Joe McDonagh Cup 2025

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Fixtures:
Laois V Westmeath. April 19th or 20th. Home Fixture.
Down V Laois. April 26th or 27th. Away Fixture.
Weekend Off - May Bank Holiday Weekend.
Laois V Kerry. May 10th or 11th. Home Fixture.
Laois V Kildare. May 17th or 18th. Home Fixture.
Carlow V Laois. May 24th or 25th. Away Fixture.

As I mentioned in the NHL 1B Thread, Carlow and Down will be stern opposition in this group. Down done a number on Offaly a few years ago which condemned them to Christy Ring Cup, so they cannot be taken for granted considering their great progress in the league. Carlow too - an impressive league and they condemned us to Division 2 hurling next year. Hopefully the lads will avenge Carlow, and save it for the JMD Final!!!

[Laois Rising]

Possibly the weakest Joe McDonagh competition ever. Kerry have fallen back considerably, Westmeath do not seem the force of old and Down, Kildare are coming up from division 2 hurling and still require further progress to really challenge for honours. Therefore, the Laois v Carlow game on the final day could and should well be shadow boxing before the final itself. I was hoping for better improvements during the league itself but every chance Tommy and the lads will be back in a Joe McD final this year and based on game at weekend I fancy them if they can make the necessary improvements in that time. 

[georgedoylesrightleg]

be very wary o that trip ta down

[County Man]

After getting relegated to the third tier of the league for 2026, we now have a proper chance for redemption in the Joe McDonagh cup, which is a fantastic competition.

On the outset, it seems like we have a decent chance to make the final, but nothing can be taken for granted.

Westmeath will also be looking to bounce back from their relegation and they will throw everything at us in the first round. Down away in Ballycran are not to be taken lightly.

Kerry do seem to have regressed and Kildare will be a bit trickier in those 2 home games.

All going to plan, round 5 may be a dead rubber v Carlow or they might already be through to the final and may rest players.

Getting to the final on June 8 would be a showpiece and if we managed to win we would have a crack off 3rd place in the Leinster. All to play for, looking forward to it.

[The infidel in exile]

Hello all, I thought that I would comment on the state of Laois hurling currently, although some of my fellow contributers may rightly state that, as I no longer live in the country, thus not fully aware of the current state of Laois hurling, I decided to avail of a trip to Belfast a few weeks ago, as the return flight was £27. I went to Corrigan park, and what I witnessed was nothing short of insanity by definition( doing the same thing over and over again, expecting a different result) I watched a Laois team that were outclassed physically, skillfully, intensity and almost all to a man were tired by the 62nd minute.

I watched a team with no clear direction, toothless up front and without identidy.

I stood relatively close to the Laois dugout, and observed the Laois management team and the Antrim one. Whilst the Laois team were scratching their heads and talking to one another, the Antrim dugout were constantly urging and clapping their team, whilst their players headed every word, basically I watched one group work in unison, whilst the other group were almost embarrassed to be there.

I know that I will receive backlash and abuse. But facts don't care about feelings. Now to my final analysis. The Manager is simply not good enough and doesn't have the ability to lead the team, I will go even further and say that if the man who was the original pick, didn't get sick, Laois definitely would be in 1B next season.

When Eddie Brennan was there, he clearly saw that Some of the Laois players were allergic to weight training, and lacked height. He gave them a style of hurling that suited them, the running game, short hand passing off the shoulder, players moving in packs and quick passing.

Laois hurling will NEVER IMPROVE with a local manager. Yes I want a Kilkenny man found. WHY, Because they are class hurlers, and they're Leinster men. I never thought I would see a day when Laois will be in a division with Tyrone, Derry, Donegal. Oh my Lord God. We are a joke

[georgedoylesrightleg]

may tell tommy n the boys ta clap more. thatll do it

this is laois fer ya now, fella watches one game n he takes the back off one o his own. i'll enjoy it when tommy walks over carla in the mcdona final.

any remind this fella who relegated laois last time when CHEDDAR a laois man had ta get us back outta it. have given him too muchj time already. away ta fook.

[Voice of tReason]

I won't even waste my time replying to some of the nonsense from yesterday's post.

The Joe McDonagh will be an interesting competition again this year.
Of the 6 teams, we're in the Top 3 but with 3 very dangerous teams in the next 3. That first game against Westmeath will be absolutely crucial as their result at the weekend shows there's very little between ourselves, Carlow and WM. A loss for WM in Portlaoise wouldn't hit them as hard as it would us; we'd have to navigate three tricky games where we'd start as slight favourites before going to Carlow in Round 5 needing a win.

Tommy (with Niall and Andrew) has 4 huge weeks between now and then but I firmly believe he is the right man for the job.

[The infidel in exile]

Look, voice of reason, I respect what you stated, and I knew before I wrote what I wrote that I would get abuse and pushback which is ok. I'm 50+ and before I moved away I rarely ever missed a county game. Regarding the comments of the Troglodyte with an IQ equal to a duck, I laughed it off.
But I am open to serious dialogue and I have no problem admitting when I am either wrong or out of order.

The basis and foundation of my comments were purely based on what I witnessed in Belfast, nothing else.

Yes I was harsh but I don't believe that some of the team hurled to the standard that they could. Aaron Dunphy is a wonderful hurler, and David Dooley also. But our inside forward line are small, and I n fairness to them there was a lot of movement but they have to be given low ball so they can pickup and play their natural game, on the contrary 70% of balls that went in were to high and they were meat and drink to the Antrim backs.

I know that Laois are better than what I witnessed, but I spoke truthfully on what I witnessed. It will never change the fact that as God is my witness, I'd love Laois to win the Cup. Finally I would love to see the management team succeed, but honestly on what I witnessed, I'm not sure.

[georgedoylesrightleg]

imagine takin hte back off a man like tommy and basin it on one game. shoneen then goes n begs for a kilkenny man to pat him on the head n tell him hes a good lil lad. youse laois boys love yer aul stick fighting. gwway outta that.

[georgedoylesrightleg]

anyeway, enough i wont moind uyou again. tommy is the man. and so it will prove.

[Laois Rising]

If memory serves me correctly we didn't blow the lights out in the league the year Eddie Brennan got us to the All-Ireland quarter final and won the Joe McD. Bad beatings to Limerick, Waterford and Galway made up the bones of our league campaign.

I do take the point that Laois were miles off Antrim in terms of intensity, touch and fitness a few weeks ago which was hugely disappointing. However, Tommy is an excellent coach and we don't know the type of training the players have been involved in during the league. Perhaps, the work that is being put in now will only prove dividend in a couple of months time.

Under Eddie, the momentum only started to build as we gained a couple of good victories in the Joe McD and things snowballed from there. Let's hope history can repeat itself.

[The infidel in exile]

Good point Laois rising, as I said, I just gave a personal opinion on the game, I truly hope your correct in your evaluation and hope that the management team can improve upon the clear and unambiguous potential that is clearly there. But my personal worry is that last year we beat Offaly in the first game in the Cup, and lost the final by a goal. Offaly have gone to 1A and we have gone to the third tier. Yes of course we will come straight back up with Westmeath. But we have NEVER in Laois Hurling history, had to play four of the teams in Division two/three. That was my grievance, which with hindsight and respect, is a fair reflection. Regarding George and his rather nonsensical, neanderthal and stupid remarks, all I have to say is that I assume that their were primary and secondary schools in your area that you could have availed of. As I previously said, I love dialogues with honest and honorable Laois supporters, who push back with facts and stats.

I reiterate that I hope that I am wrong regarding the current setup, which waits to be seen. But George, please stop embarrassing yourself, linguisticley you sound like Neill Tobin. But instead of Neill( who jockingly mimicked dialects, unlike you, who sadly mimick yourself. There is a term for that, but I shall leave it where it belongs. Laoighis Abu

[georgedoylesrightleg]

u get hte dialog u deserve, and your words are the grunts of a pig. to cut the back off lads like uouve done here is a disgrace. league me bollix, championship is where its at n tommy will have us rite. in mean time, show some respect.

[The Boy Wonder]

George - it's a bit Irish you asking The Infidel for some respect.
What about a bit of decorum on your part ?

References to Carla / Wickla aren't as clever as they might sound.
I hope I haven't set myself up for some of your spleen.

We're all supposed to be Laois supporters here.
If we can agree or disagree without resorting to insults then this can be a useful discussion forum.

[Verbal]

I fully support Tommy.
However, at this stage we have to accept that people are going to be critical and question the set up.

I disagree with people doing that.
But personally attacking them for doing so creates a toxic situation.

Any idea how preparations are going ?