Kildare v Laois

It's ok - I heard Ollie Crinnigan is back in training

kickingking wrote:

fone wrote:

where kildare in  fota island   last weekend

http://www.sportsfile.com/more-images/1505183/5000/

So Mark Sherry and David Fitzpatrick have been added to the panel.

Both would be MidFielders as such, but neither would be natural Forwards imo.. Not sure either are up to Inter County MidField.

Kildare and Laois are now even Money.

Are we likely to see any of.. Cian O Donoghue, Gavin Farrell, Seamus Hanafin, Eamon Murphy, Seamus McNally or David Whyte during the Championship ??

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Daryl Flynn apparently set for return...

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/gaelic-games/gaelic-football/meath-coaches-depart-panel-ahead-of-championship-1.2226411

HauntedGraffiti wrote:

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Daryl Flynn apparently set for return...

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/gaelic-games/gaelic-football/meath-coaches-depart-panel-ahead-of-championship-1.2226411

Great, we're saved.

Good that Daryl is back and in contention for a place on the team. He's exactly the aggresive, no-nonsense type of player we've been missing this year. It's hard to see him being involved too much against Laois as he's just back playing for Moorefield.

It's hard to see any of the players mentioned above featuring much as they didn't really feature in the league. Mark Sherry could be an option in the half-forward line coming off the bench as he has pace and an eye for goal.

Personnel is irrelevant if the tactics aren't right. For most of the league, the tactics were awful. Inept blanket defence in the first game, which somehow morphed into an inept attacking plan in the final match.

It was unbelievable how open we were against Galway - they carved us open several times before they scored the first goal. Overall, our tactics in the league were indicative of a manager who didn't really know what he was trying to do.

So, essentially, we're trying to hone a game plan from scratch for the championship - there are teams competing in the AI who've been honing their tactical approach for five years.

Anyway, as I said on the other thread, I fancy Laois to win. Unfortunately!

Any improvement in our defensive system should be good enough for us to beat Laois in my opinion. If we had held out against Down it would have been them rather than us who would have been relegated and we did beat them in the league match.
We have players who can do damage against them but like our defense it all depends on us winning more ball in midfield. That is still the most important area in modern football and if you are dominated there it can make your defenders look very poor. Maybe a pairing of Moolick and Cribben could work here as I think Chalky would be out of his depth against their big midfielders.
Be very interesting to see who plays full forward in the absence of O'Connor. Fogarty is probably the best option with Dowling operating as a 3th midfielder for kick outs.
This is the game to win and worry about Dublin later. Ryan has had a long time since the Galway game to improve matters. Dont forget we were equally pessimistic before the Louth game last year and still turned in a fine performance.
I'm keeping the faith a little longer!

I'm afraid faith is not going to win games murof. A manager who has conviction in what he is doing would be a great start. Not a manager who has tried every tactic under the Sun, but abandoned each one at the first sign of trouble without giving it time.

Does anyone here know how we will play against Laois. Every successful or hard beaten County has a distinct pattern of play. We look like 15 individual players sent out to try win a game.

I hope we can beat Laois, as much as I want Ryan out, the thought of losing to them is much worse.
We have had an Indian sign over them for the last few years, to loose to them will be top of Ryan's lowest moments and that is a long list of low moments.

I dont have a lot of faith in the manager either Baba, but he is the only one we have to work with. He is unlikely to be here much longer so it is up to the players, especially the younger ones to show what they can do when the game starts. After all the next manager will have to work with the same players as well.
They cant hide behind a bad manager and not do all they can to win this game. Its up to them now to show we have a team for the future.

JohnnyC wrote:

Good that Daryl is back and in contention for a place on the team. He's exactly the aggresive, no-nonsense type of player we've been missing this year. It's hard to see him being involved too much against Laois as he's just back playing for Moorefield.

It's hard to see any of the players mentioned above featuring much as they didn't really feature in the league. Mark Sherry could be an option in the half-forward line coming off the bench as he has pace and an eye for goal.

Didn't expect to see Daryl again in a Kildare jersey so this is a surprising but welcome piece of news. Seems a stretch to see him back playing v Laois but maybe Moorefield lads on here could fill us in on his fitness levels?

Talking of systems, I thought the one we looked most comfortable with was when one of the half-forwards dropped back as a sweeper like we played in the O'Byrne cup. I'm not sure why we ditched this system for the league. Getting everybody behind the ball like we did against Meath didn't work as we didn't create enough chances while going man for man at the back didn't work either as the better teams picked us off too easily. I'd like to see us going back to playing a sweeper for the Laois game and I think Kevin Murnaghan would be a good option as he reads the game well and is good on the ball.

Kildares Best line up in my opinion.
1. Donnellen
2. OGrady
3. Kelly
4. Lyons
5. Murnehan
6. G. White
7. Doyle
8. D. White
9. Cribben
10. Mc Nally
11. Flaherty
12. ONeill
13. Smith
14. Fogarty
15. Hannifen

Niall Kelly is our best forward.
D Whyte and Hannifen are hardly going to be brought in from the cold at this stage. I'd agree with Murnaghan getting his game but don't see it happening given league teams. Callaghan and Moolick have to start also. Reckon Dowling will too given the game time he got in NFL.

Team I would like to see but which wont likely happen is,

1. Donnellen
2. OGrady
3. Kelly
4. Lyons
5. Murnaghan
6. Hyland
7. Doyle
8. Moolick
9. Cribben
10. Bolton
11. Flaherty
12. ONeill
13. Smith
14. Fogarty
15. Kelly

Bolton and Callaghan are journey men not able for the pace of senior county football any more. is Niall Kelly is injured as far as i know. moolick maybe but i think white it the enforcer we need around the middle to keep o loughlin quiet.

Would disagree with you on Bolton Mick - I still think he's one of the few genuine leaders we have and he properly saved the day v Laois in the league. But I agree Callaghan hasn't been producing it this year and he must be on very thin ice at this stage.

I don't think Laois are a team you need to go full-on defensive against and an effective sweeper could snuff out a lot of their threat. But again we go back to a problem we had during the league - no one filled this role. Kevin Murnaghan looked good in the O'Byrne Cup and impressed against Dublin but then was inexplicably dropped. Anyone have any idea why?!

We definitely need a sweeper as – let's be honest here - we don't have the players or the strength in depth to play all-out attack. But who's going to fulfill that role? I actually think a half-forward should play it as using half-backs concedes too much space in your own half. It's hard to know who the likely candidates are. Again, this is stuff that should have been figured out ages ago.

Actually one player who was always very effective in the sweeper role was Morgan O'Flaherty. I know he took a year out last year but he didn't come back. I wonder has he just jacked it in altogether?

On another note, I'm very relieved that I no longer have to look at Tomas O'Connor at full forward. I think Tomas is a good player but I always thought McGeeney was totally wrong playing him full forward, and when Ryan continued it I was in despair.

One aspect to be positive about I suppose!

I think we may as well go for a fairly radical line up as what we've done to date has failed miserably. Can't see the logic of D.White (slower version of H.Lynch..) or Hanafin starting unless Hanafin is pulling up trees in training/ challenge games.

My radical changes would be along the spine of the defence where I'd have Eoghan Doyle at Full Back for a bit of steel and Padraig O'Neill at CB for his workrate, experience and doing the simple things well. I'd have Murnaghan sweeping which seems to be a common theme. I'd have Bolton as a roving wing-forward. He's more value to us in attack than defence although the wing forward and wing back roles are somewhat interchangeable nowadays.

Having said all that I've no idea if any of this would work as there aren't many sure-fire solutions to our problems out there.
1. Donnellan
2. Kelly
3. Doyle
4. Lyons
5. Conway
6. O'Neill
7. O'Grady
8. Moolick
9. Cribbin
10. Murnaghan (sweeper)
11. O'Flaherty
12. Bolton
13. Kelly
14. Fogarty
15. Smith

Donnellan
Fitzpatrick
Kelly
Hyland
Lyons
Doyle
Bolton
Cribben
Moolick
O'Flaherty
Kelly
Murnaghan
Dowling
Fogarty
Smith

Full-back line all tight markers and, basically, dirty fuckers which we've been lacking lately. Good attacking options from half-back line with Murnaghan sweeping. Decent mix of flair and power upfront and Kelly and Dowling could probably switch from time to time.

Good options off the bench as well with O'Grady, Conway and Callaghan. Also, I think Darroch Mulhall can still make a decent contribution as a sub (not having a right-sided free taker in team would be a bit of a concern).

Something along those lines anyway. God knows what selection Ryan will actually go with – it's like trying to second-guess Lord Melchett in Blackadder at this stage ("It's exactly what the enemy don't expect us to do and therefore the perfect plan!")

I believe in recent challenge Matches v Sligo and Longford we went very Defensive.

Im not sure what 15 will start, but P Kelly and N Kelly must be very doubtful due to injury.

Id like to see Chalky at Centre Back.. and agree that Callaghan should be left out.. but cant see it, as He is Captain.

The only issue I would have with us setting up defensively is our discipline, during the early rounds of the league while playing a defensive system we still gave away a hatful of frees which largely negates the effectiveness of any defensive system.

Don't shoot the messenger - and I'm not free to name names - but met a man close to the panel today who swore blind that the spirit on the panel is very positive and that the squad is looking forward to Sat next and fully expects to win. He seemed genuinely enthused. Wish I was as confident but I pass it on for what it's worth. Can't say I feel the same way

Is this gonna be a double header now since the dubs and galway hurling match was a draw?

LillieLad wrote:

Is this gonna be a double header now since the dubs and galway hurling match was a draw?

yes tullamore @ 4.45pm