No, just heard the result, they were in Limerick on a training camp.

Kildare go to Portugal and Laois go to Limerick....Like many Laois supporters I'm not confident about going to Longford, although they didn't look that good in their second half V Wexford.

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MES QUE UN CONDADO

So we dismiss a result like a 3 point loss against Cork because it's "only a challenge match", and then vomit our pants because we lose to Limerick by 4 in a training camp scenario?

Don't people know anything - this time is vital for training extremely hard - doing as much work as possible, getting properly up to speed for late May vs Longford. It's a time where legs will be weary and bodies aching. It's not a time to go easy. The result means nothing and making a judgement on our progress without even hearing about the team or the context isn't really looking at the full picture.

Of course things aren't all rosey in the garden - The League, while not being an embarrassment, wasn't exactly great. So we have it all to play for but let's see how we turn up for Championship - the true test - before coming to all sorts of conclusions. It's the easy prediction to say we're going to have a bad championship but that's not giving the set up it's due credit and respect for it's work.

The set up has had 1 complete season which included a promotion to Div 1, with wins against Tipp and Longford in Champ, losses against Dub & Kildare. This year looks somewhat ominous but let's give the set up a chance before we rehash what is an obvious prediction. The talent isn't there to make a go for Leinster, but if the set up gets a good showing, and maybe a good win or two in qualifiers, it's really a lot for this current Laois team. Whatever tactics you're going to employ, it's not going to turn us into a force, we just don't have the players.

Our style has improved a lot - at times - this year. I think it's a case, at it's simplest, of trying to be a lot more consistent with the good things we're doing, improve that scoring rate, keep the work rate and hoping for some luck along the way. Speaking like we're some sleeping giant that is underperforming is looking beyond the facts - We haven't had a decent squad since '06 and minor achievements and perhaps a scalp along the way would be great. The lads and setup are obviously working hard. Lets give them their chance in the championship in what is a very young new culture in the squad.

Are you Justin McNulty in disguise go-on-leix? From what I've heard, they were 8 points up against Limerick at half-time and lost by 4. They were also at full strength. Now a team that is 8 points up at half-time against anyone obviously has some level of talent. To go on and suffer a 12 point turnaround suggests to me that there is something badly wrong. It's getting trendy on here to say "we're sh*te, get over it", but we're not that bad. I think this team is very low in confidence, and Justin McNulty wouldn't have the first idea how to motivate them.

8 points up at half time at full strength, any chance they emptied the bench around that time? I don't pay much heed to challenge matches for what its worth, especially those built around a training camp. As for Kildare going abroad, well there's been enough wrote about that.

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If you want to go quickly, go by yourself -- if you want to go farther, go in a group

Same thought struck me instantly.

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They figured he was a lazy, time-wasting slacker. They were right.

Beaten by 20 points the week before. 12 point turnaround this week. Why have challenge matches if they're not important? We're less than two weeks before the Championship, and I'm sure they're not having challenge matches to be beaten that bad. Come on lads for fecks sake. Even allowing for changes, that's a serious turnaround in one game.

To work on differing aspects of a game and to try out differing players and combinations. Well thats usually what you use them for, I can't recall any practice match where I've read much into the result of. Did they empty the bench or not out of curiousity?

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If you want to go quickly, go by yourself -- if you want to go farther, go in a group

I'm told they did when Limerick went in front. Doesn't really back up your theory, but if you don't pay heed to challenge matches, it's not really important. That's not being dismissive or sarchy Ed - I'm just saying. I do pay attention to a challenge match result when it's part of an overall pattern of big beatings that this team seem to be suffering. It cannot be good for their confidence, and surely that is as good a reason as any to play a challenge match?

Each to their own belief. Just never read much into a challenge match result in my life.

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If you want to go quickly, go by yourself -- if you want to go farther, go in a group

That's fair enough, and I'm not making the case to try and convince you. I do on the other hand, particularly when it comes after a 20 point beating the week before, and comes two weeks before a Championship game

McNulty was called in to give the minors a 'motivational' talk earlier in the year and look how well that worked

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“I look into their eyes, shake their hand, pat their back, and wish them luck, but I am thinking, 'I am going to bury you.” Seve Ballesteros

Not much point in doom and gloom at this stage. I'm confident the lads will give their all. If they play to their abilities they will get past Longford and Wexford and I'm not underestimating these opponents in the least.

Aye, that was probably the main issue alright.

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If you want to go quickly, go by yourself -- if you want to go farther, go in a group

I know it won't be easy but if the lads can pull off fantastic performances against longford and hopefully wexford then that should be a huge motivation to go on and give the likes of dublin and kildare a run for their money. Although the league outlined a lot of problems in the team, we must remember we beat donegal away which should have been by a whole lot more, and armagh at home too. I know its a big ask but im confident laois won't go down without a fight this year. Cmon laois!