in his hand would want to be part of these academy squads. That's how it is in kilkenny, tipp etc, Its such an honour for them.
As i said the elitist approach probably wouldn't be popular but what do we do? We cant keep doing the same things, i.e NOTHING!

WE NEED A PLAN

[clonadmad]

As you intimated, the "Trumera players" are playing w/ Mountrath at u17.
They're with Clonad at u15 and u13.

Trumera have players registered as mountrath players at u13 and u15 also

Promoted out of intermediate last year

And they not having to coach any of their own juveniles

Some going all the same

And good luck to them for working the system to their advantage

[Keyser Söze]

Mentioning Shane Keegan in the same breath as Cheddar is quite flattering (unless you are Shane Keegan).

I've been arguing here for years about amalgamations.
The only flip side is that clubs will reap what they sow.

Certain clubs are heading the same way as the Catholic Church.

[Laois man]

Agree if clubs don't put in the long evenings in the field and the blitz most Sat's how do they expect to have juveniles coming through. If you have no juvenile set up how can you stay going at adult level.

[Jd]

Lads taking a cheap pop at the likes of trumers should really go out and see what they're dealing with. Why do you think there's only 4 or five playing with Mountrath???could it be possibly cos there are only 4 or 5 youngsters available maybe. Its easy to sit and cast judgement on a club from a position of relative strength but it's a credit to trumera that their adult club is so successful. To the likes of a small rural club 4 young fellas coming up have to be minded as best they can. I'm sure if there are trumera chaps playing with other clubs then you can be sure that there's a few from there involved coaching too.. 13 or 11 a side won't work for the likes of trumera but amalgamations do. It's getting the balance is the problem

[burdizzo]

Agree with that.

[clonadmad]

Lads taking a cheap pop at the likes of trumers should really go out and see what they're dealing with. Why do you think there's only 4 or five playing with Mountrath???could it be possibly cos there are only 4 or 5 youngsters available maybe. Its easy to sit and cast judgement on a club from a position of relative strength but it's a credit to trumera that their adult club is so successful. To the likes of a small rural club 4 young fellas coming up have to be minded as best they can. I'm sure if there are trumera chaps playing with other clubs then you can be sure that there's a few from there involved coaching too.. 13 or 11 a side won't work for the likes of trumera but amalgamations do. It's getting the balance is the problem

A quick solution for the likes of Trumera and a few others would be a parish rule at juvenile where you play within the parish in an amalgamation.

Trumera would retain their identity, play and train some of their time at home and chaps would be coached by their club mentors

This would apply to designated rural clubs

That would tidy up a certain amount of short term marriages of convenience.

[Jd]

Yes I'd agree that the amalgamation must be a long term one Stradbally parish gaels are 3 clubs joined for 30 years and St Pauls could be up to 50 and both seem to get on well. Amalgamations should be sensible (parish or adjoining clubs) and have a minimum term of time possibly 10 years which allows clubs to exist yet develop players at underage for the future

[Heshs Umpire]

Yes I'd agree that the amalgamation must be a long term one Stradbally parish gaels are 3 clubs joined for 30 years and St Pauls could be up to 50 and both seem to get on well. Amalgamations should be sensible (parish or adjoining clubs) and have a minimum term of time possibly 10 years which allows clubs to exist yet develop players at underage for the future

It might well be the guts of 50 years since St Paul's began but there was a period in the 90's when both clubs had their own underage and minor teams.
Similarly, Stradbally have left Annanough and Timahoe to their own devices a couple of different times.

[Laois man]

Any where I can follow laois U20 hurling game v offaly that's on now??

[burdizzo]

It's on the Clg Laois Facebook page. Laois winning 0-9 to 0-6 at half-time.

[Laois man]

Thanks. Just gave htime score but no up to date scores.

[burdizzo]

Yeah, well, looks like Leix lost again. 1-13 to 0-13 in the wind up. Typical. The u20s were supposed to be good, and all. I don't think we've 'ere a good underage hurling team on the horizon at this point.

[Laois man]

Any link to watch laois U20s hurlers today?

[G@@]

Good result V Antrim today, could have buried in a few more goals too.