Kildare v Armagh

Hate to say it but the management decisions was one of the many factors today in our defeat, what was the reasoning behind the substitutions ?, Leper,?, Moolick?, Slattery?, Flynn?, one other note, where was the support?, I was surrounded by Armagh people, they had more than the other 3 countries combined! ' if we are good at anything it's false dawns, disappointed doesn't come close.

We will improve after a season in div 1 certainly but we desperately need to find at least 3 defenders. It must be O'Neill's priority for next season.
We probably expected too much after the Dublin game but a display like that against Tyrone would have resulted in a serious beating.
Never thought Geezer had a clue tactically but he had his work done on us. Pleased for him as he handled himself with dignity after his exit from us.

Just watching a recording of the game... During the game I felt a few things went against Kildare and now I see the proof.

When Conway was going through his option to play in N Kelly was cut off as Kelly was pulled down, off the ball by the neck & then Conway was pulled for charging..

Then soon after D Flynn was pulled for 2 hops as he kicked a "point". The ref very clearly signalled 2 hops...... The replay also clearly showed ONE HOP...........

I HATE RUBBISH REFS,,,,,...... AND THAT WAS JUST THE FIRST HALF,,,,

Would loved to have stuffed it up Geezer tonight but I'm afraid the Armagh lad's just seemed to want it more.
I think we are being too hard on our lads, to me they gave everything there tonight but simply weren't good enough. I thought Moolick should have been introduced earlier as we were winning very little clean ball at midfield.

I'm sickened though as I was sure we would hammer them as our neighbours, a Div.4 Laois team have beaten them regularly over the past few years. If they can do it why not a super team like us ?? ..  It beggars belief..

Loads of credit to Geezer but it´s not like there was something amazing he did to throw us off. The good stuff was always coming through Jamie Clarke!
I was surprised by the amount of changes and I think McNally and Moolick must be raging.
Flynn never got really going but his man was on a yellow and he was on the verge of a red when Flynn came off. He was a better option than Feely at the end if we went long ball.
I just dunno why we didn´t really run at them like in previous games. Even against the Dubs there was joy in that. Plus Armagh were fouling more and more.
But as I said the manager takes his share but can´t control lads hitting crappy wides or turning over the ball trying things that are simply not on.
We had no real minder in the mould of Doyle either and his influence over the entire defence was a huge loss.
Overall I think O´Grady and Hyland are proper nuts and bolts defenders so I wouldn´t go changing everything. There was not much protection in fairness.
We also panicked late on as we had time to get that game level. They are a young team and we shouldn´t always harp back to the past failures.
I feel like letting a big FUCK out of me! It was just such a shame to end an overall good year in such a manner and to add question marks over big game temperament.

It just seems to me of history repeating itself over and over no matter what players we have playing, but we just seem to be so good at shooting ourselves in the foot. Tactically we were outclassed by Geezer

Well that slightly positive feeling after the Dublin game has been well and truly banished. Compared to Armagh we showed a lack of hunger, fight and bottle tonight. We managed to get back in front in each half having been 3/4 points behind but both times failed to take control and kick on. Doyle was certainly a huge loss and our lack of depth in defence is a worry.

The comment above - Outfoxed outclassed outrun outnumbered - sums the night up completely - both and on and off the pitch.

I can't take it anymore .. really can't .. I'm sick of us being the gutless should have been nearly men .. mayo tribute act sums us up nicely .. will post something more constructive when there's less jar involved but for now . FUCCCCCCCCCKKKK SAAAAKKKKKE .. why do we get our hopes up.. here's to a short night sleep

Been good year for Kildare but could have got further. Laughing at the idiot above slagging off Mcgeeney. Think CON will learn from today. Substitutions all wrong. Bit of a mess at the end. Division 1 football next year badly needed.

Why would anyone like to stuff it up Geezer, a man that brought us on leaps and bounds and got sacked due to our arrogance? And blaming the referee is another excuse, worst decision of game was around Donnellan going full psycho at a time when anyone who knows Kildare knew we were done a quarter in such is the loser mindset. A reflex to run away from the inevitable against an inferior team.

As long as we keep finding excuses and blaming others it's another generation destined for the Laois-style-everyone-else-is-at-fault-but-us shite. We laugh at them and we do the same.

This is on this hugely talented group and to a lesser extent the management. No one else made them run away from a battle, lie down at a challenge, collapse at a contest, but every time it was there for the taking they couldn't hack the next play. A mentally weak group who for all they say they've learned, clearly learned nothing as the only time to judge their words is a close game. Wax survives fire better than these. The latest generation of hype and skill with few balls.

First true fight of the year and they go back to the same panicky muck that suggests a huge amount of money has been wasted as when it matters they revert to type. Hyland couldn't kick a 30-yard foot pass into massive space, shivering at not being able to hand pass before missing his target by the same distance and putting the ball out for a sideline. I had to laugh. Conway couldn't look up when kicking two points with goals on and men inside yet is lauded. Feely froze over a massive free when it actually comes down to it. McNally couldn't kick a 21-yard shot hard enough to even go dead, such was his fear and belief and they countered for the point of the game and the one that killed it. Dowling couldn't take the right option ever. Callaghan who has been through Down in 2010, Dublin and Donegal in 2011, Monaghan in 2014 before this still couldn't complete a four-yard hand-pass at the death.

Basically all that was learned from the past and these past two seasons buckled under the slightest pressure because they happened to get themselves into a game against an opposition that dared show up. Mentally scared and until they hear it and deal with it, they'll continue to be.

We talk potential and what not. Three pro Aussie Rules players, a class act and pro soccer player in Feely, we know the ability from a physical point of view. That much has been recognised by better judges who have paid these lads for what they can do. But big gulf between can and will and upstairs so many are a headless disaster when it matters and when boys need to become men.

This was a Division Three team for a reason, and all the excuses won't change a thing. A group terrified when it gets hard out there and without the guts down the stretch. Either they face that or repeat it. But right now, we talk growth regarding Division One and so on. Buried in a Leinster Final, and flee in the last 12. Progress my arse.

If this was any other county we'd have a word for them. I've no problem with guys not being good enough, but when all evidence says under-performance because of someone putting it up to you, that's an indictment. If they disagree I'd suggest the show-me-don't-tell-me response as fed up of hearing hype around lads who simply don't do it as seniors.

As for that word... Honestly... Losers. Hope I'm proven wrong down the line but I'm an evidence-based kind of guy and seen rabbits drop bigger pairs in headlights. Over and out, much like them having done the bare minimum and reached the last 12. Pathetic stuff tonight.

I'm not sure where all the positivity was coming from coming into this game, or before or after the Dublin game. It was misplaced.

Kildare a good side. Not at the level of a top side as people have been making out.

That number 6 for Down was some player. Exactly what Kildare were missing. Power, drive and heart. A willingness to get hurt in order to get the ball.

Kildare are too nice.

Tommy ur going a bit Joe Brolly there. I'm not saying that there is no truth in what u said but I don't recall u coming on here and giving any praise for some of the good displays this year. Ultimately 31 counties will fail this year and examples of misplaced passes will be found poor misses etc. U will find examples in Armagh players too if u look.
I believe we were too highly praised before yesterday now we are shite we are somewhere in the middle. We will continue to struggle as we won't win Sam and the dubs will keep us at arms length, without silverware no concrete evidence of improvements.
Final thing in geezers reign how many times did we hit the post at the canal end last night we hit it 3 times 2 went wide and I believe their goal came directly from the one that came back into play, Armagh hit the same post and over and I think they hit the hill post and over. On such things.....

Watched game back on Sky and the commentator mentioned the great games we were involved in against Monaghan in 2014 (WE LOST) and Donegal in 2011 (WE LOST).

We have another one to add to the hall of shame.

What was also disappointing was the small Kildare crowd last night. Despite being the closest of the 4 counties to Croke Park, we probably had the smallest support. In many ways that says it all.

Very very disappointing. Dont know where to begin

I just logged on and read Smokeys comment first and then Tommys.

I can't disagree with Tommy's. Yesterday was about wilting in the face of a fight. Nice players in open football will entertain but it takes something else in a battle.

Coming home yesterday I wondered can the management and players learn from that and come back next year stronger and fiercer. Then this morning reading Tommy's post I remembered that U/21 semi final against Galway in Tullamore. I remembered that feeling of devastation. At one point that year We were favourites for both the U/21 and minor all irelands. We won neither nor for that matter reached either final.

I do go to as many matches as possible and I think I saw Kildare play 13 times this year. I thank the players and management for the good times that they gave me this year and I look forward to going on that journey again next year.

But we need to as a county change. I remember an add on CNN a few years ago with the catchphrase "for some near enough is good enough, for others good enough is never enough ". The ultimate disappointment is not that we lost yesterday. The ultimate disappointment is that we haven't changed and the desire to be winners, to be No.1 is not there!
We will always find excuses if we want to look for them.

jimmers wrote:

What was also disappointing was the small Kildare crowd last night. Despite being the closest of the 4 counties to Croke Park, we probably had the smallest support. In many ways that says it all.

Until games like yesterday stop happening the crowds won't come back. Kildare supporters over the last five years have been humiliated and let down all too often, basically they have battle fatigue. Add to the fact it was Croke Park where I and many others detest you are not bringing a crowd. If they had won yesterday the support would have been good for Tyrone as they would have earned some trust. Unfortunately Kildare supporters know we are so flakey especially up there that this type of performance is the  rule rather than the exception.

Unless something drastically changes and the team stop being nice and pretty footballers and become a win at all costs team history will continue to repeat itself and the crowds will only get smaller.

I said this game was more important than Dublin in how we see ourselves going forward. You only need to read the sheer frustration and disappointment in the posts here to know what was a decent year has suddenly turned to doom and gloom. People won't see a promotion to Div 1 or a place in the Leinster final, all they will remember is an abject display against Armagh and the feeling of once again being let down when it mattered most.

Pathetic effort from Kildare.

Hate to say it, but Kildare are bottlers. Someone said it earlier, we don't have the balls to win the dirty ball, especially when it matters most. Too bloody nice. Our backs never lay a hand on Armagh for 70 minutes.

I'm never setting foot in Croke Park again. Depressing.

As for the lad wanting to "stuff it to McGeeney". You, Sir, are a fucking moron of the highest order.

Very disappointing finish to the season last night, the general consensus going into the match was that we would win by 3/4 points after a tight match and we certainly had enough chances to do that but weren't good/calm enough to take them. At the moment these are the best players available and while we might have potential coming through time will tell if they're better. There's a glut of teams between 5-20 who on a given day can beat each other and we're somewhere in there. Armagh performed well last night with Jamie clarke and the support the obvious difference between the sides. I agree were too nice, the difference in how Dan Flynn and Jamie clarke were marked was like night and day

How can there be only 1 player on the match day squad from the two county finalists last year? I just dont get it

Pathetic. I'm sick to the stomach of it and have had enough. As Einstein said, the definition of madness is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Well no more for me, I'm out!

Good point about underage teams in 2013 - more vintage Kildare underachievement. When we went a point ahead in second half yesterday, we became the anti-Dublin. They are the masters of keeping their heads under the most severe pressure... We on the other hand reverted to traditional Kildare type and caved.

As Tommy says, summed up by Callaghan's stupid nothing effort that reeked of "We've lost our heads." Also symbolic that we let Jamie Clarke have the run of the game and kick four points from play. Absolutely NO WAY any of the top four would let that happen.

In many ways, it's the defining question for this group over the next few years. Are they going to do the classic Kildare thing - just be another team - or are they going to break the habit of a lifetime, drive on, win some silverware and progress football in the county.

Would actually be nice if they could let us know ASAP, they could save us all a lot of time and money. We've all had enough hard luck, near miss bullshit to last the rest of our lives.

Wtf is this shit about Mayo? We wouldn't be fit to lace their boots. And they beat us handy last year pulling up for the entire second half.

bigball wrote:

How can there be only 1 player on the match day squad from the two county finalists last year? I just dont get it

One player from the 2 county finalists for the last 3 years and county champions for the last 5 years.

One final point, Cian is on another planet than Ryan when it comes to media and interviews. However it's starting to grate a little when I hear the phrase " we'll learn from this and move on". There are PhD's that don't learn as much as us. The problem we have is we never pass an exam.

I still have hopes for this team but they need to grow up very quickly in terms of the way they play football because things are not going to get any easier any time soon.

SamMaguire wrote:

Pathetic. I'm sick to the stomach of it and have had enough. As Einstein said, the definition of madness is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Well no more for me, I'm out!

See ye