Kildare v Clare

Team named for Sundays game:

Its also easy to see our new Pro all over this. Great stuff.

Glad to see Rob Kelly getting a chance in full forward. I think he'll do very well there. Great to see Hugh McGrillen back too. Was surprised he didn't get game time in the league already as he seems to be togged out at the games so assume he hasn't been injured.

I wonder why the subs cant be named as well?

Interesting team, nice to go into the game with the pressure off so they can just go out and play.  Good to see Hugh back in and playing in the half backs where I think he is more suited.

As Rob as said there has definitely been a massive improvement in the PR side of things. Well done to our new pro.

Thrown in Dan Flynn into the half-forward line and I'd think we're close to our championship team?

I'd still think Eoin Doyle (if fit) and 2 or 3 21s will be there Tommy

True and Niall Flynn maybe to come up, but getting closer, maybe 12 starters come Championship there on Sunday?

Yes well done to the PRO.

For me the biggest question marks on the championship team are over the full forward line. It's been hard to gauge without the U21s.

I would have a half-forward line of Cribbin, O'Flaherty and Flynn. In the FF line I would have Niall Kelly and Neil Flynn in the corners, with McMonagle and Healy as auxiliary options.

Which leaves full forward - I still think it should be Podge Fogarty.

I'd guess that will be 2/3rds of our championship team.

Donnellan will be between the sticks.

I'd make Peter Kelly, Hyland and Lyons as three certs in the backs. Three from Doyle, Fitzpatrick, Conway, Bolton, McGrillen, O'Donoghue, Murnaghan, Byrne and Houlihan to join them. I think Fitzpatrick and Conway will start. The other position will depend on Doyle's availability. If he's fit he's a certain starter.

Feely and Moolick is our strongest looking midfield pairing in a good few years.

Niall Kelly, Dan Flynn, O'Flaherty and Cribbin will all start if fit in the forward line. I think one wing forward position will be between McNally and Tyrrell. Personally I'd stick with McNally but I get the impression that O'Neill is giving Tyrrell every opportunity to nail down that position. He has a lot going for him as a left footed free taker. The remaining jersey will probably go to Neil Flynn ahead of Leper, Dowling, O'Neill, Sherry and O'Connor. Chris Healy or Ben McCormack could play their way into contention yet.

Good summation KK. The amazing thing is I actually rate McMonagle ahead of Healy and McCormack - he's as good as Niall Kelly. I'd like to think I've a good track record on these things. Social media went into meltdown when Geezer started Niall Kelly in the 2013 O'Byrne Cup final. Everyone was whinging about why Geezer wasn't starting such and such.

I said, Niall Kelly is brilliant, he's dead right to start him. I had the last laugh. The moral of this story is that I'm always right.

It looks like we have four good inside forward prospects in Flynn, Healy, McCormack and McMonagle. It could be five if Wayne Fitzpatrick was injury free and in a position to fully commit.

Flynn is ahead of the other three at the moment. Healy has a good big game pedigree behind him from TMH's run to the All Ireland a few years ago and he has been in great form in the last few months for Kildare and Carlow IT. McMonagle was a class minor and colleges footballer scoring a goal in the Hogan Cup final. On the face of it he hasn't really kicked on since then although maybe he will make a mockery of that statement at the weekend. Having seen him destroy Dublin in Parnell Park as a minor it's hard to believe three years later that he would still be awaiting his first start for the u21s. McCormack is probably the least heralded county player of those four but I think he has what it takes to make it. He looked the best inside forward in the club championship last year. He took a succession of Moorefield backs on a tour of Newbridge in the quarter final and he caused Portlaoise all sorts of problems in the Leinster championship.

If two out of those four lads could develop into good senior inter county forwards it would be great for Kildare in the long term. It's a huge step up though and the list of promising minors and u21s who haven't progressed is as long as your arm.

Interesting points Kk and HG. and I wouldn't disagree with any of what you say.. I think cian mac has a wee bit to go yet to be graded in the niall kelly bracket.. I'm not disputing his ability, but maybe his attitude and commitment wouldn't be at nialls level as of yet.
Ben and Wayne are also fellas equally at home on the half forward line, but again have a bit to do yet.. hope to see them, and Chris get the opportunity.

Championship team? It looks to me as if a few players starting against Clare will be playing for places on the championship panel. I think O'Neill said he'd have 30 or so players on it so with some 21s to come in, there's some tough choices ahead.

Very interesting team especially the half back and full forward line. You have to admire the way the manager is giving some players so many chances to impress while at the same time allowing others to settle into positions like midfield and the full back line. I hope the players can put on a good display on sunday and give supporters something to get excited about after the last 2 home games.
There will be a great atmosphere in Conleths if we have a win the day before. Sadly I am going to miss both matches but they seem to play better when I'm not around!

rob11 wrote:

Its also easy to see our new Pro all over this. Great stuff.

+1

Cribben will no doubt come deeper, leaving a FF line of rob and fionn.. frightening.. I'd say my own clubs 2 corner forwards are more dangerous and certainly have more pace.

Suncroft were my club in my youth but I really don't understand how many chances Dowling has had with Kildare. Not good enough at this level for me.

Suncroft were my club in my youth but I really don't understand how many chances Dowling has had with Kildare. Not good enough at this level for me.

Ps not going to pick my championship team until after this week end as I haven't seen the under 21s yet this year and looking forward to seeing the forwards in particular tomorrow to see him who might step up.

At the risk of being boring I also believe a fit Padraig Fogarty is the ideal full forward solution. I really can't see the point in Rob Kelly getting another go there.

Lads, the two Maynooth lads Maguire and Mescal in the fullback line, are they not highly rated? I thought Mescal was very good but Maguire struggled big time on Con Callaghan who scored 1-7. I had heard great things about Maguire but he was roasted a bit today. Maybe he had an offday or Callaghan was just unmarkeable? We could do with unearthing a quality fullback at senior level.

Crofter wrote:

Ps not going to pick my championship team until after this week end as I haven't seen the under 21s yet this year and looking forward to seeing the forwards in particular tomorrow to see him who might step up.

At the risk of being boring I also believe a fit Padraig Fogarty is the ideal full forward solution. I really can't see the point in Rob Kelly getting another go there.

Ok.. so having seen the under-21s in their first really competitive outing yesterday, which tells you a lot about lads' real quality, I would pick the following team for the championship.  It has some experimentation / youth being given their chance but I feel this is the year to do that. We can reach a Leinster final where know we have no chance and I don't think the older players burned by Dubs so often in the past are going to suddenly find the solution.

Right now I would go with the following

1. Donnellan
2. P Kelly
3. L Flynn
4. Lyons
5. Hyland
6. Doyle  (Conway, Byrne or S.Ryan if Doyle not fit)
7. Byrne
8. Moolick
9. Feely
10. D.Flynn
11. N Kelly
12. Cribbin
13. N Flynn
14. Fogarty (if unfit I would put D Flynn here and bring McNally in to wing forward where we need pace)
15. McCormack

No doubt I'll change my mind after the Clare match and league final     The half back line in particular is really hard to pick -- cases could be made for O'Donoghue, Murnaghan, Houlihan, Fitzpatrick, Lyons, McGrillen, perhaps Luke Flynn even, Conway etc etc. I've gone for toughness on that line - Hyland gets stuck in and Byrne gives a physical presence who can also pick off the odd score coming forward. I want this line to primarily defend though. I don't think we can afford marauding half backs against the Dubs which is why Bolton and O'Donoghue for instance aren't in my first 15. I'd also want Feely and Moolick to primarily focus on defensive work against Dublin (if we get there) which is why we need the pace of Flynn and Cribbin on the wings to break forward. We then need full forwards who can win ball and take scores without having to think about 5 times and do three pirouettes before looking at the posts. Flynn and McCormack showed those traits yesterday and Fogarty we know can do that.

p.s. what is it with the number of Flynns playing football for various Kildare teams nowadays?

Another example of how we aren't as good as we think and individual players aren't as good as we think. Maybe I'm arrogant but that's an attitude that's needed here, we should be beating the absolute crap out of the teams in this division. Listening on radio, 15 to go and might well win, but these games shouldn't even be competitive if we are to go anywhere!

Ah it's good to get the win and promotion.. it's what we set out for.. it could be worse, WM gone from div 1 to 4 , I'd say Mr cribben day's are numbered.
As an added bonus we can wave at our laois friends heading to div 3.
With Armagh also relegated I'd say d Geezer might be available again soon.