Tailteann Cup 2023

[Laois Rising]

Laois were 7/2 to beat Fermanagh and 2/1 to beat Limerick.. Hopefully can defy the bookies odds for a third time. Laois will have to be more cynical if they are to stop Down. They are masters at the counter attack so our half forward line e.g. will need to be prepared to take yellow cards and engage in some cynical fouling at certain times. We cannot allow Mason, Magill, and Guinness to carry and move the ball at pace against our defence. Limerick showed that we can be opened up easily and exposed. We cannot be as nice as we have in previous games, especially against London where we let them run at us, gain some momentum and play football in the second half.

[High Fielder]

Has Sheehan redeemed himself with the last two wins or does he need to win Sunday or the competition to stay another term?

For me, it's not about redemption. If the players don't walk away and are happy to play for him, I'd leave him in place; assuming he wants to be there of course. We have no internal alternatives. Unlikely we have any external options either

[Joeythelips]

Has Sheehan redeemed himself with the last two wins or does he need to win Sunday or the competition to stay another term?

For me, it's not about redemption. If the players don't walk away and are happy to play for him, I'd leave him in place; assuming he wants to be there of course. We have no internal alternatives. Unlikely we have any external options either

Would you keep him if they lost to Down?

Season review:

Highlights - Beating Fermanagh (Div 2 side next year) & Limerick (Div 2 side this year) away from home in TC

Lows - Failing to get to Div 4 final, drawing with London in TC.

If they perform well against Down he might have edged another season but he could hardly complain too much if they looked elsewhere. For me beat Down and he has earned another go as he is learning on the job essentially and getting out of Div 4 is certainly achievable next season.

[rrhf]

Next time year. Would it be an idea to play this comp earlier and have both finalists renetry into Sam prelim quarter finals and the winner the team holidays etc

[Butch Cassidy]

Is success in the Tailteann cup greater than the league? Personally think Laois have had a better season than Wicklow who got promoted to division 3. If the league was starting this month I would expect us to get promoted, Billy playing lads in their natural positions and Murphy getting back fit another plus. As the season has gone on I believe the team and Billy are all learning.

I'd worry about our mobility in the middle on Sunday. We don't have the natural athletes playing half forward or in midfield and this can get exposed in the big field of Croker. Hopefully there's a plan for this as Limerick broke through the middle a good few times last week.

[Joeythelips]

Next time year. Would it be an idea to play this comp earlier and have both finalists renetry into Sam prelim quarter finals and the winner the team holidays etc

I agree, lets be honest if they did proper tier 2 structure they should scrap the provincial championships imo. So have League early season and then have TC run off, like the Joe McD in hurling the winner gets promoted to AI series for next year but also go in to provisional quarter final for current year. Thats a huge carrot. It would work even better in football as the gap between top and bottom tier is not as wide as hurling.

[statto]

Is success in the Tailteann cup greater than the league? Personally think Laois have had a better season than Wicklow who got promoted to division 3. If the league was starting this month I would expect us to get promoted, Billy playing lads in their natural positions and Murphy getting back fit another plus. As the season has gone on I believe the team and Billy are all learning.

I'd worry about our mobility in the middle on Sunday. We don't have the natural athletes playing half forward or in midfield and this can get exposed in the big field of Croker. Hopefully there's a plan for this as Limerick broke through the middle a good few times last week.

I would suggest the TC is greater success as it is still championship vs league.  In 5 years time for example, if you asked who won division 4 this year alot of people would probably struggle to answer but they would be able to tell you who won the TC.  If Laois won the TC the league would be forgotten I would imagine. 

[georgedoylesrightleg]

i feer a skutchin on sunday

[Joeythelips]

Next time year. Would it be an idea to play this comp earlier and have both finalists renetry into Sam prelim quarter finals and the winner the team holidays etc

I agree, lets be honest if they did proper tier 2 structure they should scrap the provincial championships imo. So have League early season and then have TC run off, like the Joe McD in hurling the winner gets promoted to AI series for next year but also go in to provisional quarter final for current year. Thats a huge carrot. It would work even better in football as the gap between top and bottom tier is not as wide as hurling.

One other point on this is that this could go the way of the Tommy Murphy where the interest just is not there, for example Offaly lost panel members before their game with Wexford. If getting to the final got them back into AI series this would not happen.

[Zooming around]

Next time year. Would it be an idea to play this comp earlier and have both finalists renetry into Sam prelim quarter finals and the winner the team holidays etc

I agree, lets be honest if they did proper tier 2 structure they should scrap the provincial championships imo. So have League early season and then have TC run off, like the Joe McD in hurling the winner gets promoted to AI series for next year but also go in to provisional quarter final for current year. Thats a huge carrot. It would work even better in football as the gap between top and bottom tier is not as wide as hurling.

One other point on this is that this could go the way of the Tommy Murphy where the interest just is not there, for example Offaly lost panel members before their game with Wexford. If getting to the final got them back into AI series this would not happen.

I'd say the opposite is more likely. In hurling, going forward it now looks very likely that the McDonagh Cup finalists will not be in the Liam McCarthy any more. They can't be seen to do the opposite in football.

[Joeythelips]

The gap in hurling between tiers is far greater to be fair, Offaly had to face genuine AI contenders in Tipperary after Joe McD final after competing in Div 2 of the hurling league, a big mis match.
But lets say Down/Meath/Laois/Antrim lost the TC final this year and had to face a Kildare/Monaghan/Roscommon/Cork etc in a preliminary round of AI series would it be a whitewash? I don't think so.

In fact If the GAA put serious cash into coaching in hurling for the likes of Laois, Offaly, Carlow, Westmeath they could close the gap as its a great incentive.

Either way just having that carrot for the winners would really boost the Tailteann Cup imo.

[SCFC]

 First 15/20 minutes on Sunday are vital. Don't concede early goals and don't get any red or black cards.
If we can get to half time ahead, level or narrowly behind, I think we have a decent bench and maybe should use some of them a bit earlier in the game.

[Laois Rising]

Very optimistic SCFC. If we are within 6 points of Down by the final whistle I would be very surprised. Down are really motoring at the minute. I cannot see our luck extending to a 4th game in a row. Hopefully they players can defy expectation and pull off a shock victory.

[Sheedy]

As a Down man i wouldn't say we're 'really motoring', the performance against Cavan was the best of the year, a mix of really good defensive play with brilliant attacking play. It was massive for the players to get the win, breffini park is a tough place to go.

Before that though Longford could've had a couple of more goals in the first half against us and we were lucky to be only 3 behind at half time before Down blew them away in second half. The last group game against Meath was a really poor day were Down hit 17 wides.

Down i feel are a better team sitting back and hitting on the break, most Down support would feel the wide open spaces of croke park should suit our players and would be confident of a win but definitely i feel the match will be closer than bookies predict.

[SCFC]

Very optimistic SCFC. If we are within 6 points of Down by the final whistle I would be very surprised. Down are really motoring at the minute. I cannot see our luck extending to a 4th game in a row. Hopefully they players can defy expectation and pull off a shock victory.

Ah look, you're right. I do expect us to lose. But hope springs eternal and all that.
You'd be just hoping Down have an off day and that we can be in the running going into the last quarter.