O'Byrne Cup 2017

I think everything that is happening with Kildare is following on from and building on where it finished last year against Mayo. It's pretty obvious that the opening league game away to Meath is extremely important . It could be the difference between relegation or not. We have no God given right to staying in division 2 and I feel every game in advance of that has to be taken extremely seriously and not an opportunity to give lads a run.

Except the lads I'm suggesting have the qualities we lack – and it may be those weaknesses that stop us making progress.

Is Podge Fogarty back playing football for St Laurence's yet ? Has he recovered from his back injury? Is Luke Flynn as previously stated away in college in Galway? Rory Feely impressed as a sub on the Kildare u-21s last year but is that the basis for your inclusion of his name on your list? If so then it must enhance the reputation of those who started ahead of him! Surely we must hope but also trust the people who have the job of selecting teams and panels that they are doing their best and after that give them and the team our support.

Fogarty is playing in the Sigerson for Maynooth, Luke Flynn for Carlow IT. Rory Feely is playing soccer for St Pat's but O'Neill has not yet been asked about his availability - nor any of the others.

I support the team but I also comment on it – it's what forums are for.

So the 3 players you mentioned aren't available for the O Byrne Cup but you have included then on a list of players whose omission is detrimental to kildares chances of success!

So the 3 players you mentioned aren't available for the O Byrne Cup but you have included then on a list of players whose omission is detrimental to kildares chances of success!

They are available from semi-final onwards. Anything else?

So Kevin Feely, Daniel Flynn and Paul
Cribben are available next Sunday ?

Jesus Christ almighty... From the O'Byrne Cup rules:

"After Round Robin is completed players having played with their College may play for their County in Semi-Final and Final subject to their respective College not qualifying for Semi-Final Stages."

Anything else I have to explain?

It seems you're all on for expressing your views but not too keen when they are challenged!

Thanks for quoting the o Byrne cup competition rules ! Clearly you're a rare talent.

Fizzer wrote:

So Kevin Feely, Daniel Flynn and Paul
Cribben are available next Sunday ?

yes are available Ther no sigerson cup until 25 January

I think we should go with the same team on Sunday give or take.i would leave P. Cribbin and dan Flynn and the rest on the bench. I think pascal o Connell should get a run in midfield he to me is a player with a lot of potential. Has not started a game yet need game time to show what he can do still very young top man for u/21 last year. He need a run at this level to develop not 12 minutes from full time.

Fizzer wrote:

It seems you're  all on for expressing your views but not too keen when they are challenged!

Thanks for quoting the o Byrne cup competition rules !  Clearly you're a rare talent.

All for debate – when people actually understand rules of competition. It's a very poor position to argue from.

Seriously - people arguing about team selections when they don't understand the rules!

At no point did I challenge the team selections and quite frankly I would be embarrassed to quote the o Byrne cup rules. However I find it amusing that my opinion can be undermined by not knowing them by somebody who claims to be in favour of debate!

My opinion is formed by going to matches, Kildare matches and club matches. My opinion is formed by what I see. Because I go to matches I feel I am entitled to my opinion and I really couldn't give a damn about the rules of the O Byrne cup.

I am not challenging team selections and in fact I think they are doing a good job. I'm challenging your list and your motivation behind it!

If things go wrong you'll be itching to tell everyone I told you so. That's clearly what you are at when you , yourself confirmed that Rory Feely is unavailable and was approached. Why is he on your list so? Does the management and selectors have to explain every omission?

Not knowing the rules badly undermines your point of view – your arguments seriously lack credibility. In this context you should be embarrassed not to know them, you look exceptionally foolish.

Incidentally, I don't know anything about the availability of Rory Feely or anyone else on the list, hence I am pushing for local media to ask Cian O'Neill about them.

So your opinion is more important than mine because you know a rule about the O Byrne Cup semi finals ?

You clearly don't like being challenged and are happy to name call rather than stand over your views .

Do you even go to matches or just stay at home reading the o Byrne cup rules?

I believe O'Neill is right to go with a more compact panel this year. He's clearly looking to get a more settled team nailed down earlier in the year which he never managed to do last year because we were trying out so many lads. The clubs should benefit too because they won't be without lads who would only be making up the numbers in a bigger senior county panel.

Of the lads mentioned above Luke Flynn was on the panel prior to Christmas. Either he has dropped himself off it again or he will come back in once his college commitments are over.

Rory Feely was playing regularly with St Pats last summer and didn't feature at all for Athy in the latter stages of their season. He's also not playing for DCU after playing for their freshers team last year so he seems to be commited to his soccer career for the moment.

Mark Sherry dropped himself off the panel last year when he was carrying a few knocks. I don't know what the story is this year with him and agree that he would be an addition.

Podge Fogarty didn't play much football at all last year with persistent injuries and is probably a guy who is more suited to winter football anyway. It's a pity he lacks the pace for inter county football because he is seriously accurate off both feet.

Wayne Fitzpatrick should have been one of the main players at u21 level for the last two years but couldn't commit to the panel. He hasn't really had the opportunity to kick on since that year Monasterevin won the Leinster title which is four years ago now.

Cein McMonagle should be tearing teams apart at intermediate level for Clogherinkoe if he is a Kildare player in waiting but he hasn't been standing out.

If you look at the younger lads who are getting a chance they are all players who have made the step up at senior club level - Neil Flynn, Ben McCormack, Conor Hartley, Shea Ryan, Con Kavanagh, Chris Healy, Liam Healy, Darren Maguire, Eoin Bateman and Mark Hyland. If players are consistently standing out for their clubs in the big games then they'll make it hard for the management to ignore their claims. I'm not sure if some of the other players mentioned previously have proven themselves in the club championships. I'd personally have Chris Fenner ahead of some of the forwards mentioned.

Back to the match

A short match report on yesterday's game.

Kildare 3-11 Offaly 0-8

That's fair enough KK, you have outlined it well there. I'd still like to hear Cian O'Neill talk about it, and I am surprised the local press haven't asked him about it. Incidentally, I actually agree with you - I also think Chris Fenner should be tried out, as he is the type of player we need. All I'm saying - Jesus I sound like John Lennon at this stage - is give these young lads a go. There is not much point in developing them if we just let them drift off at senior level.

Anyway, probably best if we follow Crofter's advice and get back to the extant panel and the matters at hand...

Any word on Paul mescal ?.

That's all very well kk on your assessment but the players brought in are mainly from Sarsfields. Moorefield and athy.. all clubs who are in the limelight and at the deep end of the championship.. I'm sure a few on hg list would love to have that exposure.

Anyway I'm very hopeful that Cian will monitor any talented lad.

SeamusMurphy wrote:

That's all very well kk on your assessment but the players brought in are mainly from Sarsfields.  Moorefield and athy.. all clubs who are in the limelight and at the deep end of the championship.. I'm sure a few on hg list would love to have that exposure.

Yeah that's fair although there are a few players who are being talked up on here who should be standing out in weaker club teams but they haven't done it consistently yet. I'd expect any player from a weaker senior or an intermediate club with ambitions of being a Kildare senior to be consistently starring for their club like Chris Healy this year for TMH or like James Kavanagh did for Ballymore for years.

HG I don't know how many times it has to be pointed out: Luke Flynn and Rory Feely are not available to play for Kildare. It doesn't seem to be sinking in with you.

Agreed kk.
It might be a bit more difficult for a player at a weaker senior team than a strong intermediate team.. although JD always proves me wrong.
Interesting that fionn and P Kelly are the only 2 non senior club players on the o byrne panel to date.

Any word on how our boys performed with maynooth uni at the weekend ?.

SeamusMurphy wrote:

Any word on how our boys performed with maynooth uni at the weekend  ?.

only mark hyland Paul cribbin and dan Flynn played none of them scored