Championship 15

Stevie

Fair enough. I was just throwing it out there for discussion. IMO and it's only IMO , if there is no silverware this yea , there will be changes next year.

I am not a critic of of the Geezer , in fact far from it. I just think that 2012 is a huge year for him and he is not going to take any chances by trying new talent etc.

I definitely think Brophy is better off with his club. No point in sittting on thebench and I think that is where Mcgeeny would of had him imo. Same with Hurley. Hanafin although a nice footballer would need to quicken up in pace in imo. Maybe a bit harsh but I dont think he has as much speed as a lot of the squad.

As people have said I don't think either Brophy or Hurley got a fair chance.
I was surprised Brophy didn't even get a run in the O'Byrne Cup this year. He should have been given more game time I think. As for Hurley well the decision to bring him on and take him off in the Dublin match didn't make any sense to me. Ruined him for the juniors and he didn't get another run for the seniors apart from that. Both very good players with the potential to be great for Kildare in the future I think. Agree that they're better off playing for their clubs than sitting on the bench the whole time though.

Hope we dont regret not trying out a new midfielder before the championship. This year we will be relying on Flynn and 2 returning cruciate victims for our midfield. Our back up is Sweeney! Flynn has had plenty of injury concerns also over the last 2 years. Lets hope all stay healthy for the year and we dont close the door on players like Fogarty and Dowling. Championship football is now a 20 man game and those coming in as subs have to be able to make an impact.

Back up plan is Sweeney? Have you missed the last few games? Johnny and Paidi are ahead of Sweeney in the pecking order.
Neither Fogarty or Dowling did anything to impress at U/21 - granted Dowling had been injured. Doors won't be closed if lads are making the effort and improving.
Fail to do that and they deserve to have the door closed!

"Johnny and Paidi are ahead of Sweeney in the pecking order" Have you not noticed that both of them are forwards and using them in midfield during a game will necessitate changes in the forwards as well. Thats 2 changes where a ready made midfield replacement on the bench would mean minimal disruption to the team. Dont judge players solely on one U21 game with Barry as manager. There are players on the panel who have been found out when it mattered in the latter stages of the championship on more than one occassion, why are you so certain they will come good this year?

BelieveToAchieve wrote:

Neither Fogarty or Dowling did anything to impress at U/21

Fogarty was Kildares best player on the night!!

Were you even at the game or just making wild assumptions?

I'm not judgin them soley on the U/21 performances Murof , Try to remember that Geezer and co have been watchin these guys 3 or 4 times a week since they made the panel. If they haven't made a break through yet it suggests to me that they are not ready.
Or are you implying there's another reason they aren't being played?

I dont do conspiracy theories BTA. I remember 2010 and the managers decision not to add a few players to the panel at the start of the year. We narrowly avoided relegation and got hammered by Louth and the problem areas were midfield and fullback line. He was forced to look to the juniors for replacements and found 2 young players in Lynch and Kelly and we reached the last 4 in the championship. I just hope when he goes looking for players later in the year there will be a few talented young players still available. Lynch and Kelly were obviously not considered good enough in early 2010 and by your reasoning would not be good enough to play for Kildare. I just dont like the idea of discarding young players who have more scope for improvement than lads in their late 20's.

Fair points there Murof. But dont forget that was inside the first 12 months or so of the managements arrival. The panel they inherited was full of guys who just could not get off the panel, no matter how bad they were.
Yes we were abysmal against Louth conceded 1-22but scored 1-16. If memory serves me correctly Louth never really got the credit they ddeserved that year and we all know how the year ended in farce for them!

Lynch was not considered good enough for a number of years in Kildare. He surprised many - including myself with those 2 performances last year. I certainly had never seen him play that good for Kildare or Confey. Thats why I would be more concerned about getting Dermot right and alongside Flynn for as much as possible. It remains to be seen how Lynch recovers and indeed if he can return to the form of those displays last year.

Finally, I dont believe these younger guys are being discarded. They are being returned to their clubs to get football. How many posts in here have been full of guys pissing and moaning about fella's on the senior panel who are not getting game time and are not released to play with their clubs?

If the worst case scenario materialises and neither the great man or Lynch make it back in time. I dont think the team will be weakened by playing Johnny or Paidi in the middle with the likes of Rob Kelly or perhaps Smith coming into the forwards.

i agree with that last paragraph bta currently we have earley flynn paudie and doyle able to play midfield, so if lynch is back we will have 5 lads able to play in the middle if you include roli den theres 6. if bryan sheehan was to get injured kerry would looking at bringing donaghy to the middle so i wouldn`t mind this thing of paudie and doyle being forwards both men play in the middle for there clubs aswell so i would class them as being well able to cover the midfiled area.and i`d go one further and say we would have more strength in depth in the middle department than the great footballing county of kerry. i actually think sheehan is prob the most crucial part of there team this year if they lost him i couldn`t see them winning much

Conor Brophy named midfield and Sean Hurley named centre-forward on the Sigerson Cup team of the year. Only three established inter-county men on the team- all three have All-Ireland medals with Dublin. A few more are inter-county panellists or like Fintan Ó Curraín with Galway who we'll see next Sunday injury permitting, are getting a run now this year.

I'm glad they're getting games with the club rather than rotting in the seniors with no actual game time. Although if they go travelling they won't be playing much football!

http://www.daraghoconchuir.ie/blog.php?id=1900

After the league how do you think we are looking now when it comes to July / August?

Connolly is a cert. Wouldnt have been happy with his performance yesterday but that is the only time in the Kildare jersey you can say that about him. Someone on another thread talked of Corley being Geezers best keeper!! i'll forget i even read that! Connolly is a great shot stopper! Dominant in the air and i have no doubt the kick outs will be fine tuned come the summer.

Talk about the backs being slack, i think it was the same in last years league to be fair. I'd imagine Foley will move back to no 3 by the time summer comes with Kelly and Hank either side of him. I think that this is our best line of the pitch. 2 all stars and Hank, to me the most consistent player since he has come into the team in 2009.

Morgan and Bolts are nailed on for the 5 and 6 jerseys... after that who knows? I would have thought a straight shoot out between Flanno and Ollie Lyons but Eoin Doyle is obviously in Geezers thoughts being brought on while the game was still in the mixer yesterday. Also i'm not sure is he injured or what but Chalky White would be one i wouldnt mind seeing there...while is form might be inconsistent, class is permanent and he has plenty of class and guile.

Flynn is obviously a cert and ideally i'd love to see Dermot in there beside him! Time will tell!! if not Paidi had a good league around the middle, although another man who was unusually quiet yesterday but himself and jd could fill the role and rotate from a wing forward berth between them.

I personally would love to see the forward line of Leper Conway Jimmers with Eoghan Fla and John Doyle (our two best scorers) in beside Tom in the full forward line. But given both Eoghan and Johns ferocious work rate it is easy to see why Geezer has them out around the middle. I reckon it will be Leper Doyle Flaherty with Smith Kavanagh and thomas in side or else Conway will hold his jersey at the expense of smithy with leper doyle or fla going inside.

Conway could be as much at risk as Smith after yesterday although I would stick with him. Leper might be best placed at wing back given the amount of breaking ball and attacking our half backs are expected to get through. Leaves a forward line of Jimmers Conway Flats Smith Tom and JD. There's not many better forward lines out there than that.

i think ollie is a stick on cert to start hes been our best back through the league i would like to see this team tried for the final against tyrone:
connolly
ollie
foley
kelly

mcgrillen
flats
bolton

flynn
paudie/dermot/hughie

leper
doyle

conway
flats

smith
kavanagh

umpire, I'd imagine your team will be close come summer, but one question, if Dermot is back (here's hoping) in the middle with Flynn, where does paudie then fit in!? Surely he will have to start?

Is Dermot a realistic option at 8 or 9 when he has not played any football in there in 2 years and the appearances so far have been at 14?

He's back 2 months or more now, I'm really surprised he hasn't had more game time.

Can anyone enlighten me?

He played midfield when he came on against Westmeath. I'm not sure he is able for starting games regardless of position. Getting twenty minutes from him as an impact sub like yesterday is probably the way to go.

Ban go leir, i see what your saying, who do you leave out for Paidi??

Fionn, if previous years are anything to go by, Kildare in the 2 or 3 weeks leading up to the champ will play 3 or 4 games v the top teams behind closed doors and the line outs in these are generally more indicative of what will happen in champ then nfl so perhaps Dermo will feature in them!

lads jelly is up in croke park wed again and the word is it has a good chance of going through so he will be pushing for a corner forward spot,he is not training with them for the past 2 months for nothing

centreback, I like the look of your team. Think Lynch when fit will partner Flynn with Dermot making an impact at at some stage at full forward or midfield. The half back line is lacking something and think McGrillen might be the creative spark we need. I've been critical of Smith but it would be madness to drop him now that he is showing such good form, still think he has the x-factor that all teams need, Bolton and Leper are crucial to our prospects in the summer. Havn't given up on Fogarty or Kelly making a major impact at some stage. Keep the faith lads!

I've been mulling over the CB position ( as you do). Still believe we could do with a more physical presence there despite the better defensive performance v Tyrone. If Lynch gets back for the Offaly game and lines up alongside Flynn, what happens to Paudie. I think his energy levels, work rate and physicality are qualities that Geezer really appreciates and he'd still find room for him. Would anyone consider him a CB candidate? Think a half back line of Morgan Paudie and Bolts would be a serious line. Would leave 3 of 4 fighting for full back line (Kelly Foley McGrillen and Lyons). Forward like of Leper Conway Doyle Fogarty Tomas and your pick from Flats Smith and Kavanagh.
Seriously strong squad we have when all fit and well..

Anyone think Paudie at CB?

Wouldn't have thought of him for that postion Crofter, but I actually think it would be a very good move for him. He is too good a player to be dropped and his non stop running and willingness to get involved at all times would be inavaluable at CB. He reads the game well and is a good passer also. The half back line, imo is our weakest in terms of depth of squad, No disrespect to players like Chalky, Flanagan and Scanlon but they simply are not at the saime level as the starting 3 you named. We have so many more options in defense now compared to the starting team against Louth 2 years ago.

Kelly Foley McGrillen

Bolton M O'Flaherty Lyons

That would be my 6 backs. Serious attacking threats from both wing backs.

I don't rate Mark Scanlon at all, he is a decent club player but not inter county material, I cannot understand why he is on the panel.

Hard to argue with that Taibi but would still worry about the best teams running at us with that half back line.