The Super 8 's

But who is saying we are a top team? A few weeks ago we were well beaten by Carlow and I was personally questioning attitude.

Their performances in the last 4/5weeks has answered 90% of that. They all need to develop and improve game intelligence but they are closer than I personally thought. Close enough to warrant praise and encouragement, not negativity.

For further development, they probably need a more shrewd tactician to guide them and a bit more internal drive.

The aside comment was that. It's a general one on the game. Black card was designed to reduce but the antics are worse than ever. Kildare played their part in that too.

Question re Brophy. It feels like he is hanging on the wing, looking to either link with a long pass or come on a loop to score a point. Just seems to be static otherwise when the team should be looking for more out of him similar to either Conway or D Flynns burst.

Is it tactics, fitness or not being up to speed with the game since his return yet?

Or am I missing something?

Have to say the winning team just handpassing the ball to each other is a horrible spectacle at the end of a game. Dublin are the worst offenders and are doing even earlier in matches this year. Not sure what you can do to eliminate it other than losing possession if you pass back into your own half like in basketball.

This Kildare team deserve full credit for the Mayo victory. They beat a top team but it was a game played in exceptional circumstances.

I was hoping they'd build on it, but for me, the same failings are still in evidence. Let's have a coldly objective look at the last 12 months.

Armagh, the first four league games this year, Monaghan & now Galway.

At different stages, they were in good positions to win those games & mistakes at crucial moments cost them. The defining failure of this team is their lack of composure in pressure situations, of which Flynn's sending off was symptomatic.

Bar the Carlow match, I would never fault their effort, but the game is also played between the ears. It's the biggest barrier they face to becoming a consistent top Div 1 side. There are defensive issues but they can be sorted. Remaining ice-cool under severe pressure is a trickier quality to attain.

I honestly find Dublin a boring team to watch. Nowhere near the style of the great Kerry, Galway & Down teams over the years. Offaly under Eugene McGee & Meath under Sean Boylan were also more exciting and charismatic.

I hate 99% about Dublin.
But the speed of movement of their handpassing away from the point of contact yesterday was phenomenal.

C.O'N not happy with the off the ball stuff. I'm sure there's no payback for our stance...

https://www.kildarenow.com/sport/oneill-fumes-officiating-team-disputes-flynn-red-card-kildares-championship-hopes-ended/238501

There is too much off the ball stuff in Gaelic football. The majority of officials simply aren't up to it.

Unfortunately those are the terms if engagement. We just have to get on it with it.

Wonder will Cian O'Neill stay on?

For me, he's redeemed himself after Carlow debacle & deserves another shot. Div 1 promotion & Super 8s realistic targets again next year.

Overall assessment: we have a talented young team with loads of mileage left in the tank & another wave of gifted players coming behind.

After the Geezer & Micko eras, we had a great platform to drive and on become a top football county. We threw both of those opportunities away.

Not to build on the progress made under O'Neill and all of the underage work being done would be nothing short of criminal.

While it's disappointing, Galway like Monaghan are a top side and we're only a few points of these sides.
While Dans Red and to a lesser Paddys Black did us no favours at all, Galway just seemed to find the scores when they needed to.

With nothing now to play for in Killarney, Cian will probably give some of the panellists a run.. and with kerry needing a big win it could be a mauling.

Throwing the came would be a huge negative step. Have to put up best show possible and keep the positivity. A mauling would be a huge negative to end of year. Can't go out like Roscommon

We'll go down with the intention to win but personally won't be too fussed about result. But it will be all guns blazing for U20 All Ireland final that weekend. Mayo are all out for revenge so that is going to be one hell of a battle.

Incidentally fair play to O'Neill for giving the officials both barrels afterwards. We've been too soft on officials for too long in Kildare. Wrong calls cost us massively in Geezer's time & we never came out strongly enough over it.

Whatever about Flynn lashing out, if our players are getting repeatedly fouled off the ball and it's blatantly obvious it needs to be called out. That way we get the message out & pile pressure on the officials for the big games.

It's all part of it.

I believe that CON is going to Munster rugby next year on a full-time basis so there will be a new manager. Not good enough today especially with Daniel Flynn practically playing in the half forward line, and not well at that even.

@haunted Graffiti
You are some idiot and a great key board warrior!
You obviously never played football at a decent level judging by your idiotic comments.
I have watched Kildare for over 25years and I am proud of their performance today against a very very good Galway team who may go on to win Sam.
Yes, we rode our look at times and I feel for D Flynn sending off did have an impact on the outcome (he was def worth 2-3 points)
Well done lads, you can hold your heads up and hopefully we can unearth a few more players from the U20s to make us push on that bit more
As for the Kerry game what are your thoughts ( A dead rubber in ways or should we use it for a next season)
The result is irrelevant for us but personally I think we should use this as a game as a template on how to be a ULTRA Defensive system?
Kerry need to win by a decent margin so its a proper stern test
It might also be an opportunity to give some of the squad members a chance to prove their worth?

A "keyboard warrior" - and yet you're the one making an abusive comment & calling someone an idiot.

Would suggest you look up definition of the word "irony".

I have also played football at a serious level, and have been watching Kildare teams longer than you have.

Anything else?

Dublin are certainies for Sam, I don't think that Galway will even make the final.

On what I have seen so far it's likely Dublin Tyrone final and Dublin dont lose finals.
As for ourselves we are lacking a few game changers and I'm hoping the U20's will provide a few of those in particular Hyland, McLoughlin and Masterson. No one could accuse the players of lacking fight or pride in the last few weeks. But there is no substitute for class, skill and composure and we are missing that in certain areas.
Proud of the way we finished the season after a demoralizing start.

Haunted I don't think you should rise to the bait of that spoofer, I have both agreed and disagreed with many of your posts but they have always been well made, it's just another troll, (the second one on the forum this week, the first was about Feely) best ignored completely and they will get bored and move on.

Actually would be disappointed if CON leaves now, but Munster Rugby is a serious gig.

Yea murof is right . played some great stuff over the last few weeks . just came up short against quality opposition. Really think massive progress was made this year.
hopefully the 20s do the business and the progression continues

When I started watching Kildare decades ago all the old guys always stated that Kildare were deficient because Kildare players had always been too clean and polite. Clearly nothing has changed all these years later. This Kildare team might stand their ground and be tough at certain times but haven't a clue on how to be cynical or engage in dark arts, look at the amount of cards Kildare received compared to Monaghan or Galway. The management team need a dark arts coach from outside the county, that is no disrespect to any current coach but facing facts that we as a county need this edge and we can't do it no matter how we try.

Kildare in Micko's first stint were soft. Dublin & Meath used to shove them around the place. Took until Micko's second term until they got that hard edge.

You need it to be a top team. Seriously could you imagine one of our boys becoming a hate figure on the Hill a la Lee Keegan.

Keegan has plenty of subtle - and some not so subtle - tactics in his repertoire: trips, blocks, jersey-pulling, holding, late tackles. It's part of the game.

Do our defenders have the manic aggression of Keegan, Boyle, Barrett, Higgins et al? Unfortunately not.

Niall Carew said today "there's a myth that Kildare are soft." People say it because it's true!

Looking at Sunday game. Wish they'd just analyse the game rather than push their own agenda.e.g
Joe Brolly on tiered championship. Pure Crap

HauntedGraffiti wrote:

We'll go down with the intention to win but personally won't be too fussed about result. But it will be all guns blazing for U20 All Ireland final that weekend. Mayo are all out for revenge so that is going to be one hell of a battle.

Incidentally fair play to O'Neill for giving the officials both barrels afterwards. We've been too soft on officials for too long in Kildare. Wrong calls cost us massively in Geezer's time & we never came out strongly enough over it.

Whatever about Flynn lashing out, if our players are getting repeatedly fouled off the ball and it's blatantly obvious it needs to be called out. That way we get the message out & pile pressure on the officials for the big games.

It's all part of it.

It's one of these things that should be pointed out but can be seen as a bad looser. Speaking of bad losers that linesman is consistent in driving Kildare people crazy. Can you remember even one performance from J McQuillan as a referee in Kildare games where it was considered he had a good game or that he was fair or even where he is not noticed. It's amazing all the off the ball stuff he chooses to ignore up to that point even if those incidents were not red card offences. Dan Flynn foolishly made his day giving him the opportunity to take action.

Joe's Dublin love-in is tiresome at this stage. But - regardless of what you think of a tiered championship - he is right about Roscommon being out of their depth at this level, no disrespect to them.

inexile wrote:

Looking at Sunday game. Wish they'd just analyse the game rather than push their own agenda.e.g
Joe Brolly on tiered championship. Pure Crap

Brolly also pointing out the zonal defending from Galway's half-back line and sweeper like it's some sort of revolutionary tactic, every team in the country does it! Then we get a few snippets from Galway v Roscommon.  

Then he goes on to say the referee should have turned a blind eye to Flynn's lash-out to keep the game competitive.

Embarrassing stuff.