Laois SHC 2024

[Mad Mentor]

I think C/B have every chance if they play to the best of their ability. Ballyhale have gone back a long way from when TJ et al were at their best. If they can shackle Eoin Cody it will be a big help. Best of luck to them anyway.

[Laois man]

Ballyhale have alot more than Eoin Cody to handle there physically strength alone is hard stop.

[Verbal]

Unfortunately I think 10/1 on that the bookies have Ballyhale is realistic.

They could play 10 times and Clough Ballacolla would run it close once.

They simply don't have the physique to match Ballyhale.
If you watch club games in Tipp & Kilkenny, no Laois team does.
Gap with Offaly is emerging.
Wexford gap is widening.
Worryingly, there could be a gap with Laois clubs & the top 2 or 3 Kildare clubs soon too.

Sorry for being pessimistic. Best of luck to Ballacolla.

[Voice of tReason]

Best of luck to both Clonad and Clough/Ballacolla. For both, winning their championships was a solid achievement, a Leinster quarter-final made it a really good year and this feels like a free-hit for both.

Both are underdogs and I'd imagine about 10 points each with the bookies.
I think that's probably fair given the strength of the opposition. I don't think I'd back either to beat thay handicap but I wouldn't go against them either. Ultimate fence sitting I know.

For CB, they lack real star quality without Picky but they're a solid, balanced team with an excellent keeper in Cathal Dunne, the likes of Conway and Cleere intercounty level and Pearson and Hogan looking like following at a similarish level. Further forward, Walshe, Corby, Bergin, Dunne and Dunphy all offer various attacking threats and the team is filled out with a mixture of experience (Maher and Doyle), and workers like Mulhall, Phelan and Hennessy. Will that be enough to compete at the very top level in Leinster? In all honesty, probably not, but I don't see them being beaten out the gate either. And not being reliant on one player probably helps coming up against a team so formidable all over the pitch.

The weather forecast suggests it'll be a windy day on a soft pitch. CB worked the sweeper brilliantly against Camross and that might help them against what I presume will be an early onslaught from Ballyhale. Get to half-time competitive, big fight between 30-40 mins to stay in the game and then give it a rattle for the last 20 with nothing to lose.

I hope they can get to ht still within a few scores. Anything more would be a huge boost for Laois hurling.

And separately, I think Ken Hogan is a fantastic appointment for The Harps. I thought they'd be contenders this year but I'm even more convinced they will be next year.

[Laois345]

Harps contenders again for 2026, come on. This same suggestion goes on and on in here.

They have shown nothing, absolutely nothing, to suggest they'll be contenders this coming championship. I'll be surprised on year but they haven't been near it in a long, long time.

And I actually like the Harps, a good club.

[Laois man]

Listening to Enda Rowland podcast he walked away himself due to work commitments good podcast best of luck to him he also said he has no hard feelings with anybody about going.

[Laois man]

Was it 98 the last time harps were in a senior final? Going for 4 in a row in the u20 Cship do find it hard then to get going at senior for some reason.

[Laois man]

Cbolla will be around for a while yet picky and young Brennan be back next year and a few more coming through as well.

[Verbal]

Im surprised Ken Hogan is taking that job I'd have to say.
Was Podge Delaney in the Garda College before Ken retired?
Ken has (rightly) been very selective over what clubs he has taken on over the years.
He doesn't suffer fools.

[Laoisred]

Unfortunately I think 10/1 on that the bookies have Ballyhale is realistic.

They could play 10 times and Clough Ballacolla would run it close once.

They simply don't have the physique to match Ballyhale.
If you watch club games in Tipp & Kilkenny, no Laois team does.
Gap with Offaly is emerging.
Wexford gap is widening.
Worryingly, there could be a gap with Laois clubs & the top 2 or 3 Kildare clubs soon too.

Sorry for being pessimistic. Best of luck to Ballacolla.

Definitely a gap between top Laois clubs and Kildare. Both Rathdowney Errill and Clough Ballacolla put 15 points on Naas in the lead up to their 7 in a row in Kildare this October.
Sure it comes in for criticism on this forum but as one that has the time to get to a lot of games in person, Laois Senior hurling championship is ahead of Kildare championship, westmeath championship, carlow championship to name a few. It might lag, KK, Dublin, Wexford but it's not miles off Offaly as we are led to believe by some.
Hopefully Clough Ballacolla will give a good account of themselves tomorrow.