Replying To Barrowsider:  "Well we now have all our final pairings. Rathvilly vs palatine should be a good game, brendan Murphy is in great form and I think he could swing this one Brandon kelly I would hope to see in a carlow jersey next year a very exciting talent these past couple of years. Palatine have match winners too though and have serious pace right throughout the team. It's great to see some younger players starting to emerge in these clubs both finalists have a nice blend of youth and experience.

Intermediate will see fenagh vs kildavin/clonegal it's hard to see anyone but fenagh in this, but credit to kildavin for pushing those minor players right into the first team. Jake nolan is an exciting forward and another I'd be expecting to play inter County down the line. Fenagh have improved as the year has gone on and you would expect them to prevail here

Junior A sees leighlin bridge play ballon. Leighlin are unbeaten in league and championship this year and had to win ugly today against the cocks that might just stand to them. Ballon are the coming team though they have some really top class underage player coming on line and if they don't do it this year it's only a matter of time before they do, I'll go with leighlin here, I think their time has come.

I think as these championships have developed so to the standard has improved. As far as I can tell there isn't much of a difference between junior and Intermediate clonmore tullow fenagh and myshall have all been junior in recent years and 2 of those have also went senior while tullow and myshall have maintained their status. Personally I'd like an enlarged Intermediate possibly a ten team two groups of 5, I think the extra games would be very beneficial for the development of clubs at that level, if that meant a less competitive junior so be it.

I think for senior I'd move away from these groups of 4 instead I'd have 4 rounds where you can play anyone with the top 4 at the end making semis and bottom 4 relegation semis. Something a bit different and create a bit of excitement in the unknown."

Replying To Overthebar53:  "Agree about Brandon Kelly,jake Nolan. They look very exciting, add in the likes of oisin Doyle josh Egan and you have some very decent forwards around. Good backs are like hens teeth tho."

Replying To CARPS:  "That was some game last night. We are very fortunate in that we have four very good senior teams at the moment.

This is not the case in most counties. There are usually just one or two dominant teams.

There's the basis of a decent county team - based on Eire Og, Palatine, Rathvilly and Old Leighlin alone - there if everyone can be enticed to go in.

And surely likes of MLR, Bagenalstown, Tinryland, Clonmore, Fenagh, Kildavin, Grange, Tullow etc have at least one or two players?"

Replying To CW88:  "This is 100% accurate. Pick the county team from the top 4 senior clubs, end of, bar a complete outlier and exceptional junior or intermediate. For example, a junior clubs 2nd best player being brought in and a top senior clubs 9th or 10 best player not being brought in, even though the senior is better. It's hard to compare, but if you score 5 points per junior game, it doesn't mean you're a county player.."

Replying To Unusedsub:  "Great win for Carlow town/Setanta in the u16 div1A final last night against a good Burren rangers side in bad conditions. There was quality hurling played by both sides. Ct/setanta never let br settle in to the game and used their pace to take them on at every opportunity. Some well taken scores too. Can only be good for hurling in the county seeing these clubs progress. This follows on from cthc winning the u14A title just a couple of weeks back."

Replying To CARPS:  "Great to see it. 100% agree. The problem, however, with both clubs is player retention as chaps get older. Especially given they pull from multiple football clubs.

This is what dragged down Naomh Brid.

The way forward is genuine dual clubs, in my view."