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What are the chances of Meath or Derry doing us a favour at the weekend? Huge incentice for Meath as, no matter how bad we are, we'll beat them. Derry in Lavey mightn't be too soft.

To be fair Carlow may have won ten in a row including the Kehoe cup, but there are a lot of narrow victories in there. (In other words they didn't beat the Meaths and Kerrys of this world by as much as they beat us )

This would lead me to believe that while they are in great form and very resilient, they mightn't be as talented as everyone seems to think all of a sudden. I'd say Derry are in with a big shout here.

If I'm not mistaken, most of Meath hurling is from around Kilmessan and Trim - i.e. SE Meath. I don't know if the local derby thing is really there. Add in the boost Westmeath will have taken from our little escapade, and I expect them to be two from two going to Dr. Cullen Park next week.

Come on big Geoffrey and the boys then.

Sorry to drag this up again lads but I was just talking to a lad from Innagh in Clare and he was telling me that the Carlow manager is from his town and not too long ago he was ousted from his role as senior camogie manager there because of his dodgy tactics. At least we know that we were beaten by a managerial mastermind now and not superior hurlers.

I wonder what the dodgy tactics were?
Fair play to Carlow for resisting the temptation to agree a draw with Wastemeath.
They know they'll be in for a backlash in the league final and could have taken the easy option.

They were 13 points down at one stage. There was about 20 of us standing around after the Meath match waiting for the result to come through. I was delighted. How sad is that?? Rumours of a new league structure with 8 teams in Division 1. With 5 from Munster, Galway, Wexford and Kilkenny, where does that leave us? If we do get promoted, we must DEMAND Division 1 status next year.

The fact that Congress has gone by without it being raised would suggest it can't happen now. Anyway, Laois could kick up an almighty fuss if that were the case. Saying that they didn't know they were playing for Div 1 survival down in Kilmallock, that kind of thing.

I've said all along another year in this division could kill us.

Definitely fair play to Carlow. I came out of Tullamore to listen to Radio 3 tell me that the teams were level in Carlow with two minutes to go. To say I felt sick was not the start of it. Carlow could have left their foot off the gas and been odds on to get promoted, as it is they just hurled on and took the win. Big up the Scallioneaters.

Loughers wrote:If we do get promoted, we must DEMAND Division 1 status next year.

Or at least go into some round of playoffs with the bottom teams in Division 1.

Spent one of the longest half-hours of me life on Saturday in between Radio 3 telling us the were level, and giving that report from CKRFM. Cheeses, they did the rounds of English soccer, the account of the Laois match where apparently all the Laois lads hurled well, yetb were bet by 15 points ore summat, News, deaths, yet more English soccer, before reverting to Carlow.
Strange for a 'local' station that they give such coverage to events overseas. Now I'm not a soccer fanatic, but if I was, I doubt its Radio 3 I'd be tuned to for my information. That said, I've absolutely no problem with R3 covering Athlone Town's fortune, or local junior soccer, or the Towns cup.

In my view, the biggest reason for a change in the league format occurred on Saturday. That was Dublin's relegation. Now I've no sympathy for Dublin. However, the city of a million people, with the million quid poured in to coach thousands of young lads to hurl with the wrong hand on the top of the hurl won't be allowed wallow in journeys to Athleague, Clane and the roads travelled by our team these last two months. Martin Breheny is already on the case, no doubt encouraged by is recent good fortune at congress.

Where and when now for our division 2 final?
The footballers play Louth in Navan in Sunday week. Is it a possible curtain-raiser? How far is Navan from Carlow?
As for opponents, am I right in thinking Derry need to beat Carlow by 4 or more to keapfrog them? Thats possible. Westmeath need a Derry win, and a big win themselves (also possible).

I think based on results so far it's a very close call between Derry and Carlow. I hope to God it's Carlow, because (a) they deserve it, (b) you'd imagine that surely our lads would be on their guard this time and (c) I don't feel like going up to Cavan or Clones for a hurling match.

Westmeath would probably play in Navan. I'd say Carlow might object though.

a double header in navan would be great

SATURDAY APRIL 30
ALLIANZ NHL DIV 2
Westmeath ---- ---- Meath 3.30
Mullingar

SUNDAY MAY 1
ALLIANZ NHL DIV 2
Derry ---- ---- Carlow 3.30
Lavey

Seems amazing to me Westmeath agreeing to play a day earlier, meaning Derry and Carlow will know exactly what kind of margin they've to go for in the event of Westmeath running up a big win. It's not as if there's any real reason to play Saturday as opposed to Sunday themselves.