Kildare v Galway

kildaregaa365 wrote:

umpireonditch wrote:

Dowling only starter from Last week.

Has it been announced?

Didn't think we'd enough fit players to field 14 new ones? We'd be absolutely hockeyed too. Don't think that's a good plan.

I'd expect 7 or 8 changes.

Ok I take that back. We're throwing the game clearly. Don't like that I have to say. Not fair on Meath or on our own fans who've arranged to travel (hotels etc).

Agree with the above. Not fair on travelling supporters, not to mention the 15 players, lambs to the slaughter. We'll be doing well to get within 10.

Couldn't give a shit about Meath, to be honest.

Yeah obviously don't care much about Meath but I do care about the integrity of the competition (one of the real plus points for the league). Imagine if we were in Meath's shoes. Leaves a bad taste. Really think we're missing an opportunity to go toe to toe with a very in-form and attacking Galway side who will be at close to championship pitch. League final won't be played at same pace at all. Would have preferred us playing a B team in that match.

This is a shot to nothing for the players picked, if they perform then they may come into O'Neills plans for Sunday week, get hockeyed and they are no worse off really than before the game as everyone expects a hiding.

If two or three players put their hands up for inclusion the following week, I would imagine O Neill will have gotten exactly what he wants from the game.

Matters not a jot. Every team would do it. Also possibility of unearthing a player or two. We are very lightweight in the backs so hoping some can stand up to be counted on Sunday.

Unfair on Meath?! Heard it all now, f**k them. If they had played well enough to be in a position to be promoted, they'd be there. And if I was home as a supporter I'd be delighted to go watch the B team with nothing to lose as we're promoted, much happier than watching the A team go down there needing a result to stay up or something as many predicted. Also, guys can't just be on the panel to provide bodies for the starters to play, this is their reward and a chance to make an impression. Obvious choice, keeps harmony, exposes more players to a higher level and so on. We can't lose.

Interesting selection and a good opportunity for these players to step up. Kildare are under no pressure in this match. Get well beaten and people won't bat an eyelid because it's more or less a scratch team. Make a game of it and then maybe we might have a bit more depth in this squad than we might have thought a few weeks ago.

If we lose the league final on Sunday week I can forsee the argument that we should have picked a stronger team this Sunday with a view to keeping the momentum going. However we need to give a lot of these lads a run at some stage to see if they sink or swim. A lot of them have only played O'Byrne Cup football against the colleges and the odd few minutes of petering out league games. It only takes a few injuries/suspensions and we'll be calling on some of these lads in the summer. They need to be tested. Maybe 14 changes is taking it to extremes but management obviously see Sunday week as the more important match and it's hard to disagree. Our recent record in Croke Park is abysmal (as is Galway's for that matter) and a win there would be great before the summer.

It's good to see fellas getting a chance.. these fellas do the hard training also and it's a nice situation for the management to be in this situation also.. they will also have played in A versus B matches together.

Happy enough with that team. About time we worried about ourselves instead of trying to please everyone else.

What better match in order to see what the other lads are made of. It will test them no doubt but there is no pressure. That freedom may just allow them to go and express themselves. As been said, if we get a couple of lads who do well then it's job done for Cian. They will be called upon in the summer.

Galway are under the pump, let's see how they react if we are within a couple of scores with 10 to go. There may be a surprise result in it yet

I'm obviously in the minority. Fair enough.

Two of that full back line were torn apart by Longford u/21s a month ago so it's a massive step up for them playing their first league game at senior level. I don't see what conceding 5 or 6 goals is going to do for those young lads.

I agree with you kildaregaa365. That's way too many changes for me and I think we could get a serious hammering (like Wexford got last week) I think it's unfair on the players coming in and on the supporters travelling down. Less concerned about Meath but I agree with the point about the integrity of the competition.
Cian O'Neill knows whats best for the team but I though 4 or 5 changes would have been enough.

1. What's the point of having players on the panel putting in the work and then not giving them a chance to start a match we don't have to win?

2. A year ago we beat Clare in the final league match in newbridge. We were promoted already but a week later Clare came and caught us in the final. It wasn't forseeable that day in newbridge .

3. Last Sunday, at times in the second half we looked tired. A full strength team tomorrow would have meant 5 weeks in a row for them. Being able to take a rest must be to our advantage .

4. Without any doubt the league final is much more important than the match tomorrow . We don't win much so if we can win a National League Division 2 title then we have to go for it.

Good points fizzer.
If there are fellas who are not up to it then why have them there ?.. Let's find out.

Even if we lose , if some of the new lads do well then we can reasonably say that the panel is stronger than we thought.

Also competition for places is healthy. I don't know how good Shane McNamara is but I'm looking forward to seeing it. Likewise the full back line. They will be under pressure and it would be great for some of them to put in a performance that makes them starting contenders.

It is interesting that Peter Kelly is named at wing back .An experiment or a reflection of his standing in terms of choices for the full back line ?

I think peter kelly may have come on as a sub at wing back v cork in championship 2015. I see michael meehan is back. Formidable outfit are galway

I see on joe.ie that the Meath fans are annoyed!

In fairness the fact that so many changes are there insulates the main 15 in terms of confidence levels, plus with the smaller panel means that we will need these lads at some stage during the summer.
Picking up silverware is more important in tow weeks in my head in terms of a championship bump. Plus it's not like they are a bunch of lads pulled from the pub. The fact that the team is doing well must mean training is going well and these lads must be pushing the starters judging by results.

Looking at the team

McNamara - he will surely fancy a shout if he does well and he might have a busy day.
Maguire M Hyland Healy - ok this might not be very strong but I'm sure O'Neill will protect them.
Kelly Ryan Bolton - Nice bit if experience here
Connell Dowling - We will need these lads sitting
Heavey Hartley Kavanagh - inexperienced but they have had tastes.
Cotzy Leper BenMc - Ben Mc is someone many want to see starting anyway. Leper and Corzy both want to show they are genuine starters.

Look sure stranger things have happened than us all being pleasantly surprised by a Kildare team this year.

First post , don't know how I haven't come across the site until now!
There's still some experienced heads in that starting lineup and it's good to see Cian reward some of the younger players with a start after all of their hard work over the past year.
It'll be a great chance to see some new faces perform, along with giving the regulars a breather after their fantastic efforts over the last 2 months or so. Cill Dara Abu.

Lads p.o Connell is a player I really looking forward to seeing what he can do .Got very little game time this year had a great game against Dublin in u/21 final last year .

Welcome to the forum Captain1928.

Like O'Connell although I'd question whether he has enough pace for this level. One way to find out.

All for giving young players a chance but ideally with experienced players on every line to help them when things start to go wrong. That is not going to happen tomorrow as the experienced players on view are past their best imo.
That said its unexpected to get a game where the result doesn't matter and we have a bigger game coming next so maybe he is wise to empty the bench as they say in other sports.
My only hope is the full back line is not totally over run as could easily happen against a team like Galway.

O Connell starts slow but as the game go on is very effective . Up again it here tomorrow again 2 good midfielders Galway have .

Integrirty of the competition?? We have qualified with a game to spare. O'Neill has a spare game why not give all the lads on the squad. If I didn't get a run in this game and I was on the panel I'd be seriously pissed.

Kelly Bolton Dowling Mcnally and Leper are all plenty experienced so it's not as if we are throwing out last years minor team.Starting the first 15 they'd be shadow boxing ahead of next weekend with no incentive to bust a gut or show your marker your armoury 7 days out from a meaningful final. If they got a hammering tomorrow the ramifications would be far more serious.
The other 15 will all be scrapping for their lives hoping to force their way into next weeks team.

As for supporters heading down the fact that we are already qualified means the game wasn't of significance anyway and most will be too hungover to care!

Kildare supporters are Down here as Roy Keane says for the jolly that about it !!!

Will be interesting to see the reaction of you all if (as I expect) we get absolutely mullered. Presume there won't be a harsh word said against O'Neill or the players. Don't want to see that happen but fear for the full back line in particular. Talk about thrown to the lions. Hope I'm wrong.

ps whiteboy as one of those Kildare supporters I paid good money to come and watch my team play a competitive game first and foremost. (Although the head this morning suggests I might have goentoo far with the jolly part as well!). Cill Dara Reserves Abú!