Westmeath v Kildare

Great to get the win but it was a patchy enough performance. We won the game in the 15 minutes before half time when he played some decent football. The 2nd half was poor - we won hardly any breaking ball and messed up a lot of good chances to make the game safe. 
The highlights of the match for me were Peter Kelly's goaline clearance to stop a certain goal, 2 excellent goals (Dan Flynn's goal was one of the best I've seen from a Kildare player) and Niall Kelly's point just before half time.
I thought Peter Kelly and David Hyland were good at the back. Cian O'Donoghue looked promising when he came on. He looks to have a good bit of pace and is good on the ball. We did give away a few frees which Westmeath scored from but the ref didn't seem to allow any tackling at times.
I thought Daryl and Daniel Flynn did well at midfield but we didn't get enough of the breaks. Paul Cribbin is just back from injury and will improve and I would like to see Padraig O'Neill brought into the half-forward line for his work-rate.
Up front, I thought Niall Kelly was very good but some of the ball going into him didn't really suit him. Some of the other forwards found the going tough and our free-taking was poor in the 2nd half.
Lots to work on but good to get off to a winning start.

Apparently something to do with his retina, had a big bandage on his head/face too.

Conditions were absolutely awful so hard to judge really, Peter Kelly was immense, as was Hylo and Niall Kelly pity we kept hitting high balls into him in the second half. Some goal by Daniel Flynn one of the best I've ever seen tbh what a run, Cian O'Donoghue's wasn't bad either We were cleaned out at midfield when Daryl went off and we made a lot of bad decisions at times. Good win against promotion rivals who were closer to full strength than we were alot too work on though. We were clinical in the first half not at all in the second half though.

Anyone know how Fitzpatrick's leg is? he was on crutches after the game.

kickingking wrote:

What's the prognosis on Kevin Feely's injury?

Cian O'Neill said he got a finger in the eye during the warm-up and the doctor said he shouldn't play. 
Apparently he's seeing a specialist tomorrow but hopefully it's not too bad.

JohnnyC wrote:

kickingking wrote:

What's the prognosis on Kevin Feely's injury?

Cian O'Neill said he got a finger in the eye during the warm-up and the doctor said he shouldn't play. 
Apparently he's seeing a specialist tomorrow but hopefully it's not too bad.

Fingers crossed. It looks like Fitzpatrick will be out for a few weeks. Moolick, Murnaghan and McGrillen were in the crowd today.

Fingers crossed but also hopefully out of Feely's eye! O'Neill must have them fairly psyched during the warm-up, they should probably a cool it a bit...

Sorry Johnny but can't agree with you on Paudi, he's had his day and is far too slow for the modern game. I hope Cian O'Neill sticks with the young lads, it's the way forward and the only way we will bridge the gap to Dublin.

Good to get a winning start but it was a dire 2nd half display. Pity about Feely, that game was made for him today and he certainly would have made Donnellan's job a bit easier. We haven't had a dirty ball winner in the county since Declan Kerrigan and it will cost us dearly against better teams.
Delighted that 2 of the lads who went to the US last started and did so well. We can expect a lot more from Cribben, Flats and young Flynn in the future as all were quiet today.
Sadly the old problem of not being able to kick simple points near the end was obvious again, thank god for Kelly to finally nail one to wrap it up.

Due to family commitments I was in clare and decided to go see the clare v sligo game, and it was horrible to watch. I know Milltown is a windy spot but the standard of football was a joke, I'd have no worries about either of those teams giving Kildare a game. Just thank God you don't have to travel down here for the game.

Good to see you back hg.. but is magee not a cavan man ?

SeamusMurphy wrote:

Good to see you back hg.. but is magee not a cavan man ?

He's from Longford.

Great start to the season and a decent performance in difficult conditions. Conceding 11 points was a major plus for the defence but scoring just 3 points in the second half was a bit of a negative.

Anyone any idea why Bolton didnt come on yesterday?

Re Haunted Graffiti - would you drop Lyons who has arguably been our best back for the last two three years to have a fb line of Hyland, Kelly and Fitzpatrick?

Westside wrote:

Great start to the season and a decent performance in difficult conditions. Conceding 11 points was a major plus for the defence but scoring just 3 points in the second half was a bit of a negative.

Anyone any idea why Bolton didnt come on yesterday?

Re Haunted Graffiti - would you drop Lyons who has arguably been our best back for the last two three years to have a fb line of Hyland, Kelly and Fitzpatrick?

Inconceivable to drop Ollie

Fitzy would be most at risk in any reshuffle of the back 3 to accommodate Hyland at full back.

Kelly, Hyland, Ollie for next week anyway. If Hyland can make 3 his own and improve on yesterday's encouraging display at full back, then it's a straight choice between Fitzy and Lyons for cornerback - only one winner there for me - Lyons.

Good to get the win yesterday. As has being said Flynn's goal was something else. The second half was very poor and we couldn't get the ball in midfield. It did seem as thou the kick outs were just kicked down the middle and the lads were to fight for it. No good team will kick the ball out to where its 50:50 at best. Hope the kick out strategy is worked on, with mobile lads around the middle kicking the ball to a runner is what should be done.
All in all a good start.

flourman wrote:

Fitzy would be most at risk in any reshuffle of the back 3 to accommodate Hyland at full back.

Kelly, Hyland, Ollie for next week anyway. If Hyland can make 3 his own and improve on yesterday's encouraging display at full back, then it's a straight choice between Fitzy and Lyons for cornerback - only one winner there for me - Lyons.

For me Fitzpatrick is ahead of P Kelly and Hyland. I've seen P kelly taking a few skinnings in the past whereas I havent seen Fitz getting skint. Personally i dont think hyland has the pace for the full back line, much more suited to half back

Each to his own Westside - but as far as I'm concerned we don't have a better cornerback in the county than Peter Kelly, and whereas I like Fitzy too (like his aggressiveness nature and always gives 100%) - there's no way I'd have him over Kelly.

Delighted with the win in Mullingar yesterday and great to see the travelling support so strong. Conditions were crap (even in the stand ) but one failing that reemerged was Kildare's inability to get going immediately after half time. Fifteen minutes to post a score. Another was the inability of midfield to catch or successfully break the ball. And the kicking with the wind - frees and from play was very poor.
It wasn't a great match apart from the Kildare spell from the 20th to 35th minutes but it was interesting that both sides played better against the wind than with it. And, of course, that goal will live long in the memory. I thought the defence was sturdy, though one bouncing ball might well have ended up in the net. I was surprised at how poor Westmeath were.
Anyway - one step forward. Important that next Sunday be another in the same direction.

Great to get the win.. the 2nd half was poor and we struggled in mf when daryl was withdrawn.. Cian o donoghue was impressive when introduced.
Other than niall kelly and Cotsy the rest of the forwards struggled.
We'd have taken the 2 points any which way and it's only the first match. Looking forward to next week now.

tomoneillandhissisteranne wrote:

Delighted with the win in Mullingar yesterday and great to see the travelling support so strong. Conditions were crap (even in the stand ) but one failing that reemerged was Kildare's inability to get going immediately after half time.  Fifteen minutes to post a score.

It's interesting that Kildare have been out late after half time in the O'Byrne Cup games and now the first league game. Westmeath were out on the field for good few minutes before Kildare. Maybe they're just being kept too long in the dressing room and they're just not as tuned in then when they get back onto the field?

Jaysus lads - where did I mention dropping Ollie Lyons?!

The point I was making is that the Kildare defence needs to start to developing a mean streak. I think we'd all acknowledge that the way we lay down and let Dublin and Kerry walk all over us last year was absolutely disgraceful.

From a tactical viewpoint, I think Lyons' attacking flair makes him a more potent weapon from the half back line. If there's a speed merchant or particularly tricky customer in the corner, he can drop back. So cool the jets!

Sorry jim. Was bringing up freddy post.

One final point - on the refereeing. Fourteen yellow cards according to the press reports (I lost count) in a match that was played in a very good spirit on a dirty day - doesn't say much for the referee!