Laois Senior Footballers 2024

[Sideline12]

Isn't it great to be in a National Final in Croke Park in July, as for the game the Down team's running power concern me our defensive energy need to improve to cover the runs of Down from deep, I think they will target a fast start so we need to be ready. Win or lose we are going in the right direction best of luck to everyone.

[Take him on!]

Isn't it great to be in a National Final in Croke Park in July, as for the game the Down team's running power concern me our defensive energy need to improve to cover the runs of Down from deep, I think they will target a fast start so we need to be ready. Win or lose we are going in the right direction best of luck to everyone.

Excitement is building. We're up against it as you say. Down are a very good team and the odds reflect that. We should have a big crowd up there on Saturday. Not often we get a big day out these days. The players have put in some effort all year. Winning Division 4 and getting to a Tailteann Cup final is as good a year as anyone could have expected. It would be great to top it off with some more silverware.

It's very quiet on this forum, usually a good sign that we're going well. 🤣 They'll be back if we lose on Saturday though. Hopefully Justin and Ross have a plan put together and we have a good day in front of goals. The young players are showing great promise but win or lose, it would be nice to give Mark Timmons a good send off. He's been a great servant to Laois GAA.

[redsetanta]

You'd have to give Laois a decent chance.

I think the handicap is generous giving Laois +5.

Often finals take on a life of their own. Down weren't able for Meath last year and we are far better than we were 12 months ago.

[Joeythelips]

To be fair the bookies usually have it just about right so +5 points seems about right. Not that the players will be bothered about such things. My take from semi finals was that laois are a different animal this season and given they way they came back after a poor start to the 2nd half will give them even more confidence but I did think the Sligo v Down game was a slightly higher level. But thats the beauty of a final, you cant win it if you are not in it.

[GAAFan2003]

In the current squad, what is the breakdown of the Secondary Schools each player attended? Is Paul Kingston the only Knockbeg Alumni?

[Sideline12]

Now lads no red or black cards we need all 15 players on the pitch hope ye can get a good start and finish well, best of luck tomorrow.

[Joeythelips]

Best of luck to all involved in the Laois set up today. A tough game but silverware is not easily won. It's been a great season regardless after the last few years so hopefully they do themselves justice today.
H'on Laois.

[Joeythelips]

No point getting too excited, Laois won first few games last year also, but it does seem like there is a proper buy in from all to what new management team want from them and a plan in place.
Get promoted, beat Offaly, give the Dubs a reasonable rattle and get to Taitleann cup final seems like goals that are within reach this year. 

A good year to be fair apart from the Offaly loss. Hats off to McNulty he has come in and really turned the ship around. Hopefully we find one or two more in off season to boost the panel as there is plenty of potential with this group, they have done the county proud.

A special mention to Mark Timmons, I always think its a bad sign to have elderly statesman on board when you are trying to build for the future but this guy has consistency being one of our bet players this season and yet again lasted the full 70 in the wide open spaces of Croker against a speedy Down forward line. At 38 years of age he is something special.

[Junior Ex Laoistalk]

Hard luck to Laois today but a marked improvement on last years game. Thought we were a bit too negative but thats understandable give last year and the higher quality players on a down team operating in Div2 next season.
Overall it.s been a great year for Laois football and I think we can look forward with more hope than we have had for a long time. Well done all concerned. Agree totally with your remark about Mark Timmons, he's a very special player and a great example to all the younger lads on how to look after your body and dedicate yourself to your club and county. Year after year when others were bailing out of the panel he stuck with it and drove others to give their all. It wouldn't surprise me to see him back again next year...

[on the hop]

very disappointing yesterday, while Down were strong favourites it just felt that we never released the handbrake and played very conservative nearly to our detriment. After last years game and Down's higher league standing it was understandable that we were going to be defensive to establish a platform to be in the game but it only appeared near the end with a few long balls that there was game that could have been won, even if it was a smash and grab. Lacey's goal from the keepers mistake and later Barry's strike put a bit of a shine on what was an awful offensive performance in particular. I accept that McNulty's heavy defensive style in fairness got us to the final and also may have been handicapped yesterday by not having the forwards especially pacey, hard running forwards that would show for the ball to stretch Down. It would lead you to wonder how the approach or even some of the personnel were not changed when it was obvious we were playing so deep and effectively having no forwards up the field to score. Evan's point in the 15 minute was the last point from play any of the eight forward players we used yesterday scored and Heffernan's point just after the 37th minute was the last point from paly any Laois player scored. The two forward changes came in the 56th and 65th minute and to me were too late. Eight scores in 70 plus minutes was never going to win this game.     

next year will be interesting, I would imagine that the plan will be to build on the foundations of this year and stay in Division 3, avoid relegation and have a better run in Leinster depending on the draw and go for the Tailteann again. The evolving of the game plan will depend of what the panel looks like and whether we can get some of the absent players back but most importantly try find pacey forwards.

[The PRO]

An enjoyable enough year overall following Laois footballers.
Highlights were the league final win and beating Kildare.
The two big disappointments were yesterday and the Offaly game.
I believe two of the six starting forwards yesterday will miss next year due to travelling abroad.
We never seem to have all our players available at the one time.

[The Boy Wonder]

A commentator said that England played with the handbrake on against Spain tonight - much like Laois yesterday.
Laois had good reason to be wary after last year and in fairness our lads defended fairly well.

Croke Park is a big field to get up and down as it showed in the two All-Ireland semi-finals also.
Coincidently all three games ended in 2 point winning margins.

It would've been great to steal it at the death but we all know we're not ready for Sam Maguire competition yet.
This year has restored some pride and well done to players and management.

[georgedoylesrightleg]

very dispointing is bit harsh for me. last year was very dispointing. much better place than start year. plenty to build on. plenty to be happy about. kids are alrite, now we need blood more of them.and we need pace.

thanks justin ross n players.

[Joeythelips]

A management teams job is to pick a squad of players and get the best out of them. I get that at times Laois were not as attacking as you may like them to be in the final, but the reality is they were playing a side who hammered them by 22 points last season. So many players have come on an awful lot under the new regime, add a few more to that and further progress and Laois have room for even more improvement next season.

[Butch Cassidy]

Saturday was a step top far in what has been a positive year. It would have been great to win and they had their chance but the step up might to 'Sam' might be a year too early for this current crop.


For Laois to improve they need to ensure there is not a big turnover in the squad and we keep adding youth to the panel. We also need to improve the pace and power but that can only happen if lads apply themselves over the winter months and from minor up.