Courage, Belief, wonderous things

When do u think we will know if McGeeney is staying on....he shed a few tears after the match aswell, is this a good sign!

I'm gutted for the lads! If we're being honest, that wasn't our best football or anywhere near it yet we still were within 2 points after conceding a goal from a shocking decision, hitting the post twice for goals, once for a point and having a stonewall penalty turned down.

Now is not the time for blaming anyone, now is the time to support our lads and let them know just how grateful we are for a wonderful journey and a reason to be proud of the mighty lillywhites! Tears were shed but we'll be back and we'll be stronger than ever.

Thanks lads...

the three bulgarians spring to mind, cudov, shudov, wudov! at the same time i cant fault the effort and committment shown by all our players today. manys a team that would have rolled over and been beaten by ten to fifteen points by a down team that were on a roll,

all i can do is thank this panel of players and management team for all the time and effort they've given over the course of the year, to give me the days out and great nights out after victories in newbridge. belfast, derry and croker during this championship run!

and if only one decision or two went our way today.......we'd be lookin at least a replay if not a first all ireland final in 12 years! But sport is so cruel when it comes down to such marginal calls..........so roll on next januaury and the o'byrne cup and i'll be there to encourage ye along and to hope we can go at least one step further in 2011.

Amen to all that's been written here.
A proud day - not without its controversies - which is a pity when it was the last major outing for a man who has been a pretty good ref to date.
His umpires let him (and Kildare) down big time.
Last day out too for the legendary Anthony Rainbow?
Well done to one and all and thank you for a wonderful summer.

Can I be brutally honest? we were for the first 20 minutes all over Down and all of a sudden Down get a dodgy goal and we seemed to lose that rhythm that was evident in our play, but yes you said it we hit 4 soft wides and all of a sudden a Down team who we had on the rack were full of spunk.
Kildare to their credit didn't flinch and kept chipping away, but we started making schoolboy mistakes nerves maybe?, that goal that should've never been? turned the game on its fuking head,

The people that say there is an all ireland is this team? must have been born after the year 1966, because they are tearing my fucking heart out, I LOVE THEM!, you learn to be pessimistic.

If that sounds like I had 24 pints well you might be right!

Actually that was pussy cat stuff from me, brutal honesty? .. you drank too much again young Moorefield Man?

What a year and sadly its over.I heart goes out to Jd,Shortie and all the lads.We were robbed.
Some parts of the match we didnt play well,hugh lynch will be the new early in years to come.
What we need now is everyone to stick together,sick and heart broken,roll on 2011

My god, what do we need to do to get a bit of luck going our way....

Heartbreaking end to a fantastic campaign.

Dermot missing out
Smiths point that never was
Coulters square ball
Kellys point off the post
Callagahns goal bound shot off the post
The penalty that was never given and the inch lower that would have meant robs shot would have cannoned in.

So many little things...

Its a testament to the lads that they had an off day and still could easily have an all ireland final appearance in the bag.

How many times do we see big teams scrape through a bad performance. I thought we would do the same.

Heart break, heart ache. Will it ever happen in our life time?? The wait goes on. The tears will be shed and rightly so.

However, the passion of that crowd, the dedication of players and management. The progress year on year. The talent coming through. Optimism on the horizon

Lets all remember this hurt and please god the lads get a good holiday, re group and go fierce at it for deserved silverware in 2011.

Hard luck lads, things just didnt go our way....

I'd like to just say well done to the whole Kildare panel this year for giving us such great entertainment.

It's hard not to feel pretty gutted today, knowing how well Kildare can play and seeing so many things go against them yesterday. Alot of our best players all year seemed to have an off day yesterday. Can't help thinking that if Dermot had been in the same dominent form of 09 Kildare could have been bringing Sam to Kildare this year.

Time for some of the more experienced younger players to step forward as leaders now like McGrillen, Bolton, Flynn, Kavanagh, Smith. The basis of a great team is there if they can continue to imrpove as a team

I am gutted today.

Had one drink in the local and went home to watch the Sunday Game.It's fair to say that some of the decisions that went against us were simply disgraceful.If he is the best referee in the game , God help us.Fair play to Des Cahill and Tony Davis for speaking their minds.Cahill just could not understand how the square ball was not given.The cynic in me would say a Northern ref and a Northern county but I hope that is not the case.And the sight of JD crying at the end broke me.Never slept a wink last night.While I had no problem with the Down fans at the game , I have to agree with Misneach that their booing was as bad as it gets.More analysis later in the week but it's going to be a very long day.

Cill Dara Abu !!!!

gutted and heartbroken, cried my eyes out at the final whistle and many times last night, finding it very hard to control the emotions today,

yes, we didn't play our best football yesterday, but we still were only two points away from an all Ireland final appearance.

well done to the whole panel , I hope they realise just what a massive boost they brought to the county over the last two months, it is vital that this group of players and more importantly McGeeney stick together.

Yes, its going to be a tough few weeks and months ahead ,, sport can be the cruelest and best thing in the world, and we learnt that the very worst way yesterday.

Beating Meath on 1st August was the best day I've had supporting a Kildare team, and losing yesterday was the worst.

Fair play to the lads they were in good spirits back in graces last night, chatted away to everyone, had the craic, could see the heartbreak in them though.


In my opinion Leper will be robbed if he doesn't get an All-Star this year,
Kildare will have to get at least one and I truly believe he had been the most consistent player all year, you'd love to see JD getting one, but I just dont think it will happen for him.

The Gods were against us today folks. Simple as that. The RTE panel can go on about McCartans tactical masterplan but they are talking through their holes as usual.

Our first choice midfield was off the pitch early in the game and Down lorded it there.

Despite that we came within the following of winning the game :

Square ball goal
Disallowed point
Hit the post for a point
Hit the post for a goal
Blatent penalty at the death
Kellys canon fingertipped onto the underside of the bar

It really does rip the heart out of your chest. The lads put their hearts and soul into it and I was balling like a baby walking down the steps of the hill afterwards.

Unlike previous years however Im very optimistic about the next 3 to 5 years. There is definately enough in that team and Management to deliver Sam.

Thanks Geezer and all the Kildare panel. You have been magnificent this year!

Have to say I agree about the behaviour about a lot of the Down fans...to be honest a lot of them seemed to be just pissed drunk, obviously had their fill of cans on the way down on the bus...some of the behaviour and jeering I received from smug Down fans after the game was disgraceful

MD wrote:

Misneach wrote:

I'm so devastated. Hard luck to the lads. What a year!

Roll on 2011..

I have to say one thing though. I've been going to Kildare games at different levels for about 25 years now and have never experienced the unsportmanship from opposition supporters like I did today. It was incredible where I was sitting. The boos for Kildare and abuse at times was incredible.

I've always left matches rooting for the team that has beaten us but not today. It was shocking.

Corcaigh abu for that reason.

And hard luck Cill Dara once again. I'm still a proud Lily!

Misneach you are spot on about the Down fans. I have to say I have never seen such a lack of respect by any team either than maybe Tyrone last year. Booing at every chance,my brother 12 year old brother got abuse today because he asked why dont you like Mcgeeney and he told them to shut up,so the Down fans did not leave him alone for the rest of the game, I am talking about grown men teasing a little child,I had a go at one of them but they were not having it. I hate generalising but Down fans from my experience are a bunch of C***s. They abuse Mcgeeney plain and simple because he is better than anything produced by Down and most counties in Ulster. The lack of respect shown to such a hero of the game is a disgrace. I asked a Down fan after the game why they hated Mcgeeney,he replied because he is a winner. Makes it worse that they dislike him because hes better than why they had. Totally disgusted by their behaviour.

Words cant describe the sadness I had today. I really thought we would win today. For a lot of reasons we didnt. We shot ourselves in the foot a lot today with bad decision making and terrible shooting at times. However we showed great desire other times. Kavanagh missed a simple free while Smythy had a clear point dismissed while we should of had a penalty,if that had happened none of us would be here tonight crying our sorrows as we would all be getting pissed. Umpires have been useless all year and this confirmed that there is a need for video technology as in the biggest occasion for both teams,the umpire cannot get the simple decisions right. The gods were really against us today.

This bunch need to stay together. If Geezer leaves which I hope to god he does not,it would be a travisty. Next year is our big year,I am convinced. With the return of Mikey Conway,the emergence of Dowling,Cribbin,Hughie Lynch and Rob Kelly. We have all the pieces to complete the Jigsaw,Geezer has this team just right and he cannot leave,this team is better than Mickos. I would even go as far as Geezer is better than Micko,contervesial maybe but I believe that. Geezer has a plan and has the confidence running through the players. The man is a legend and must stay, of all my time supporting Kildare,this is the first time I believe this county could win an all ireland and I am convinced it is next year, This is the best squad of players this county has produced and they all must stay. We must remember we played today without Dermot and for most of the game Daryl Flynn,imagine if they were both fit today,things would of been diffrent.

I believe in this team and I am confident our moment of glory is just around the corner,c'mon the lillies

First off well done to all the panel and the managment team.

I said on the old forum after the Louth defeat that this team owed us nothing. Well now 4 months later I think that not only do they owe us nothing we owe them. The feeling that I had after the Meath game is one that money could not buy and I thank everyone involved in the panel for all they have done to give me a summer of very happy memories.

I know that now the team is out of the Championship they will all go back to there club teams but with the feeling that is in the county at the moment with everyone so proud of the team it would be a great time to play a challenge game between the panel in Newbridge which could double up between a fundraiser and a final game for Rainbow to bow out in. Newbridge would be full, the fans could show their appreciation for the team and the panel could raise some money for a well deserved holiday.
It probably wont happen but it would be nice if it did.

As for the game yesterday, still to sick to talk about it.

Just want to say how I totally disagree with the notion that the ref should be given credit for going in and asking the umpire was it square ball or not he was 20 yards from it and should have made the decision himself or at least have some opinion, like what was he looking at? I was 80 yards from it and new straight away it was square ball. He bottled the decision just like he did at the end- if a player had lay down on or handled the ball on the ground out the field he would have blown it, hop ball ffs, no balls. One of the most revered refs of our time retiring no better than a poor club ref. A decision like that is more than just a goal its a psychological boost for them and a kick in the teeth for us. Im not bitter just dissappointed.

Hard luck kildare, super effort great year.
Here's to some silverware in 2011

Yeah, I have never seen so many drunk people at a match before, we were heading into Croke park at two o clock and there were hundreds of them staggering around the place and barely able to walk, like come on I like a drink same as the next lad but to be in that state at two in the afternoon???Think they seriously need a branch of Cuan Mhuire in the mourne mountains.

"football is a strange strange game, sometimes its great, and sometimes it drains the life out of you"
- John Doyle (in his interview with Kfm after match..)

Think it sums it all up, heartbreaking listening to him talking

Lads thsi kidlare team is so down its unreal.Chatting with them in graces last nite.
There a great bunch of lads and so is the managgment team.
here's to 2011 cant wait

bricktamland wrote:

My god, what do we need to do to get a bit of luck going our way....

Heartbreaking end to a fantastic campaign.

Dermot missing out
Smiths point that never was
Coulters square ball
Kellys point off the post
Callagahns goal bound shot off the post
The penalty that was never given and the inch lower that would have meant robs shot would have cannoned in.

So many little things...

Its a testament to the lads that they had an off day and still could easily have an all ireland final appearance in the bag.

How many times do we see big teams scrape through a bad performance. I thought we would do the same.

Heart break, heart ache. Will it ever happen in our life time?? The wait goes on. The tears will be shed and rightly so.

However, the passion of that crowd, the dedication of players and management. The progress year on year. The talent coming through. Optimism on the horizon

Lets all remember this hurt and please god the lads get a good holiday, re group and go fierce at it for deserved silverware in 2011.

Hard luck lads, things just didnt go our way....

I simply haven't got the energy to type or maybe the will? but what bricktamlad said above just about sums up everything, we were not our fluent self yesterday I think our struggles in midfield played a big part yet we could with a bit of luck be still there but alas we never have that bit of luck!

I might as well add a little more, the booing yesterday was chronic. it seemed the Down fans started it and of course the Kildare fans followed suit, two sets of fans who haven't enjoyed any success for a long time doing everything they could to get their team over the line but I can't remember a booed free been missed by either side apart from Kavs.
And lets be honest it was far from a minority in fact it sounded to me the majority a sad reflection on GAA fans as a whole.
I was talking to Down fans before and after the match and we had some good friendly banter no aggression or sour grapes just a bit of friendly chit chat, I think someone said above they had a bit of a problem with some Down fans but in that case I'd say it was just a tiny minority, but yet this bloody booing! how can you stop it?

I seemed to have found the energy from somewhere, I think I need a refueling after that!

Cigarettes and coffee: an alcoholic's best friend!

Was in the corner of the Hogan/Canal for the game. When that ball came in, I sat back, relaxed thinking there was no doubt the umpire would call the square ball. I couldn't believe it when he ran for the flag. I had thought the ball was only at the 14 yard line when Coulter was in the square but thought maybe I was being biased at the time. The replay on the Sunday Game was shocking.

Same thing with the "penalty" was my immediate reaction, I couldn't understand why the ref was throwing the ball up.

I find it hard to say that Down were excellent and better, deserving their win. It looked like they played at the top of their game whereas we didn't.

A minimum of 1-04 of the Down tally came from a Kildare player giving away possession under little to no pressure. REally shows the importance of quality passing.

Then there are the wides we had, at least 4/5 points that should have been put over, or were within inches. Also, Callaghan hitting the post. That's another 1-04/05.

As a Maynooth man, I was delighted to see Karl come on and play a big part in the game. He had some balls to take on that free having just missed a shot. The same goes for Kelly. I think that kind of stuff just goes to show the belief that each player has in themselves and each other.

Hugh Lynch scored some classic points.

As mentioned by only one person so far, Doyles fetch in midfield in the last passage of play was legendary.

Can't say I had any bad experiences with the Down supporters.

On the Down side, Marty Clarke was phenominal, the visions for that pass putting through Hughes for goal was exceptional. McKernan was a real driving force when they were struggling early on. Coulter class as ever.

Think where won Down the game was when they scored a goal, they tacked on 2 points straight away. When we scored, they went straight up and scored a point.

We've come a long way in the past few months but not quite far enough unfortunately.

A few key calls didn't go our way but sh1t happens. It just wan't our day. Too many of our players were below par and Down ultimately played the better and more economical football.

We'll be back next year even if it seems a long way away this morning. Hopefully we'll have a fully fit Dermot, Mikey Conway and Rob Kelly. You never know what else might be lurking in some club team in the county either. Just look at Peter Kelly this year.

I fear we might not get a better opportunity than this for years though.

Thanks to all the panel and the backroom team for our best year since 2000. They've put the pride back in the Bán Go Leor. If that was Anthony Rainbow's last involvement too then thanks for the memories old boy!

"Give respect, Get respect" ..... me arse !!! When will officialdom treat supporters and more importantly the players who put in such hard work with some respect. McEnaney and his umpires were shown respect yesterday by the Kildare players and supporters. I saw David Lyons chase after him to shake his hand after the final whistle before he left the pitch.

However, the GAA which is rightly promoting respect for referees and their team of officials is not following suit by trying to eradicate the injustices perpetrated by bad decisions. I fully accept that Mr. McEnaney, Mr. Sludden and their respective umpires didn't intentionally make the mistakes they made but these errors are proving too costly, especially to players who give up practically all their spare time for 8/9 months only to be deprived of what they've worked so hard for by a poor decision.

The GAA needs to come into the 21st century and introduce video technology, if only for instances where there are contentious scores involved. It works well in rugby. Why not GAA ? It's the very least that players deserve.

End of rant !!!

The latest, is that, the umpires seemingly were not "picked" by Mcenaney...they were actually intercounty referees picked by the Gaa themselves......just again, highlights the state of referee standards in this country!!!

Good article

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2010/0830/1224277857573.html

shoutitout wrote:

I know that now the team is out of the Championship they will all go back to there club teams but with the feeling that is in the county at the moment with everyone so proud of the team it would be a great time to play a challenge game between the panel in Newbridge which could double up between a fundraiser and a final game for Rainbow to bow out in. Newbridge would be full, the fans could show their appreciation for the team and the panel could raise some money for a well deserved holiday.
It probably wont happen but it would be nice if it did.

Great idea shoutitout, it would be a brilliant gesture to the players Rainbow and for the fans to have closure on a fantastic couple of months. As you said it would get a big crowd, the money could go to their fund of to a charity of choice and kids would be able to see their heroes altogether for one more time. It would be celebration and a chance to show how much they have made the people happy.
Maybe it would be worth putting it on the official forum in the Chairman's section.

As for the match, well the new day brings no solace or lifting of despair. So many things went against us yesterday it's hard not to believe that fate decides things.
I am also loathed to the opinion of the view that the goal did not matter as Down were the better team. It's a view that gets thrown about in GAA quite regularly. Again it was on the Sunday game, where the goal was nearly dismissed because Down had been playing a little better. Why would they not be doing so when they basically started the game with a four point head start. Sport doesn't work that way, you may be playing better but it does not in any way mean you can claim to be the better team. After watching the half time analysis Brolly was at this shite. He basically dismissed the goal saying it had no bearing on the game as Down had the more Natural footballers, whatever that crap means.

I'll say it again, they were on the rack for the first 15 mins, then were gifted a four point swing, no wonder they kicked on.

Gutted.

This is not an amateur sport, this is a professional sport in all but name, managers are been paid vast sums of money by hush hush! various generous business men and yet the same managers inflict draconian restrictions on players, such is as long as they're involved in the championship they might as well be in prison, even at club level these players are also subjected to these draconian restrictions, should we call in amnesty international? where are these players human rights? they don't get paid for the pleasure and pain their sacrifices surely deserve?. yet there's dinosaurs out there who will tell you over a Jameson Whiskey in the local pub they should be happy with their lot, should be mighty proud to wear the county or club jersey, the same dinosaurs when they were playing had a pint or two the night before a big game and some of them never even bothered their bolox to turn up for training but still started the game.

TIME TO GIVE THESE PLAYERS THE RESPECT THEY DESERVE, PAY THEM!!!!