Kildare v Longford

Might as well get the ball rolling.

We beat them by around 30 points last year with Jason Ryan in charge, which reflects pretty badly on Longford I have to say. However, it should be acknowledged that, tactically, Jack Sheedy was possibly even more inept than Ryan, unbelievable as that sounds. However, even allowing for a tightened up defence and the fact Longford are always producing good young players, surely we should be winning with a bit to spare?

Incidentally, I recall as a young fellow visiting Pearse Park in the early '90s, when Micko was in charge. As the saying goes, Pearse Park is "never an easy place to go" (although it was last summer), but we emerged with a five or six point win. Glen Ryan had an absolute stormer, this was 92 or 93 and he was really emerging as an iconic player in Kildare football.

Eugene McGee was actually a selector for Longford at the time and towards the end, when the game was won, some of the Kildare supporters took great pleasure in inquiring what he made of Kildare's performance. Like Colm O'Rourke, McGee regularly churned out filler columns in the early 90s about how Kildare footballers were a bunch of posers, and Lynch, Buckley, Rainbow et al weren't up to these Offaly and Meath lads.

I remember they both went very quiet on that front in 1998... good times!

I'd be expecting a few changes for this with Flynn, Sherry and Houlihan playing 21s three days later.

I'd like to see the likes of Tommy Moolick and Alan Smith get some game time as they will be big players for us this year.

I'd be very disappointed if we dont win with a bit to spare no matter what the team is.

Important game in terms of promotion as we have three home games out of the next four games. In my view a win here and we should be nailed on to go back up.

As Rob said. U21's are out on the following Wednesday so they should be left with that squad. However the Sigerson being complete should allow a better cohesive squad as lads were coming and going.

After the last couple of years no game can be taken remotely lightly. I hope to see a good 70 minute performance with as little fade out as possible.

Yes, definitely - if we build up a lead in this game, I want to see us drive on with no let up. The problem has been dogging us for a couple of years now and we need to start putting it right.

Definitely going to be an interesting few days with the U21s in action. I also think they should be given the afternoon off, gives other lads a chance as well.

Of the players who've been used regularly, the U21 contingent would be Neil Flynn, Ryan Houlihan, Cian O'Donoghue, Mark Sherry... Would that be right? Is there anyone else? I wonder who might come in... Don't suppose anyone has a list of subs from the last couple of games?

Would definitely expect Tommy Moolick to get some game time.

O Donoghue isn't u/21 as far as I know but you are correct in the other players you have named HG. I would expect a relatively comfortable win here. They will have improved on last year but not by enough.

The subs against Offaly were: Tom Corley, Eoghan O'Flaherty, Johnny Byrne, Daryl Flynn, Padraig O'Neill, Emmet Bolton, Eanna O'Connor, Eoin Powderley, Mark Sherry, Liam Healy and Kevin Murnaghan. 

Johnny Byrne or Emmet Bolton could come in for Houlihan and I'd like to see Alan Smith (if fit) come in for Neil Flynn. I think the early kick pass into the full-forward line would suit Smith.
If Paul Cribbin is out then Tommy Moolick could come into midfield with Dan Flynn going to wing forward.

The match last summer was in Mullingar and it will be tougher in Pearse Park but we should have enough if the attitude is right.

Thanks for that Johnny - I think your replacements have a nice look to them.

Btw I'd totally forgotten that match was in Mullingar - thought it was in Longford!

HauntedGraffiti wrote:

Incidentally, I recall as a young fellow visiting Pearse Park in the early '90s, when Micko was in charge.

Can't remember this - must have been a league match?

Cian o donoghue isn't u21. .
Agree completely HG. Player management here and the murph link should free up the 3 boys.
Agree Johnny. Love to see smithy at FF with the quick kick pass.

Seamus - Yeah, I was actually scanning the team sheet from the U21 loss to Offaly in 2014 and saw O'Donoghue's name. Was it Alan Barry who was in charge at the time? Still think that performance was a disgrace - we had a good group of players, and to go down to a very average Offaly team at home like that, it was a shameful title defence.

Ohtoohbe – Yes it was a league game, 92 or 93.

HauntedGraffiti wrote:

Seamus - Yeah, I was actually scanning the team sheet from the U21 loss to Offaly in 2014 and saw O'Donoghue's name. Was it Alan Barry who was in charge at the time? Still think that performance was a disgrace - we had a good group of players, and to go down to a very average Offaly team at home like that, it was a shameful title defence.

Ohtoohbe – Yes it was a league game, 92 or 93.

Think Cribben was in charge of that team in 2014. Game was played in Athy and it was a poor performnce with no apparent game plan. We have had some poor managers at this level in recent years but would have a lot more confidence in the present set up.

Spot on murof. Tom cribben.. lesson is don't take the biffos for granted. .let's move on and forget about those awful few year's.. but
With caution.

Kildare 2/5. Longford 5/2. Draw 15/2.

Paul Cribbin is out for a month folks. Recently underwent surgery on cartillage in his knee.

Heard the main stand in Longford is closed on Sunday.

Tipp game fixed for Easter Saturday at 2pm - from a reliable source

flourman wrote:

Tipp game fixed for Easter Saturday at 2pm - from a reliable source

You'd think they'd be confirming it. When are they going to announce or do we need to be mind-readers. We are basically three weeks away and no one knows when or where that match is on.

SeamusMurphy wrote:

Heard the main stand in Longford is closed on Sunday.

Has been for the lasy year ..............

KE team v Longford: Donnellan PKelly Hyland Lyons ODonoghue Conway Bolton DanFlynn Feely McNally NKelly OFlaherty Dowling ONeill Callaghan

That full forward line would worry me. How many chances can Dowling get? Must be a great lad in training. 1 to 9 is starting to get a settled look about it.

I think it's a good lineup and glad to see the U21s being rested.

It may not be the most fashionable view but I'd hang in there with Dowling - he was a terrific underage player and I still think he can make a contribution at senior level. Against Down last year, although ae lost, he showed what he's capable of.

On another note - I've never been a fan of "The Supporter" column in The Nationalist but it's been particularly bad lately.

Every column lately seems to be a desperate plea for Niall Kelly to be given some time off.

I'm sure Niall appreciates the support but Jesus man - change the tune!

Starting with 5 of the 6 forwards who started in the corresponding fixture last summer and the Cork match. Dowling for Smith is the only change.

A win would put promotion within grasp with three out of the four remaining matches at home. Hopefully we can kick on if we get on top and it would be a bonus to get twenty minutes out of Moolick and Smith.

Paidi at 14 gets a big thumbs up from me. He got 4 or 5 from play there in a qualifier against Derry in 06 the same day England got knocked outta the World Cup and I don't recall seeing him get much of a run there since!

He played there against Offaly in the OB cup in January.

All things considered, I would like to see the forward division shaken up a bit more.

We have a lot of strong, hard running half forward and a top playmaker in Niall Kelly.

For me, the one area where we need more options are top finishers and out and out score getters. Neil Flynn certainly fits into that category but I wonder if there's anyone else who'll come onboard. Mark Sherry and Chris Healy are excellent but maybe not out and out score getters.

Players who I think would fit the bill would be Cian McMonagle, Wayne Fitzpatrick, Jimmy Hyland, although they're probably all still too young and/or available. If Podge Fogart was fit I'd still have him in my team. It's an area of the team we still need to improve anyway.