A chat with Laois goalkeeper Killian Roche ahead of this weekend's Leinster SFC derby with Offaly highlights two main priorities for his team.
Roche is simply undeterred that the competition in the province looks to be wide open and instead is adamant that Laois can only focus on their own performance and Saturday's championship opener.
Secondly, he highlights consistency in their levels as a chief target as they make the final preparations before taking on their neighbours.
"We have only won one game in Leinster in the last two years so there is plenty to play for," he says.
"It may well be the case the championship is seen to be wide open but the other side is we can only look at our opening game and no further.
"The main thing now is that we are focused on our performance levels and building them to try to aim for a win. Go from there. But that’s all that is on our mind."
From seven league games in the third tier, they gleaned seven points.
The consistency Roche craves possibly emanates from the fact that they didn’t register back-to-back wins in that competition.
Nor, mind you, did they ever lose two on the trot.
"There was a small sense of frustration with the whole league," he reflects.
"Our levels dipped once or twice and that let us down.
"We had a good middle stint playing against Clare, Westmeath and Sligo. We didn't beat Clare but it was a very good display.
"But we were inconsistent against Fermanagh and then finished strong against Down."
At one stage they led by four points against Conor Laverty’s men before trailing by six in the second half, only for Paul Kingston to come off the bench, shoot the lights out and inspire them to a fine win.
Perhaps that inconsistency could be explained by counties in the lower tiers struggling to retain their entire squads from year to year.
Although Roche explains that while they lost some players from last season, the likes of Mark Barry, talented stars such as Paul Kingston and Evan O’Carroll did return to the squad for the 2026 campaign.
Both O'Carroll and Mikey Dempsey worked exceptionally hard to return from ACL injuries.
"We lost lads from last year but then got some back from two years ago but overall I think we have developed a good squad – one that we would be happy with."
Following the league, Justin McNulty afforded the panel five days off before they regrouped and headed into a camp to prepare for Offaly.
"Form goes out the window in these games," Roche says of the looming championship opener.
"For the winner then it’s another big prize as Kildare lie in wait and that’s another local derby for whoever comes out on top."
A former Clare underage goalkeeper, Roche has excelled in the Laois number one shirt over the past number of seasons.
He has developed his own game to an impressively high level, winning Player of the Year in Laois a couple of years ago and featuring regularly on various scoresheets for club, college and county.
The Killeshin man was also named in the 2025 Electric Ireland GAA Higher Education Rising Stars Football Team of the Year after his excellent displays for UCD in the Sigerson Cup.
He is enjoying the challenge of the new rules – even if they mean that possession from kickouts is not as guaranteed as it once was.
"The most frustrating thing was when they changed rules halfway during the league last year," he says.
"But since then it is clear that kickouts are the most important consideration.
"Before the new rules we could keep a higher percentage of kickouts but it is more difficult now and possession is key because once you get that it is into the opposition attack and 11 versus 11.
"It’s hard to get short kickouts away with most teams having pressing zones and if you do go short you nearly put your team under pressure with the high press coming on immediately.
"So, it’s Catch 22," he says, smiling and recalling that when he started in goals at minor level it was 'catch the ball and boom it out to midfield.'
"Cluxton changed the game but we have to adjust year on year," he adds.
"This is a constant work in progress and if you are not evolving you are stagnant."
Based on Roche’s displays over these past few years and his increasing prominence in the game, there is little fear of him not finding even higher levels as the years unfold."
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