Kildare GAA General Discussion Thread

klairondavis

Peter Kelly ruled out after suffering a tear to his hamstring over the weekend. Big loss for our full back line.

klairondavis

No changes to the starting 15 from the last day out.

Donnellan, McGrillen, Foley, Bolton, Lyons, F. Conway, Cribbin, Moolick, O'Neill, McNally, Callaghan, Hurley, N. Kelly, Fogarty, Brophy

Paul Cribbin played county league JTB at the weekend and Mick O'Grady played for Celbridge. Mulhall resumed full training tonight and Fionn Dowling's injury is supposedly not as bad as first feared. I would still have some concerns about that starting 15 but it does look like we will have good options to change things up if the are not going well. Cribbin and Eoin Doyle could well feature at some point. It will come too soon for O'Grady and Mulhall but they should be in contention for the next game, whenever that might be. Hopefully Peter Kelly will be available by then.

klairondavis

JFC Round 2:

Cappagh 3-11 Ballykelly 1-11
Castlemitchell 1-13 Rathcoffey 3-5


SHC Prelim Round:

Clane 1-10 Leixlip 0-13 (Replay on Tuesday evening)
Confey 1-10 Ardclough 1-8
Coill Dubh 5-13 Eire Óg Corrachoill 0-12

Nib

Definitely not easy supporting this lot is it?

We in Kildare think our players are better than they are. Look at Moolick, that man should never be let kick a football. He's an decent midfielder and a powerful runner, but he needs to give it to the lads that can hurt the scoreboard. We play as a bunch of individuals, no team effort, every man for himself.

Our full back line will get hammered over the next few days. But have a look at it from a different perspective. What protection were the given? Absolutely zero. The half back line were way to far up the pitch. Say what you like about McGeeney, but that would have never happened under him.

I really don't know anymore. Disillusioned by the whole thing to be honest. Qualifiers? Who cares.

Ryan has a lot to answer for.

Gutted.

roy rodgers

Total agree with the last post. Ryan has alot to answer for. If the same team that finished the game actually start the game things would of been different. but it was over by half time foley and mcgrillen were caught out to many times in the first half and ryan took to long before making the changes.

I wasnt never happy with ryan getting the job in the first place and I haven't seen anything positive this season from the team.id have to question his ability to bring this team on.

I think its time glen ryans name to be mentioned around again...

risteard7

roy rodgers wrote: »

Total agree with the last post. Ryan has alot to answer for. If the same team that finished the game actually start the game things would of been different. but it was over by half time foley and mcgrillen were caught out to many times in the first half and ryan took to long before making the changes.

I wasnt never happy with ryan getting the job in the first place and I haven't seen anything positive this season from the team.id have to question his ability to bring this team on.

I think its time glen ryans name to be mentioned around again...

Simply overrated average footballers. Surely the media and pundits will finally realise that now.

Felexicon

Was very surprised by how poor you were today. I was worried when Jason Ryan took over as I thought he did great work with Wexford and I could see him helping Kildare take that next step to being serious challengers to Dublins Leinster crown. But he was truly clueless today. The full back line was roasted every time Meath got the ball in to Bray or McDonagh. Hugh McCrillan should have been moved off Bray after 5 minutes.
I'm a great believer in giving managers a proper chance to instill their beliefs in a squad but if there isn't a clear plan the next day Ryans days could be numbered

Lemlin

Nib wrote: »

Say what you like about McGeeney, but that would have never happened under him.

Given how well Armagh are doing with McGeeney coming into the coaching staff, it's clear to see he has a positive influence, perhaps more than some people in Kildare gave him credit for towards the end.

That said, he undoes alot of the good with his approach to the media and the GAA in general e.g. The Armagh media blackout at the minute. I also think the position he put himself in in Kildare after the Johnston affair meant he had to go.

Lex Luthor

FYI, Naas won Div 1 Feile today, several of these players were members of the Naas hurling team who won hurling feile 2 weeks ago...super achievement

kencoo

Disappointing game. Defensively kildare were poor but thats not a surprise which just continues league form - i wont even go there.
I thought that kildare would really put up it somewhat in the forward line and been closer. They looked really dead - no intensity, leaving gaps, not running into space etc.
Brophy got injured ( looked to be a back injury) and was calling to be subbed off for 10mins before management even noticed- when he was noticed a physio was sent on who indicated immediately that he should come off but it was still another 2/3 mins before smyth replaced him.... not sure what that was about....sums up the tactical awareness if you dont even notice you have 14 players!
Kildare put meath under pressure in the last 15 mins but to make up a gap of 10 points was never going to happen with a team like meath. To be fair meath opened us up numerous times and more clinical teams would have converted the chances.

Hopefully we dont get Tyrone in the next round. I assume thats in newbridge?

Frankie Lee

There have been positives from Jason Ryan's reign so far but the leaving of Foley and McGrillen alone in the full back line for so long was inexcusable. When Fitzpatrick came on Bray was nullified somewhat but the harm was already done and it could have been far worse.
Mick Foley has been a terrific servant to Kildare football down through the years but that should be his last time to start for Kildare, his legs have gone.

The snatching of shots when dominating in the second half was reminiscent of the Tyrone game and u21 semi final last year and is becoming a characteristic of Kildare teams under pressure. Against Louth with the pressure off the likes of Moolick was putting over lovely points off weak feet. It is hard to see this team beating the Ulster teams who are coming off wins.

Positives were the performance of Ollie Lyons and the bit of heart shown in getting back into the game.

Nib

Hope to God we don't draw Carlow. Hammering them will only serve to create more false hope around Kildare.

Down or Cavan at home would be my preference.

With Peter Kelly out for the year it seems, here's a team I'd like to see lining out in two weeks time.

Donnellan
O'Grady
Fitzpatrick
Lyons
Bolton
White
P Cribbin
Moolick
O'Neill
Callaghan
O'Flaherty
McNally
Kelly
Fogarty
Brophy

Minors are out next weekend against Laois, hopefully they can restore a bit of pride to the white jersey.

Frankie Lee

Nib wrote: »

Hope to God we don't draw Carlow. Hammering them will only serve to create more false hope around Kildare.

Down or Cavan at home would be my preference.

With Peter Kelly out for the year it seems, here's a team I'd like to see lining out in two weeks time.

Donnellan
O'Grady
Fitzpatrick
Lyons
Bolton
White
P Cribbin
Moolick
O'Neill
Callaghan
O'Flaherty
McNally
Kelly
Fogarty
Brophy

Minors are out next weekend against Laois, hopefully they can restore a bit of pride to the white jersey.

Dropping Fergal Conway for White would make no sense whatsoever. Conway is still fairly inexperienced but is showing promise at centre back. Brophy may not be fit in 2 weeks and is a big loss.

Nib

Frankie Lee wrote: »

Dropping Fergal Conway for White would make no sense whatsoever. Conway is still fairly inexperienced but is showing promise at centre back. Brophy may not be fit in 2 weeks and is a big loss.

You do realise this is the championship? It's not a time to start experimenting, that's what the league is for. As it goes, I would say with a lot of confidence Conway is not good enough at this level. He got on a lot of ball today but offered absolutely nothing defensively. Maybe I'm being naive, but I'm of the opinion that a CB's job is to stop runners and cut off the supply line into the oppositions full forward line. He did neither today.

Going back to my first post, people in Kildare are deluded about the capabilities of some of our younger players. Hurley is another example, totally out of his depth today. Keith Cribbin another. Not good enough.

I wouldn't be too worried if Brophy isn't fit. Smith is an able replacement.

klairondavis

There is a mental fragility there that pervades Kildare football and has done for as long as I care to remember. It was a carbon copy of 2012 in many regards. Meath were hungrier to everything. Only a few Kildare players matched that fight when it was a game.

I've heard a lot of people criticising the level of football in these players which I'm not sure is that close to the mark. There is football in those lads, not enough to be competing for All Irelands and the like but enough to be competitive at a decent level and play good football. They showed that to a certain extent when they started playing in the second half. How much of that was down to Meath pulling up or Kildare getting it together is up for debate. A little bit of both I suspect. Our shortcomings are as much mental as they are to do with a lack of skill. It's no surprise that the only group of Kildare players who have won anything in the last generation was chock full of strong leaders like Ryan, Dalton, McCreery, Dowling, Kerrigan and Rainbow.

I don't agree with criticising individual performances behind a pseudonym but it was clear to anyone who has watched Kildare regularly where the achilles heel of this team lies and Meath ruthlessly exposed that yesterday. I don't see an easy solution in that area of the field unless you fundamentally alter the gameplan and tactics. I'm not sure that can be done successfully in two weeks.

Stoner

Although well beaten. At the end of the game I was left with the feeling that Kildare had the players to win that game.

Meath fell away so the finishing team looked stronger anyway but there was little danger in the square, O'Connor linked things up when he came on but he was given too little time.

Dangerous question to ask, its not an opinion its more of a thought. Did Ryan play to go directly to the qualifiers ?

Lemlin

Stoner wrote: »

Dangerous question to ask, its not an opinion its more of a thought. Did Ryan play to go directly to the qualifiers ?

I can't see why he would. Kildare are in Round 1b of the qualifiers and if they beat Down, they'll have to play the winners of Cavan/Roscommon, Clare/Carlow or Tyrone/Monaghan/Armagh, there aren't too many easy games there.

They'll then face a beaten provincial finalist.

Hammer Archer

Stoner wrote: »

Dangerous question to ask, its not an opinion its more of a thought. Did Ryan play to go directly to the qualifiers ?

I would highly doubt it. If he did, Kildare should get rid of him on the spot. As Lemlin said, they're now in the tougher side of the qualifiers and had a 1 in 4 chance of drawing Tyrone. As it is now, they've a tricky away tie against Down to get past.
Even if they were on the easier side, it would make little sense as they haven't been in a Leinster final since 2009. I know that the chances of us beating Dublin are slim, but I'd much rather have that slim chance than be in the qualifiers and I'm sure every Kildare fan would feel the same.

Stoner

True, I was just getting ahead of myself, I was thinking along the lines of maybe avoiding Dublin and IMHO from Kildare's point of view being beaten my Meath is not considered a backward step, if they were to exit the provincial competition it looks best if and the hands of Meath or Dublin.

It was just a thought.

Frankie Lee

The minors hammered Laois 3-11 to 5 points. Another decent group of players potentially.

klairondavis

Frankie Lee wrote: »

The minors hammered Laois 3-11 to 5 points. Another decent group of players potentially.

Back to back Leinster titles at this grade would be a great achievement.

Frankie Lee

I also see our gym monkeys have linked up with Herbalife. If they are getting money out of it well done.

https://twitter.com/Inphosports/status/486216140579168257

klairondavis

Frankie Lee wrote: »

I also see our gym monkeys have linked up with Herbalife. If they are getting money out of it well done.

https://twitter.com/Inphosports/status/486216140579168257

Fergal Conway looks pleased about it!

Nib

Probably wishing he'd stuck to the hurling.

I want one of those tops.

How do we see Sunday's game going? Hard one to call.

full_irish

I, for one, am not feeling particularly optimistic about Sunday.

klairondavis

Nib wrote: »

How do we see Sunday's game going? Hard one to call.

It all depends on our tactical approach. Someone has to be deployed as a sweeper to try and give some protection to the full back line. Going man for man again would be suicidal. We are not as bad as the Meath performance suggests and if those changes are made we have a chance. If they are not made it will be a long afternoon.

As far as the team goes I would like to see Ciaran Fitzpatrick, Gary White and Eoghan O'Flaherty brought back in. Ideally I would also have Peter Kelly, Mick O'Grady, Paul Cribbin and Darroch Mulhall in the team but they may or may not be fit to play.

klairondavis

LEINSTER UNDER 21 ‘A’ HC SEMI FINAL
Wednesday 9th July 2014
Newbridge (7.30) – Kildare v Meath

Going for three in a row at this grade. It would be great for the future of Kildare hurling if these lads could do it.

iDave

Will many from Kildare go up for it given the weekend that's in it up north?

klairondavis

iDave wrote: »

Will many from Kildare go up for it given the weekend that's in it up north?

I doubt many of the diehards would be put off by the game being up north. Newry wouldn't exactly be a potential flashpoint area.

Kildare crowds have been dwindling over a number of years so I don't think we will have a big travelling crowd like we have had in times past during the qualifiers. The Kildare crowd at the Louth and Meath matches was very poor.

klairondavis

Leinster U21 A Hurling Semi Final

Kildare 2-21 Meath 1-13

Wicklow or Louth in the final.