Laois footballers the Championship 2018 What went on and the review!

[High Fielder]

I agree in principle with Sugrue about the bigger counties getting stronger. Success breeds success and when you throw in the many advantages that are there already for bigger counties, I honestly don't know how the like of ourselves can compete. There is no great plan to make smaller counties competitive because it's just too big a gap to narrow. I even wonder sometimes if county boundaries are an adequate way of sectioning teams in the current climate. Maybe the Dublins and Kerrys of this world belong in a Professional environment with franchises made up of six other teams and just let everyone else carry on as normal in a truly amateur competition. Let's face it, the likelihood of us ever winning another Leinster in our lifetimes is very small even if that sounds overly dramatic

[redsetanta]

I see the handicap is +6. Thought it would have been more than that to be honest.

[Junior Ex Laoistalk]

Last year Carlow kept them quiet for a long time with their defensive system before Monaghan finally figured out how to crack it. i hate the way Carlow play but maybe we should learn a bit from that game and go defensive at times during the game ourselves. We can't just go in there all guns blazing and hope to beat them.

There is a big prize at the end of this so we will have to make them work hard to win this and possibly win it ourselves. I firmly believe we have the players to win it but we will have to set up to suit our lads and give them every chance. Hopefully the Kingstons will have a better game than the last time out and with a bit of luck you'd never know...

[Unlaoised]

As usual in this county...One big defeat and you get lads saying Monaghan will hammer us etc etc...

Yes they are rightly favourites and deserve respect but they are no Dublin and we have players that can hurt them.

There is a great pride and spirit in the Laois camp this year and that will take you far in games.

We have one of the best goalies in the country a solid centre back two decent midfielders and one of the top target men in the business ...

Time to be positive and give this a rattle.

If it doesn't happen its been a great adventure this year !

I hope the lads get the support they deserve

2pm on a Sunday isn't the worst time to be fair still early enough to be back with the kids etc...Mine will be decked out in the Laois gear its been like that all summer and its great to see so many Laois tops around the county on boys and girls!

[Junior Ex Laoistalk]

Well said Unlaoised, this team have brought us on a great journey this year and at last we can hold our heads up again as Laois football supporters.
I will certainly be in Navan on Sunday to cheer on the lads again and I do believe we can win this one. We have to start believing in ourselves again and I think John Sugrue is instilling that  belief in them this year.
We have only lost one game in the last 11 and that itself brings a certain amount of confidence to a squad. Kildare were at an all time low after the Carlow defeat and look what happened there. A bit of confidence and fire in the bellies now has them looking at a place in the Super 8's and there's no reason we can't be there too..

[portlaoisekid]

Sunday is a great opportunity for Laois to test ourselves against a really good team. I definitely think we can be very competitive and win, the Dublin match will have brought this team on further than all the matches combined this year.

I would be worried about our defence but I really fell we can win and Navan is a great place to play football.

[Don Draper]

Monaghan have never beaten us in the championship lads. Dont f**king forget that. Never.

[Unlaoised]

That's more like it lads a bit of positive mindset might get us somewhere......

It's what  Sugrue has installed in the players and is whats missing from this county ...

Look what an average Fermanagh team did to Monaghan!!!!

LAOIS LAOIS LAOIS

[Nameless]

Let's look at the positives from the Dublin game and see what we can work on.

Our kickouts went well. I was worried with how we would win possession but Brody was on top form and the midfielders did well enough.
Our full backline did reasonably well in one on one battles. Dillon was excellent against Mannion, it was runners from their half back line and midfield which caused us problems.
We created a number of chances but we missed too many. It would be worse if we didn't create any chances. Some of the passing was top class, our inside forwards created space for themselves, it was just our shooting that was off. We only scored 40% of our shots! Kingston kicked 6 and O'Carroll kicked 5 wides. We need to convert them, hopefully shooting has been worked on but as I said, the creating of those chances with the build up play and the movement inside is very positive.

Monaghan are a very good team. Should Timmons or Dillon pick up McManus? Should Walsh start? Any other changes?

[Laoiseabu]

Prediction : Monaghan 2:20 Laois 1-12

[on the hop]

Let's look at the positives from the Dublin game and see what we can work on.

Our kickouts went well. I was worried with how we would win possession but Brody was on top form and the midfielders did well enough.
Our full backline did reasonably well in one on one battles. Dillon was excellent against Mannion, it was runners from their half back line and midfield which caused us problems.
We created a number of chances but we missed too many. It would be worse if we didn't create any chances. Some of the passing was top class, our inside forwards created space for themselves, it was just our shooting that was off. We only scored 40% of our shots! Kingston kicked 6 and O'Carroll kicked 5 wides. We need to convert them, hopefully shooting has been worked on but as I said, the creating of those chances with the build up play and the movement inside is very positive.

Monaghan are a very good team. Should Timmons or Dillon pick up McManus? Should Walsh start? Any other changes?

I thought we were rinsed on our kickouts especially when they pressed up and we went long, we lost 11 of these. it wasn't helped that we allowed a free man to sit on their half back line and collect anything that broke. we still need a reliable freetaker on the team, donie and evan are too hit and miss. I wonder is drew wylie back from suspension.

[Tony]

I just had a shnaakey look at the Monaghan Hogan Stand forum. The consensus over there is that most of them see a victory for them, but they expect a tough challenge from us. A lot of them are pointing towards 2012 when they were clear favourites to beat us, but we beat them well. They believe that they've been inconsistent this year - fine performance to beat Tyrone but woeful against Fermanagh. They respect our style and were impressed with us for spells against the Dubs. Anyway, that all doesn't matter right now. Part of me thinks that we're not ready for Super 8's quite yet, but then another part of me thinks that it's an opportunity we mightn't see again for another 5+ years, so we have to go out 350% for the win and lay it all on the line. Besides, IF we do beat Monaghan (a division 1 side capable of being competitive with the best) then we do deserve our place in the super 8's. Again, IF we do manage to progress, I can see all-star nominees dotted around our panel - Brody, Begley, Dillon, JOL for example. Looks like they're travelling in numbers so I hope a good Laois crowd travel also. There's a high chance it'll be a close game, so the crowd could easily turn into a 16th man come the last 20 mins.

[Tony]

we still need a reliable freetaker on the team, donie and evan are too hit and miss.

Agreed - I'd probably start Walsh for that reason.

[BallyroanAbu]

I know we are an optimistic bunch on here but you would think we had put it up to Dublin the way we are going on, All Star nominees ? They beat us by 18 points almost kicking at will, in the second half.  To be honest I thought the gap was narrower between us and Dublin it was far from that.  We are not a bad little team but I would be surprised if we beat Monaghan.  We may get one All-Star nominee and that is Gareth Dillion, Is Brody in the top 3 keepers in the country ? I would think Beggin & Cluxton are miles clear with a plethora of keepers behind, saying that Brody does offer something very different.  It's his kickout I am not sure of and I think this is by far the most important part of the game.  Saying that this season has been he best thus far and his young so could easily improve further.

[Don Draper]

I know we are an optimistic bunch on here but you would think we had put it up to Dublin the way we are going on, All Star nominees ? They beat us by 18 points almost kicking at will, in the second half.  To be honest I thought the gap was narrower between us and Dublin it was far from that.  We are not a bad little team but I would be surprised if we beat Monaghan.  We may get one All-Star nominee and that is Gareth Dillion, Is Brody in the top 3 keepers in the country ? I would think Beggin & Cluxton are miles clear with a plethora of keepers behind, saying that Brody does offer something very different.  It's his kickout I am not sure of and I think this is by far the most important part of the game.  Saying that this season has been he best thus far and his young so could easily improve further.

You're probably right.

Laois by 3.