Underage squads 2024

[Verbal]

Are u15 and u16 against Dublin & Wexford's B teams?

[Ogie]

U15 was our A team vs Dublins A team in Arrabawn

U16 not sure but it's down as Wexford 1

[Genocide Organ]

Those age groups are supposed to be good enough.

[Verbal]

U15 was our A team vs Dublins A team in Arrabawn

U16 not sure but it's down as Wexford 1

Very good. Great to see.

[KyleExile]

Those age groups are supposed to be good enough.

These are our strongetst age groups in a good few years, so lets hope they can push on. I remember years ago following a team that had the likes of Picky and Cha on it. They were very very strong at under u14. (they had a Duggan chap from Ballacolla on it too who was probably the best of them, but I don't rememebr much of him at all at senior level).

I rememeber thinking that this team could have a good go a taking a minor Leinster title, but alas it was not to be. 

[Ballygowen]

Bill Duggan is his name. Excellent hurler underage, he might have a senior medal from 2011? but i could be wrong. supposedly very good at the rugby too.  he went to study to be a doctor, he hasnt hurled since.

[KyleExile]

Bill Duggan is his name. Excellent hurler underage, he might have a senior medal from 2011? but i could be wrong. supposedly very good at the rugby too.  he went to study to be a doctor, he hasnt hurled since.

Ha, I was expecting the usual, found the beer and gave it up  !

I done some futher digging, and it appears you're correct. He lined out at centre back on Clough Ballacolla's county final winning team in 2011. That was apartently his last game!

[Laois man]

Fine hurler had it all. Moved on to Rugby then.

[Ogie]

I see on Dublin Gaa where our U15 Hibernia Hurling team reached the final of this competition & lost out on penalties after extra time to Dublin,

I think this would be Laois 2 v Dublin 2 mostly.

[redsetanta]

Thanks Ogie for keeping us informed.

Any progress at underage level is welcomed. As long as the underage teams continue to improve we have a chance. Pushing it on up to U20 level has to be the goal.

It would be great in a few years to be competing at u20 level in Leinster.

[Laois Rising]

Agree, I've mentioned this a few times but there are green shoots down the line for Laois GAA with our hurlers and footballers at the u15/u14 and below levels. Unfortunately, we have had 10 or more years of Laois teams coming up through the juvenile age groups not getting the same level of coaching at club, school and county level to other counties around us and when they enter into minor and u20 competitions have often come up second best.

Thankfully we have opened our eyes to the importance of schools in developing players. This is thankfully being being addressed-still could be a lot better but it is not near as bad as a few years ago. We dropped the ball badly there and we have suffered badly for it.

With all the money being pumped into Portlaoise and the facilities there, the next thing you would love to see is them tapping into the huge numbers in the town to get the kids in Portlaoise all playing hurling and football again.

[Smallballbigballs]

With all the money being pumped into Portlaoise and the facilities there, the next thing you would love to see is them tapping into the huge numbers in the town to get the kids in Portlaoise all playing hurling and football again.

How many underage teams have Portlaoise at each grade

[Laois Rising]

At U13 level football which is best place to start they had a team that finished middle of the road in the top division. Their second team was in the bottom division and were far too strong for it. However, were playing mostly hurling clubs who weren't taking it anyway serious at all. With the population boom in Portlaoise there is no reason why they couldn't develop their nursery and underage development to field three teams at that particular age group.

Hurling is pretty much the same at that level. Mid table in top division and second team is one of the stronger teams in the bottom division. The worrying thing from games I saw at that age group is the fact that a Kildare club Ardclough looked the best coached and organised of all the teams in the competition. That tells its own tale.

Thought this was an interesting read today and a perspective I 100 percent agree with.

https://www.rte.ie/sport/hurling/2026/0624/1580091-culture-gap-cant-be-bridged-with-development-squads/

[Smallballbigballs]

At U13 level football which is best place to start they had a team that finished middle of the road in the top division. Their second team was in the bottom division and were far too strong for it. However, were playing mostly hurling clubs who weren't taking it anyway serious at all. With the population boom in Portlaoise there is no reason why they couldn't develop their nursery and underage development to field three teams at that particular age group.

Hurling is pretty much the same at that level. Mid table in top division and second team is one of the stronger teams in the bottom division. The worrying thing from games I saw at that age group is the fact that a Kildare club Ardclough looked the best coached and organised of all the teams in the competition. That tells its own tale.

Thought this was an interesting read today and a perspective I 100 percent agree with.

https://www.rte.ie/sport/hurling/2026/0624/1580091-culture-gap-cant-be-bridged-with-development-squads/

Appreciate the response but you didn't really answer anything