Joe McDonagh Cup 2025

[Spiritof1915]

I'm late to the party commenting, primarily because I was too sick to look at the forum. We all love and respect Tommy Fitz. A man who is the essence of hurling culture in Laois since the 90s.

But when you take a inter county job you have to be open to criticism and rebuke from us hurlers on the ditch. I agree with previous posters, the short puck out every time killed us. Really did. Why not set up to puck long. Into the danger zone. Simple game. Put paddy P, jer Quinlan and conroy on the half forward as ball winners (or others should have been settled during the league). We had the best midfield bar none in the JMc to pick up the scraps.

It seemed that it was deja vu from the group game.  Even put Ryan up there if not playing him in half backs. Mossy floating, duggan and corby/dowling on the inside line.

Fair play to kildare, its amazing what they've achieved but I find it really hard to believe that final score. I really think we left it behind thru style of play. We don't have the hurlers to play the short game. Practically no counties do.

 I hope Sat is not a shite show. Hearing that there serious disquiet in the camp.

[The infidel in exile]

You have answered my opinion, without knowing it 1915. I have not, or will never cast personal attacks at Tommy Fitz as a person. Nor would I ever. I have also heard from two old friends back home, that their is more than a couple of players unhappy ( very) with how the year went training wise.

I accept that The team had a late start to training due to the Gleeson sickness. But it is 9 day's to mid summers day, so I'm sorry but that excuse has left the station  months ago.

Of course I agree with the statement about Tommy's love off Laois hurling, his passion, loyalty etc!! I 100% respect that.

But good hurlers, don't always make good coaches (fact). In my humble but brutally honest opinion, Laois were better in 2024, especially in the final against Offaly, a game that we could have won.

I don't want to see players walk, but as a hurling county, we are notorious for it, mainly due to Club before County parochialism. I think what really caused me to make the statement I made, was reading Tommy's interview online on the Express.

He didn't take much responsibility, as he claimed that he didn't know what went wrong on the day. He claimed that they worked hard on puck outs in training but it didn't come off.

What I saw was a plan A, followed by another plan A, then another. No plan B.

Finally, if Kildare were ( as he stated) more physical, bigger, and stronger.

Then can someone, anyone, please tell me why we dropped two 6" plus hurlers, for two smaller lighter hurlers. Tom Cuddy nor Ryan Mullaney deserved to have been dropped, I was Dumbfounded also by James Duggan not starting, He got us that draw against Carlow by scoring that superb point off the hurl, and either himself or Mullaney got the goal.

I actually strongly believe that we were better in 24, under the Tipp man.

Look we all know how fickle our hurlers can be, because next year we are ( I think for the second time in 30 years)we will be playing countries rated 14th to 20th in Ireland.

At the end of the day, whatever happens, the County board won't give a toss about our opinions.

[Blueforever]

You are dead right co board will not take your opinions into account and it's imperative that the clubs vote for a chairman that  give a toss about the state of Gaa both hurling and football in the county not vote for the idiot that thinks it's his turn next

[Joeythelips]

It is also a bit of a shambles that the Joe McD finalists have to play the following week, Laois are still the only side who won their match after winning the trophy, as I said in a previous posts I dont think the losers should get into the prelim, 4th in Leinster v 4th in Muster playoff for that spot makes more sense.

Our lads will be on the ground after last weeks defeat and having to face a very strong Tipp side 6 days later is a farce. The last time Tipp played the Joe McD losing finalists was against Offaly in 2023 and they put 7-38 past them  . I hope I am wrong but feel they will do similar on Saturday based on what I have seen thus far.

[ottoman]

It is also a bit of a shambles that the Joe McD finalists have to play the following week, Laois are still the only side who won their match after winning the trophy, as I said in a previous posts I dont think the losers should get into the prelim, 4th in Leinster v 4th in Muster playoff for that spot makes more sense.

Our lads will be on the ground after last weeks defeat and having to face a very strong Tipp side 6 days later is a farce. The last time Tipp played the Joe McD losing finalists was against Offaly in 2023 and they put 7-38 past them  . I hope I am wrong but feel they will do similar on Saturday based on what I have seen thus far.

I expect a very similar score line. As has been mentioned, our biggest issue, and it has been like this for the past 2 if not 3 years, is our game plan.

If anyone was at, or watched the game against Carlow, its flaws stood out massively. We held most the ball for the first 20 minutes or so, but, yet Carlow looked the most threatening. We're so easy hurl against at this level, just wait for us to take possession from the short puck out, then press up on us and force errors. Sure ,sometimes we'll work through the press, but more often than not, we'll get turned over! And then when that happens, we're screwed, because our defensive line is completely out of shape on the back of a turnover. 

The 2nd half against Kildare was as predictable as it comes. There was just no way the Laois defenders were going to be able to keep taking the game to Kildare puck out after puck out, Kildare were much bigger and faster than us, so as the game wore on, their forwards were only going to become more and more dominant.

All this is not Tommy's fault to be fair. A lot of our flaws are not all technique, but physicality and size (or lack of) is also killing us. Time after time, we see Laois me take on 1in5 pot shots, because they simply can't break through a tackle and work themselves into a better position.
When I look at Laois the last few years, I don't see technically bad hurlers. On the contrary, some of our most skilful players have come in the last decade or so. Paddy Pucill, Cha, Picky, Mark Kavanagh, Podge, Rowland, Corby, to name but a few, but the physical element of the game is seriously lacking.

If you look at the best of what KK, Tipp, Limerick, Cork etc have. They're not teams full of the best stick men to ever play the game (current Limerick team has some exceptions TBF). But when they fumble, or make that mistake, or get turned over. They're physically able to get the bodies over and reclaim possession. They can also create space from all over with powerful, driving runs.

This is where Laois is lacking, I fully believe that if could get proper strength and condition going, from the very earliest age. And properly developed and monitored, and we target physical development, as much as hurling (and football) development. We wouldn't be miles off competing in years to come.

[The infidel in exile]

Ottoman, I sadly have to agree with everything that you, Joey and blueforever stated. I will say one thing, I actually don't think that Tipp will bother to go full throttle against us, as they basically know that all they have to do is turn up, play at 60%, without 4 or five of their top players as the last thing that they want is injuries ( I'm hoping). Secondly your stop on, AS A county, for whatever genetic reason, we are small, against kildare it was like Pigamies playing 🇳🇱 Holland. Yet with small men our footballers in 03.04,05 and 06 done well. Other than Garvan Rooney and one or two others, we were small aswell. Limerick have a lot of big men, but in the early two thousands they got Anthony Daly, Crendon and many others and started with u10s all the way up, every single weekend
 From the County chairman to the groundsmen they pulled together, persistent and worked savagely on the technical side with the young lads, and from minor up, they had every age group in The university doing savage gym work, they are monsters with exceptional skill levels. Sadly, other than Collier, Critchley and Cheddar. Most of our boys are Club first. I wish that I was wrong, I really do, but I don't believe that ALL OF OUR BOYS, SOME YES, ALL NO, would be prepared to give up going out in Portlaoise most Saturdays to work out in Rowlands gym.

But nobody answered my opinion about dropping two 6 foot plus lad's in Cuddy and Mullaney for two lads about 5.9 and light. And our manager was talking before the match about trying to match kildare.

[Joeythelips]

Ottoman, I sadly have to agree with everything that you, Joey and blueforever stated. I will say one thing, I actually don't think that Tipp will bother to go full throttle against us, as they basically know that all they have to do is turn up, play at 60%, without 4 or five of their top players as the last thing that they want is injuries ( I'm hoping). Secondly your stop on, AS A county, for whatever genetic reason, we are small, against kildare it was like Pigamies playing 🇳🇱 Holland. Yet with small men our footballers in 03.04,05 and 06 done well. Other than Garvan Rooney and one or two others, we were small aswell. Limerick have a lot of big men, but in the early two thousands they got Anthony Daly, Crendon and many others and started with u10s all the way up, every single weekend
 From the County chairman to the groundsmen they pulled together, persistent and worked savagely on the technical side with the young lads, and from minor up, they had every age group in The university doing savage gym work, they are monsters with exceptional skill levels. Sadly, other than Collier, Critchley and Cheddar. Most of our boys are Club first. I wish that I was wrong, I really do, but I don't believe that ALL OF OUR BOYS, SOME YES, ALL NO, would be prepared to give up going out in Portlaoise most Saturdays to work out in Rowlands gym.

But nobody answered my opinion about dropping two 6 foot plus lad's in Cuddy and Mullaney for two lads about 5.9 and light. And our manager was talking before the match about trying to match kildare.

I think Tipp will start strong and ease off for 2nd half and empty the bench.

I think it's harsh to criticise the players by saying they should give up a Saturday night for the gym. Given the condition they are in id imagine they sacrifice an awful lot of their time on either GAA fields or gyms, that cannot be easy. They are amateur players and they deserve some breaks and they deserve our respect for the work they put in for the jersey. They are the ones who will have to face a hungry Tipp team today and we all know the outcome, so do they yet they will be there representing us all. Respect

[The infidel in exile]

Look Joey, of course your correct, my remark was tongue and cheek, but it was part of my bigger point about the activities past or present. I will never name names, but we are a small community, hence we all know the amount of very good hurlers, who simply had no interest in playing for Laois.

Some will objectively state, that they have the right to do what they want with their lives, and I get it.

But I personally believe that If God bestows such a gift, USE IT. Limerick set a benchmark of what it takes to improve the County, starting at the age of 10,11. Dublin can set a template to improve their underage hurling in a massive county, but 80% football first. Joey we need to do more, without begrudging any young man a pint.

[Joeythelips]

100% agree, if Kildare can come from essentially no where to produce a hurling side to compete in the Leinster championship then we have no excuse.

[ottoman]

100% agree, if Kildare can come from essentially no where to produce a hurling side to compete in the Leinster championship then we have no excuse.

The funny thing is, our lads are regularly beating Kildare at under age still, some big beatings in there too. But it's been noticeable the last few years, that we're struggling badly to transition our rare under age talent to the seniors.

Whereas Kildare are carefully, and successfully bringing their talent through. There's something fundamentally wrong in how we operate at underage in this county. This years u20's another prime example of a good crop of young lads that were not developed properly through to adult levels and beyond.

[Laois man]

Naas Gaa club is a huge help to kildare 13 in the squad last weekend.

[The infidel in exile]

Year over. Before I sign off for a while until our club championship. Where was Conway, Quinlan who was unbelievably dropped from the panel, and young Duggan. Something toxic is going on, players seriously fed up with something. Kildare just showed us that they are quite simply an average team, that are NOT A COMPETITIVE TEAM, when it comes to the cut and trust of Properly coached, decent hurlers. I agree that we have better hurlers in theory!! So where does the problem lie?? I am fed up of giving me opinion on it. But you can back certain people to the hilt, but Dublin annihilated them today, and stopped trying with 12 minutes left, they should have beaten Kildare by 7 to 10 more points. I am honestly afraid that if Laois don't change the setup, then players ( at least 6 or 7) will take an annual sabbatical next year. I shall finish be thanking the best Laois hurlers in the last 10 years. He was the Consummate professional, He loved and lived the blue and white of Laois, he sometimes single handedly got Laois over the line almost single handedly ( 1st round, Joe Mc Cup v Offaly 2024). He set an example that very few people could emulate. He regarded it an honour and privilege to wear the Jersey, where others turned up their noses. God bless you, Agus Go raibh mila mila maith agat. Patrick Purcell, Rathdowney/Erroll and Laois. Gone but never forgotten.

[Spiritof1915]

Jer quinlan is currently on holiday in the Algarve. How or why that was allowed to happen, beggars belief.
As regards Duggan I can't believe he hasn't had more game time this year, he looks like he ll score every time he gets a ball. I think Tommy dosent like his happy go lucky attitude to hurling, which is a shame because he's in the top 3 inside forwards in the county.
I think Conway was injured but stand open to correction.
In fairness to Tommy we're not privy to what's happens in training but it all looks like it's beginning to unravel

[Leixman]

How both Quinlan's thought it was acceptable to miss the game today because of a holiday abroad I'll never know. It's easy see how we seem to blow up each year.

[The infidel in exile]

If that's the case 1915, then it is on the manager, it simply comes easier to some hurlers
 Eoin kelly and Shane Callinan were the very same. Tommy Dunne of Toomevara and DJ also. ITS CALLED GIFTED.