So far this season most senior teams in Laois have played three of four Kelly Cup games and eight League games.
With six games to go in the league, that will add up to 18 non-competitive three-quarter pace games in quality months. The majority of Laois club players experience three or four proper competitive games every year.
Competitive games lift the standard of football and footballer in any county. Every year once the championship kicks off players improve due to the intense nature of these games. For most teams and players it takes two or three games to adjust to this level. Players start raising their games and improve more in these games that they did in the previous 18 games.
Unfortunately for most teams just as they get started and players looking like they are becoming better players their season comes to an end and it’s another year before they play at this level again.
If there are any players in clubs that may have the potential to make the county team or panel they can only go backwards playing in the current system.
There is little reason why with a little imagination and restructuring in Laois football that we couldn’t have a league-based championship structure that would provide six to ten competitive games each year for all club players.
The current system may provide the required amount of games per year, but we need to look beyond that and find ways to lift the overall standard of club football.
Six months of meaningless three quarter pace football bores players and supporters and creates a general lack of interest in football around the county. It’s a long time since Laois football has been this low and it’s about time we injected some energy the club scene.
LAOIS V LONGFORD PREVIEW
Sunday’s Leinster championship first round against Longford needs to breathe life into Laois footballer’s season.
So far we’ve looked disorganised and naive in games but at no point during the league did we have all our top players on the field at one time.
One thing the National League campaign proved is we need all our experienced players fit and on the field. We struggled badly without them in the league.
Players like John O’Loughlin, Mark Timmons, Donie Kingston, Brendan Quigley and Com Begley have the ability and experience to steer Laois through this tricky opener.
If all of these are available for Sunday I’d imagine we will win with five or six points to spare. If we are missing a few Longford have a history of taking advantage of any weaknesses on the day.
SEE ALSO – Noel Garvan: Will we ever see another Gooch?
