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This game should have been played in St Brendan's Park as requested. It's a missed opportunity but hopefully next time.

The most important thing for now is to get behind the Minor team in a very important match.

Good luck to all involved.

The value of getting games in and extending the season at this level cannot be overstated. By all accounts this Laois team is not nearly as strong as last year so this fixture represents both a good test and genuine opportunity to get into a Leinster semi-final, which is not something that we should be taking for granted at any time over the next ten years.

I didn't get to Carlow for the first round as I was covering a schools match that day, but by the accounts on here it seems as if there are a lot of "quick wins" for the management. Freetaking is an art but it can be practised, greater discipline to avoid coughing up 20 yards on frees definitely can and should be cut out while better use of the ball is something that would have been a key focus over the past fortnight. Equally the first game in the championship is always something of a learning curve, so you'd like to think that Joe Errity and his selectors will feel a bit more confident about their team selection going into this one.

We're a long way from talk of Leinster titles or anything, but it'd be nice to extend the season beyond the Leaving Cert break for a change and certainly this fixture should be one that the players and supporters look forward to.

townman wrote:funny fuck.r aren't we

babsandbond wrote:If we get a 1000 kaiserchief we will be doing well....while in birr id say we could get 2000 + ah dont worry about it hurling is flying it in offaly sure

Ha I love the way babsandbond thinks that not hurling in birr is the reason Offaly hurling is going bad.. hate to burst your bubble but your wrong!!

Just a question that I heard something about yesterday, is Birr a health and safety risk at the moment? Basically did not get a safety certificate?

KC – A few years ago, following on from the Slattery Report, the GAA greatly reduced the capacity of grounds all over the Country. It was said at the time that basic improvements would make a big difference and this turned out to be the case with grounds that had their capacities reduced by up to 50% restoring their capacities back to close to original capacity following minor enough works (Birr’s capacity was halved from 11,000 to 5,500 and a number of the measures recommended for Birr were reported to be roofing the dug-outs, increasing the number of turnstiles, replacing certain seats and enhancing signage).

As far as I know, Birr GAA, following on from the recent willingness of the County Board to return some county matches to St Brendan’s Park, are currently in the process of having their capacity reviewed with a view to having it increased.

Considering the work that has taken place since the Slattery Report and the greatly increased capacities of all other grounds across the country, following minor works (if any) in most cases, there can only be one outcome. This should result in St Brendan’s Park capacity being restored, at a minimum, to a level that will easily accommodate all but ‘major’ intercounty hurling championship matches for the county.

On a side note, I have yet to hear anybody that is in favour of returning hurling to Birr say that not hurling in Birr ‘is the reason hurling is going bad’ but it is constantly used by those not in favour as a cheap shot way of belittling the case for returning hurling to Birr.

Fortunately, it would seem to be only a matter of time before hurling returns to Birr which will far from solve all our problems but it will at least be a step in the right direction.

Now, back to the minors.......

bringing hurling back to birr is a debate which can go on all day.

plain and simple ocp is our county ground. why bring it to birr and put investment in birr over other clubs like banagher, kinnitty, kilcormac etc.

the capacity in birr wouldnt cater for a home championship match (killkenny 2013) so why play league games their and we playin championship games in ocp. i think if we lost in ocp to killkenny we would loose in birr, and any other field in the country.

if the decision did benefit us in anyway i would be all for it but i cant see any winning factor in bringing it back to birr.
the only benefit would be to birr and north offaly. people not paying in or birr holding monies ( capacity in county finals did not reflect the money taken in), north offaly people would save petrol/diesel.

Has Birr moved to North Offaly?....now this is getting outrageous!

Buck Face wrote:KC – A few years ago, following on from the Slattery Report, the GAA greatly reduced the capacity of grounds all over the Country. It was said at the time that basic improvements would make a big difference and this turned out to be the case with grounds that had their capacities reduced by up to 50% restoring their capacities back to close to original capacity following minor enough works (Birr’s capacity was halved from 11,000 to 5,500 and a number of the measures recommended for Birr were reported to be roofing the dug-outs, increasing the number of turnstiles, replacing certain seats and enhancing signage).

As far as I know, Birr GAA, following on from the recent willingness of the County Board to return some county matches to St Brendan’s Park, are currently in the process of having their capacity reviewed with a view to having it increased.

Considering the work that has taken place since the Slattery Report and the greatly increased capacities of all other grounds across the country, following minor works (if any) in most cases, there can only be one outcome. This should result in St Brendan’s Park capacity being restored, at a minimum, to a level that will easily accommodate all but ‘major’ intercounty hurling championship matches for the county.

The outcome of this will be interesting. And hopefully Birr have done the works needed to bring the ground up to the standard. However I wouldn't consider it a formality either. Grounds like Newbridge that had their capacity slashed and certainly haven't found it easy to get it restored.

Lads and ladies,

I don't suppose the discussion on the grounds could be taken off to the relevant thread and that this one could be kept for matters concerning Offaly Minor hurling.

kaiserchief wrote:Interestingly, Birr were willing to allow the county board operate the turnstiles when they made a pitch for last year's county final. Go figure people not paying in or birr holding monies ( capacity in county finals did not reflect the money taken in), north offaly people would save petrol/diesel.

Interestingly, Birr were willing to allow the county board operate the turnstiles when they made a pitch for last year's county final. Go figure

Buck Face - my apologies i was on a rant, i meant south offaly.

hurling back to birr will just not happen until ocp is paid for.

think that in 100 years time!!

I totally disagree with your assessment of these laois team as compared to last year. I rate them very good, we have just about the best under 16 team in the country and these young lads are swelling the talent pool.. the last 4 challenge games include a draw with Waterford, and wins against clare, Tipperary and galway. it will be a major upset if laois lose to offaly, by winning we will be on the opposite of the semi final draw to Kilkenny, always a help. paddy powers make us 8/15, I make us 1/7.

Sorry i do know this is not the relevant thread...but kaiserchief where are you from..i wonder??your so anti birr...i made a point that bringing hurling back to birr would be a small step in the right way as this is the stronghold of offaly hurling and since we took it out of birr hurling has gone downhill yes its not the only reason but its part of it.i think some of your posts are ridiclious with no valid points.end off discussion

his from pullagh

I know its been debated to death but as a Clara man I never minded the journey down to Birr. The North Offaly crowd accepted thats the way it was and it never stopped any of us travelling. But hurling in Birr wouldn't make us any better. Big game tomorrow.

it would answer lads better to go and support the team on saturday instead of talking shit about where the game should be played, their is no post on this saying it should be in Birr, just kaiserchief stiring the shit with his post.