Kildare v Cavan

Jumping round the sitting room here after that goal. YES YES YES. More later but buzzing after that.

Fucking delighted needed that bad!! Good to see we weren't as defensive as other matches Flats was class so was Bolton as per usual, Cribben's (both) were very good picked up a lot of breaking ball and were very good in general. Flynn's goal was brilliant and he ran himself into the ground great to have him back.

No comment necessary on the referee from Meath and I'm delighted with the win but two things - some dire footballing decisions in the simple things, like passing, by Kildare players and, more worryingly perhaps, some total footballing stupidity by certain players, whom I won't name. It could have cost us and, in those cases, neither ref nor manager can be blamed - only the players involved who allowed themselves to react when the game was virtually won.

Great to get a win and nerves should be a little calmer next week. Shocking officiating but a lot of our problems were self inflicted with some lads making the same errors week after week. Hopefully a few others get a chance to impress next weekend.

Special mention to Niall Kelly who put in 2 great performances in a week.

A long time since ive posted but had to log on to give my 2 pence worth.Plenty of negatives so i will leave them to everybody else.
Two huge POSITIVES and ive waited a long time to see it happen even as far back as Glen Ryans day.Mick O Grady fouling the Cavan man and stopping a near certain goal and taking a black card and Ollie Lyons doing the very same on the edge of the box and conceding a point instead of a goal.Hopefully Kildare have finally relised thatS the way to win games and you get nothing for being choirboys.ONWARDS AND UPWARDS.

LillieLad wrote:

Special mention to Niall Kelly who put in 2 great performances in a week.

Yeah, very good, hope the hammer is just a strain, good call to take him off before he pulled it though he was on a while and kicked a nice point after showing initial signs of discomfort. Yes gonna suffer on the physio table!

Exciting win but very much a case of papering over the cracks. Tonight probably not the time to burst any balloons though. Well done to the players, there was no shortage of effort and they stood up to a team of knackers.

Yeah one win doesn't mean we've solved our problems and indeed a lot of them were on show.
But positives first: Paul Cribbin was my man of the match. I thought he was probably just plugging a gap at midfield until injuries clear but he might be the natural partner for Moolick there. Loved the way he didn't take any shyte off McKiernan in the last 10 minutes and indeed that set-to seemed to get Paul playing his absolute best. By far his best performance for Kildare at senior level.
Keith was very good too, tbh like Baba and a couple of others I have my misgivings about him as a defender. Hard to tell on tv but it looked like he moved forward a bit when Fitzpatrick came on and he did very little wrong.
We all know about Niall Kelly's potential but these are the first signs he's really coming through. He can be anything he wants - super footballer. Brains, accuracy, vision and if we ever pick a big target man ahead of him at full-forward again I'll damage myself head-butting a wall. On a better team he might be centre forward but we simply can't live without his scoring ability close to goal and I'd love to see him linking up with an in-form Alan Smith.
Emmet Bolton was a huge addition tonight. The man is a warrior and his foot-passing was as good as I've ever seen it. Dan Flynn will take the headlines for the goal but Emmet's sublime pass was the makings of it and it was about the fifth accurate kick out of defence he'd given.
Ollie was among our best too, two thundering shoulders and a great point. Flats grew and grew into it. I'm not just saying this now but I can never understand calls for him to be dropped. He has a track record of producing big scores in big games - think Clare and Monaghan last year - and I think him and Kelly are the two best forwards in the county.
Lep grew into the game after a slow start. Even if he never gets back to full tilt what a man he would be to bring on in the last 20 minutes of a tight championship match.
Daniel Flynn is the other man I feel deserves a mention again grew into it and showing some football ability to go with his obvious athleticism.
Perhaps the most heartening thing - and it's a bit sad in a way but it's the way football is - was that we showed a little cynicism or nous or whatever you want to call it. Mick O'Grady took a black card to deny what very well might have been a goal and Ollie ran the risk of doing the same. Lads give out that we don't learn any lessons but we haven't conceded a goal for three games now. Same goes for Hyland, I know people will be giving out about him but the same people say we're too soft and that's certainly not a criticism that can be levelled at David. I wouldn't worry about what happened tonight at all if I was him because you're far less likely to get sent off like that in championship and the good thing about having a few corner backs to choose from with everybody fit is that we can take black cards without weakening the team.

On to the negatives and while I feel you have to give management credit for areas where the team has improved I can't understand how we stayed looking at Fionn for 70 minutes. Nothing personal against the chap, he'll have better days but it just wasn't happening for him tonight. His marker had the better of him and we should have made a switch here early. Also I wasn't taken with the idea of using Fergal Conway as the spare man but I suppose that's a matter of opinion.

Also we did some fierce stupid things. The game felt like a certain win when we were only one down at half-time with a man up and a big wind to come but there were times when we seemed determined to find the only ways possible to lose it.

I rate Ciaran Fitzpatrick, I think he's a serious, whole-hearted competitor and he did some good things tonight but until he stops giving away stupid frees he can't start. The one he gave away in the 40th minute was just ridiculous because kicking points into that wind from play was far from easy. He was not the only one to gift Cavan a score they would have struggled to get otherwise. Conway gave away a fair few too but in fairness most of them were very soft and under another ref, particularly in championship, there's no way they would have been called against him.

Also, Bolton's ability to pick out a man is in stark contrast to a lot of our other defenders coming out with it. They are all good defenders but most of them need work on their passing under pressure. O'Grady, for example, had a fine game but handpassed the ball straight to a Cavan man at one point. Conway sent a footpass over the endline and Eoin Doyle also gave a terrible ball over Leper's head in the second half. Paul Cribbin was even guilty of this too, at one point in the second half we had a textbook chance to hurt them on the counter-attack and he sent a ball intended for Leper over the sideline.

Overall though, more good things than bad and maybe there is some hope for us. As I said after defeats as well, we must reserve judgement until the season is over. In the meantime the Roscommon game will tell us a bit more. They are going much better than Cavan and with a tough trip to Galway to come we really need a win to have a decent chance of avoiding relegation.

Finally we've been lambasting the players this season but they showed a little mental toughness tonight. Even the criticisms above are meant to be constructive and in the long run I believe this team will improve. I think they're working hard even though there's such negativity throughout the county. Cavan threw in the towel at one point in the second half tonight (before we let them back in) and for all their imperfections I don't think our lads would do that. It's easy to play well when everything's going right for you - it takes character to produce big performances when the whole world is on your back, confidence is low and when you know it would be easy to hide and blame the manager. Well done to them tonight.

It wasn't pretty but it was a win and it's finally something we can build on. When David Hyland was sent off and Cavan closed the gap I feared the worst. Great to see lads digging in at that stage and taking the right option under pressure.

Credit where it's due, we got a reaction from some lads tonight. Leper, Chalky and EOF were much improved on their recent form.  

Niall Kelly was terrific. Cavan didn't have anyone of his class in their forwards and we didn't after he went off.

Paul Cribbin could definitely form a good partnership with Tommy Moolick.

Just relieved we got a win and gives us a chance of staying up, credit to the lads after losing Lynch & Paudie early on, The cavan red card helped us but overall i thought we were the better team. good to see we abandoned the 14/15 men behind the ball stuff and our scoring rate increased accordingly, Good to have Paul Cribbin, F Conway, Bolton and Flynn back in the team, Need Smyth & Moolick back asap, A lot of ball turned over particularly in the first half and some unforced errors which would be more costly on an other day, some good scores from Flats in 2nd half, hard to get over excited but at least two points on the board and gives us a chance of staying up, something to build on. n kelly was excellent

to all kildare fans stay at home you missed a kildare that stood up a team for frist time in long time

As I have said I go by what I have seen. Last night some of the football was decent some of it was poor. Our hand passing is dire when under pressure and we gave the ball away numerous times near our own goal that a good with those turnovers team would severely punish us.

However what I was most pleased with was a bit of fight in the team. Cavan seen us as an easy touch but for once the Kildare players stood their ground and gave as good back if not more than they got. Well done to the players in this regard. More of it please.

Even with 14 v 15 we struggled at times as our passing was poor but we dogged it out and the sight of Daniel Flynn in full flight for his goal warmed the heart.

The addition of Bolton showed what we have been missing, he is class and his range of passing and non stop play drove us on. Niall Kelly was very good and although I don't like him being picked as a defender Keith played well. As did his brother Paul who stood up well in midfield. Himself and Chalky did well and that bit of extra pace in midfield was nice to see. I expect that combination to start next week.

The manager did OK, set the team up a bit more attacking but was still very slow to make changes. Dowling should have been pulled before halftime as it was just not happening.
We are still giving away ridiculous free kicks to keep teams in a game, it has to be cut out. But it was nice to see a bit of cynicism near the end. Ollie's close line was a sight to behold.

We need to continue on this type of performance next week. I'd we don't tonight will be for nothing.

Lastly great to beat Cavan again in their own back yard. A yard dog of a team who have very little going for them.

Well done to all.

Great to get a win under the belt, I thought we were going to throw it away until Flynn's goal at the end. Hopefully we can build on this, and that things have been learned from the previous games.
Well done to the lads.

You'd have been crapping it until the goal alright - and we were keeping them in it with a couple of those insane frees (not the ones by O'Grady and Lyons as mentioned earlier - they were excellent frees/points to give away)... but some of the other ones.

Even in the first half though, Kildare had them opened so many times and either didn't pick the right pass or it didn't stick. Obviously it was very windy - was it wet?

What was clear was that while confidence was bound to be affected, the morale looks very good to me and Flatts touched on that after. Of course you can say these things - it's the pitch that proves it. And it's clear that Cavan decided these guys are a busted flush and tried it on.

I know Hyland shouldn't be getting sent off two minutes after coming on but honestly, his first booking is a joke. Argue started on him and bar you throw yourself on the ground, you have to push back. And that's what the first yellow was for.

It's funny, because Cavan are a small side apart from Argue and McKiernan - it shows what the outside perception of Kildare were. But the unity is there anyway.

It was good to get the win and to get some key players back in. Loads to work on but there'll be a bit of an extra pep in the step going into training.

Fans were very nervous near the end I can only imagine what the players felt and winning like that should help banish the demons. It's still going to be a dog fight to stay up but we're well capable of doing so.
It was a dirty wet and windy night Ogie

Remarkable how the end result can dictate your view of a game. If we'd have lost - which we could easily have done - I don't think the reaction would have been "well we lost our fourth game in a row but at least there were a few positives". In truth this was a piss poor Cavan side, pretty clueless in an attacking sense and unable to see that if they'd continued running at the Kildare defence they'd have made hay.

Yes there were positives - chiefly for me the performances of P Cribbin, Lyons, Flats and Kelly. Dan Flynn was explosive at times and he'll be a real asset once he shakes off any rustiness. Some point he scored in the first half and the goal was sensational in its creation and finishing.

Thought we were shockingly bad again in the first half in particular though and failed miserably to take advantage of the extra man. Beyond that it was the usual litany of mistakes (eg. Penalty miss), bad passes, silly frees and back chat that we have seen all season.

Dowling was so frustrating - he got plenty of ball but seemed to have a case if butter fingers all night. How Smith was deemed fit enough to come on last week but not this week is beyond me.

Leper playing in the full forward line was an interesting experiment. I think the idea that he is some classy playmaker is a false one and his best days for Kildare came when he operated between the half forward and full forward lines. Unfortunately last night he won a mountain of ball but didn't do much with it if I'm honest.

The real bonus for me was Paul Cribbin. Is it just me or has he filled out since last year? He seems to have the physique for a midfield role now and like others the idea of him forming a partnership with Tommy Moo is interesting. Someone said on a previous post that he lacks scoring ability. I assume he was having a laugh..

To finish on a positive : the players did stand up physically although whoever lamped McKiernan (I think I mentioned him recently in this post) was a very lucky boy considering Mr McGoldPrick on the stand touch line seemed to pick up every KE indiscretion.

The players also did raise their game when it looked like they'd throw another one away when Hyland got himself sent off. Bolton, Flats and Cribbin were key to that.

We should never have left ourselves with that much work to do but at least we did it.

Crofter I said Cribbin has not got the scoring power or threat not ability, but that was as a half forward where you should be getting two or three a game. He was playing Midfield last night thus he isn't under pressure to get the scores.
Huge difference.

I agree a lot of the football was poor last night, but we had a bit of fight which has been missing for a long time. We have to start somewhere and that's as good a place as any.

On another night you might have said Kildare's discipline was poor but it was really heartening to see a Kildare team standing up for themselves last night. The quality of football is nearly secondary to that. Cavan obviously bought into the perception of Kildare being soft centred and tried to bully our lads but Kildare were having none of it and fought back by both fair means and foul (like all the good teams do). I would have some sympathy with Hyland with both cards, the second one to me just looked like an accidental tangle of legs. Argue was looking to throw his weight around the moment he was introduced and when Chalky put him back on his arse it really seemed to lift the Kildare team.

Rewind back to last year's championship when Meath bullied us out of it and Monaghan ramped up the intimidation when the game was tight. You would hope that those games were an eye opener for a young panel and what we saw last night was the emergence of Kildare footballers who won't be rattled as easily.

Great to get a win, and some decent Performances and attitude shown.. Flats at Centre Forward ( His best position ), Paul and Keith worked their socks off, Conway was decent, and Flynn gives us a lot extra.. Special mention for Niall, having Played 2 Matches in 48 Hours was a Big ask, but He was exellent..
I have to say it, but there has to be Two better Corner Forwards in the County than was on view last Night.

Well done to the lads on getting a much needed win.

While I'm all for our lads standing up for themselves, I still think we are way too indisciplined in defence. Cavan got 8 of their 14 scores from frees, a lot of them conceded needlessly. Cormac Reilly always gives soft frees to the attacking team and we made it easy for him to give frees against us with our careless tackling. This indicipline been a feature of all our league games and there's no sign of it being addressed.

I think Paul Cribbin has been our best player in the last 2 games. Himself and Dan Flynn have the ability to break a tackle which means we don't have to handpass the ball to death in order to create an opening. I remember Paul getting pushed off the ball a bit when Tyrone beat us in the league semi final a couple of years ago, now he is able to take a tackle and keep going which is great. Niall Kelly was class again last night and I was surprised as well the Alan Smith wasn't brought on at corner forward. Great to see Flats show a bit of form. Good to see us kick passing more last night. Dan Flynn's goal showed how a good kick pass can open up a defence so hopefully we'll do it a bit more.

The Roscommon game is massive now. The win yesterday should give us a bit of confidence so hopefully we can kick on.

Not in the country so it was a Kfm job. That's a solid win and by all accounts there was no lying down. In terms of leadership I think Dan Flynn is one but not through talk but can lift a team by actions.
Didn't think he would be doing well so quickly but he is some size now and hasn't lost the pace.
P Cribbin hasn't been right in a long time so he is another huge addition who is chomping at the bit.
A win is a win is a win!

What is wrong P Kelly / I assume he's injured - anyone know how serious it is?

flourman wrote:

What is wrong P Kelly / I assume he's injured - anyone know how serious it is?

hamstring missing a few matches lately

P kelly should be available next weekend