Down-Kildare

When Feely came back at the start of last year, I was delighted, telling people that at underage and club level, he was as good as Niall Buckley and Martin Lynch at the same age.

Fair to say that at certain points last season, I was getting plenty of sideways glances over that one (not without justification). But it has been great to see him fulfilling his potential this year and he was simply immense tonight... What about those frees?! Left and right, incredible...

Looks like I was wrong about David Slattery. Didn't think he was county standard, but he was a real handful tonight and chipped in with two goals. Nobody happier I was wrong than me...

What can you say... Team has a very settled look about it and we're playing some lovely stuff at times. We should actually have beaten Derry as well tbh so we should actually be promoted already... But we're definitely up if we win next week? That is incredible... Fair play to management and players. I thought this division would have been a total dogfight but they're really getting the best out of themselves currently... Not a feeling I've been used to with the Kildare senior team for quite a while but long may it continue!

Just back in from Newry - the trip home after a good win is so sweet.
This team is getting better and better. For such a young team, that was a really mature performance - it was a scrappy enough first half (slippery conditions not helping) but we took control in the second half, scored 2 excellent goals, patiently maintained possession and eked out some excellent points as well. We really frustrated Down such that they lost their rag at the end. Scoring goals at vital times has been a feature of our league season so far and the 2 tonight clinched victory - both were well created with great finishes by Slattery. Ben McCormack, Chris Healy and now David Slattery - guys coming in and slotting right in to the team.

Kevin Feely was excellent tonight - his free taking was sublime - who expected that? - and his fielding and distribution were equally good. Niall Kelly was excellent in the second half. Defensively this was our best performance of the season - opposition notwithstanding - and Eoin Doyle led the way as he normally does, by example. Hopefully the injury he suffered was not as bad as it looked. His leadership qualities are there now for all to see and the players around him are responding to it.

Great to put the feet up now and follow the games tomorrow. Hard to see us not getting promotion now if we beat Clare next week.

Wet but delighted in any number of ways. Went into the game with corner forwards dropping like flies but still we had another to come in and score twice. Great decision by the management to sub McNally who was having one of those nights where nothing was going right. They could have sent him back out but instead made the hard decision to replace him with Slattery. Bang, two goals and put himself about. Great stuff.

Kevin Feely, what can you say. Left foot, right foot doesn't matter. Catching balls for fun, dictating play, driving forward, organising those around him. Brilliant display. Him and Moolick have really propelled us to the top of the table.

Backs did well again against a limited team and drove forward at will. The move for Lyons point was sublime and Flynn's pass was the pass of the night.

It's a team you look forward to watching, a team playing for each other a team we should all get behind. They are starting to realise their promise. In a couple of years it could be a serious team.

Hoping for a big crowd next Sunday to drive them on and get promoted on home soil. How sweet it would be heading to Galway with no pressure to try and spoil their day for once.

Down are utterly atrocious. Five down towards the end they defend in numbers. And interesting our concerns over a biased referee. He really was. My point again is perspective. We beat a next-season Division Three team that I believe are the worst in their province with a whistler on our side. Good, but let's cool the jets on great.

Happy out, don't get me wrong, just perspective. Baby steps are great though.

Kevin Feely ... that's all

Don't think we've only seen baby steps but Tommy's reticence to go overboard is understandable given the history of Kildare football. Having seen every minute of this season in the flesh I'm just enjoying the commitment, endeavour and growing maturity as we find different ways to win games. It's unfortunate every team we play seems to be worst ever from their county though! Seriously though, I'm not celebrating promotion yet. Believe our two biggest games lie ahead although hopefully the Galway one will be a dead rubber ( for us) and we can spoil their party for once in Salthill.

Looking at the league table I reckon if we beat Clare in Newbridge we will be promoted next week.

Fair to say Division 2 survival was our primary goal this season and to achieve that with 2 games to spare is a testament to the players. However I think O'Neill has to be commended and is turning into a fine manager, he deliberately reduced the squad to focus on quality not quantity, appointed Roly who is a true presence on the sideline barking orders, encouragement and praise. Defensively we look tighter and the body language is demonstrating a much better attitude. We are one of the few teams that have worked the mark to a tactical advantage akin to set pieces in rugby, quick thinking and movement around frees as well. This is all training ground work and definitely a step in the right direction. Final bit of praise McNally having a mare, just one of those nights for him, hauled off at half time, replacement scores two goals, decisive management rewarded. Always amazed when people talk about perspective it's only uttered when we are winning never when losing.

I think most of us would have taken consolidating our Division 2 status before the Meath game so it's only natural that people are satisfied with where we are at with two games to go. O'Neill has developed the spine of this team and stuck with it and it's paying off now. David Hyland looks more comfortable at full back with every passing game as does Daniel Flynn in his roving full forward role. Our midfield pairing dovetail very well and they have provided the platform for our performances so far. It has been a while since we have dominated other teams around the middle so this is a real positive.

It's a pity the injuries seem to be mounting up but hopefully the fringe players will keep answering the call and proving they'll be ready if needed to be called upon in the future. I would have said we lacked depth before this campaign but maybe we are developing it. The impact off the bench in recent weeks has been impressive.

Well said Dinny. Every point you have made is spot on. Of course we have won nothing but the progress made has been impressive and obvious.

I thought last night they came of age.

When we bet Meath I thought they were division 3 material, Likewise , Cork and Fermanagh. That's really about a lack of belief, i.e. They mustn't be much good if we bet them easy,

The reality is we are playing some great football and long may it continue and long may we enjoy it.

jimmers wrote:

Just back in from Newry - the trip home after a good win is so sweet.
This team is getting better and better. For such a young team, that was a really mature performance - it was a scrappy enough first half (slippery conditions not helping) but we took control in the second half, scored 2 excellent goals, patiently maintained possession and eked out some excellent points as well. We really frustrated Down such that they lost their rag at the end. Scoring goals at vital times has been a feature of our league season so far and the 2 tonight clinched victory - both were well created with great finishes by Slattery. Ben McCormack, Chris Healy and now David Slattery - guys coming in and slotting right in to the team.

Kevin Feely was excellent tonight - his free taking was sublime - who expected that? - and his fielding and distribution were equally good. Niall Kelly was excellent in the second half. Defensively this was our best performance of the season - opposition notwithstanding - and Eoin Doyle led the way as he normally does, by example. Hopefully the injury he suffered was not as bad as it looked. His leadership qualities are there now for all to see and the players around him are responding to it.

Great to put the feet up now and follow the games tomorrow. Hard to see us not getting promotion now if we beat Clare next week.

Will never forget a free he kicked from miles out to either secure a replay or extra time in the minor championship against Dublin - he also slotted a penalty to do the same, I think in the same game. So one was to bring it to extra time and one was to secure the replay. That mindset to go with his power and skills... He's the best I ever saw as an underage footballer and people forgot last year that he hadn't played a full season of football in four and that first season was in senior inter-county. Indeed there was no guarantee he would be what he looked he might. And this one performance doesn't guarantee anything. But he is moving in the right direction again, getting the body accustomed to the different demands... he has all that is needed to be top tier.

Fantastic team effort last night - I only watched on TV but it looked rotten and their attitude was magnificent. You'd have to feel really sorry for David Slattery - that finish for the second goal was sublime. Hope the injury isn't a bad one but it didn't look great - he got a few really heavy slaps.

You just have to be happy with the results and performances. It's well and good to point out the weaknesses of teams we've been playing but at the start, you'd have taken third from bottom. So credit to the lads and I give huge credit to Cian O'Neill who recognised changes he had to make in terms of the difference between management and coaching.

But of course, Clare have gotten some excellent results this year and caused us plenty of problems last year. Hopefully Kildare's front eight will be too strong.

Well done team and management.. Feely free taking was excellent. A very talented lad.

Watched the game back on TV and there was nothing given to us by the ref. It was one of the better refereeing performances I've seen. Good for both, so having him in our pocket is unfair.

We just played well. Never really troubled and could have scored more. Donnellan had one decent save to make early on. After that nothing. He has also learned to punch the ball instead of catching it as seen late on.

Our patience and decision making has improved immeasurably. Good running off the ball and incisive passing. In fact I think the reason Down sat back so much is that they were terrified of getting pulled apart. We are scoring goals for fun and the players look like they are enjoying it.

You can never get to far ahead of yourself when Kildare football is concerned, but you have to enjoy the good times as they are so far and few in between.

umpireonditch wrote:

great win given the 3 scorers so far this season missing. Terrible conditions. Niall Kelly should be wrapped in cotton wool till the summer!! Not conditions for him.
Feely O'Grady Doyle exceptional. Leaders.
Win next week and we could be up with a game to spare. Who'd have thunk it!!

The way Niall Kelly made ball stick skidding off the turf - it's just so difficult - was magnificent. And he has a great kick pass.

They all played well in fairness. Keith Cribbin has some energy, good to see him getting a run after a terrible time with injuries. Johnny Byrne is a hardy hoor too. Reminds me of Darryl Flynn.

My thoughts:


When to Believe? Kildare 2-9 Down 0-10

Gaa1928 wrote:

Looking at the league table I reckon if we beat Clare in Newbridge we will be promoted next week.

That's not 100% mathematically correct but very very likely. The permutations are as follows:

Kildare would move to 10 points if they win next week. Even if Clare win today, the most they can then reach is 9.

Galway and Meath are the only others who can catch us in that scenario.  But Meath can only reach 10 points and would need to beat Cork away today and follow that up by beating Fermanagh and Clare.

Let's say they do that. If Kildare and Meath are then tied on 10 points then it would go down to the head to head which Kildare won.  So all good.

But.. let's say Galway win today, draw next week and then beat Kildare.  That would put Kildare, Galway and Meath on 10 points each and it would then come down to scoring difference.  Now Kildare have a monstrous advantage over Meath (+32 versus +4) so the Royals would have to win by incredible margins and/or Kildare would have to get destroyed by Galway for us not to stay ahead of them.

So if Meath don't win today, we are guaranteed promotion with a win against Clare.  If Meath do win today it mightn't be 100% certain until the last day.

But sure we're due to beat Galway anyway.. let's just beat both of them. We owe them both.

Of course with Meath and Galway currently losing...

Clare also losing. Galway 4 down after a missed penalty.

If Carlsberg did sporting week ends (Leeds fan me as well!)

kildaregaa365 wrote:

Clare also losing. Galway 4 down after a missed penalty.

If Carlsberg did sporting week ends (Leeds fan me as well!)

Carlsberg have done pretty good - Clare beaten and Meath drew with Cork so there's no ifs, buts or maybes - win next week and we're promoted. Galway had a great second half and trounced Derry so they could also be promoted next week if results go their way.


Edit - in fact a draw will do as well due to our head-to-head v Meath. Happy days!

If Div 2 were a film it's tag line would be "mad as a bag of badgers"

And Laois bottom of Division Three (couldn't resist)!

Dinny Breen wrote:

Fair to say Division 2 survival was our primary goal this season and to achieve that with 2 games to spare is a testament to the players. However I think O'Neill has to be commended and is turning into a fine manager, he deliberately reduced the squad to focus on quality not quantity, appointed Roly who is a true presence on the sideline barking orders, encouragement and praise. Defensively we look tighter and the body language is demonstrating a much better attitude. We are one of the few teams that have worked the mark to a tactical advantage akin to set pieces in rugby, quick thinking and movement around frees as well. This is all training ground work and definitely a step in the right direction. Final bit of praise McNally having a mare, just one of those nights for him, hauled off at half time, replacement scores two goals, decisive management rewarded. Always amazed when people talk about perspective it's only uttered when we are winning never when losing.

I think the standard of coaching has improved no end this year. It's basically the same group of players as last year but we seem to be more tuned in, generally making better decisions and a lot sharper as regards things like kick-outs and quick free-kicks etc. Individually players like Mick O'Grady, Eoin Doyle, Keith Cribbin, Kevin Feely are have improved this year so I think the manager and selectors/coaches deserve a lot of credit for this.