Kildare v Clare

Crofter wrote:

Rex I am patient - still supporting them 40 years after my first game ! Don't get me wrong I'm glad we're promoted and salute O'Neill for managing that but we've struggled badly to put away Div 3 opposition in all but the Longford and Tipp games. Today we came good but Clare looked like winners for the majority of the game. My biggest issue is that I would have expected us to seriously experiment with some form of defensive shield so that we learn how to stay in a game and be competitive against not only Div 3 teams but better teams as well. It is the scourge of Kildare football at the moment that we do not know how to tackle or block runs through the half back line. If your players are weak in the half back line and all the evidence suggests ours are as a manager who has walked the line on All Ireland day more than once I'd be expecting more from O'Neill and am disappointed in that aspect of our campaign. I'm also not convinced about Hylo as a full back but accept we don't seem to have too many options there.

Look, he's doing ok and I like the guy's interviews as they are honest and generally reflect what I think about performances but I dread us setting up like this in a Leinster Final. I don't believe you can suddenly turn on a defensive system after the Leinster semi final as the typical Kildare player doesn't seem to have a natural football intelligence so they need to be well drilled. I know that comment won't go down well but I can only call it as I've seen it for 40 years.

Let me finish on a more positive note. I think in Feely, Cribbin, Dan Flynn,Kelly and perhaps young McCormack and young Flynn from the under-21s we have some outstanding forward talent which again with good coaching and learning to play the percentages better (decision making) can be a serious threat to better teams. An example of the need for better training / awareness was a ludicrous example where Murnaghan broke forward on the 45m line in the second half and I saw all 4 of the Kildare players ahead of him charging out to meet him on the 45 leaving no one inside to pass to or finish off a move. You wouldn't see the like at an u-10 match.

So Cian has his work cut out and yes I probably do need to be patient. But I'm not really seeing evidence that he's doing a lot tactically or in coaching the players to improve in training. I think any improvement on last year ( if you take your argument that there is one) has come through having better players available such as Hyland, Flynn, Feely.

Hopefully he can work wonders on the training pitch and a few of the under 21s truly emerge as gems.

I don't disagree with much of what you are saying Crofter. The open defense has been our downfall since Cork in 2012, but Cian is not stupid and if you or me can see the problem then I'm sure he can too. 
I'm hoping that he felt that the best way to get out of Div 3 was to outscore every one else and to be fair that's pretty much how it went. 

We should be targeting a Leinster final appearance and being competitive in it. That added to promotion would be a good year in my view. 
Defensive issues should be the managers no.1 priority from now until then. Stopping the runners should be at the top of that list. I have to have faith that Cian knows what he is doing because if I don't I'm back to feeling like when Ryan was in charge which is not good.

Let's see how he sets us up in Croke Park, he saw what Clare bring today. If he learns from it then that is a step forward.

In terms of a championship team I’d be looking at;

Donnellan
Kelly, Hyland, Lyons / Fitzpatrick
O’Donoghue / Lyons, Conway, Bolton
Feely, Moolick
Cribbin, Flats, McNally
Leper / Smith, Flynn, Kelly

There’s things to be optimistic about long term, but for this year at least I wouldn’t be overly confident of avoiding a hammering against any team with a strong forward unit.[/quote]

Donnelan,
Lyons Fitz Kelly
Hyland Conway Doyle
Feely Moolick
Cribbin Flate D Flynn
Kelly N Flynn McNally

I thought there was a lot to be positive about from this league. Donnelan playing very well, full back line solid but i would like to see Fitz there instead of Hylo, Conway playing well at centre back, Feely going well at midfield and Moolick comingto the fore in the last couple of games, Dan Flynn's performances at both midfield and Full forward giving options at both positions, Niall Kelly further developing.Lots of players have been tried and a couple of players will push for a spot.

Positives :

Finished the game strongly in the critical phase.
Tactical changes and subs had big impact.
Niall Kelly playmaker
Alan Smith first half superb.
Created 3 certain goal chances.
Some excellent long range point taking
Good discipline not getting involved with clare shenanigans
Promotion, a league final in croke park before our championship opener in same venue.


Negatives :

Very average for 50 minutes...would mean certain defeat in division 2 or championship
Couldn't cope physically with Clare's bigger players. Midfield struggled for that first 50.
Half back line was pourous...the goal conceeded highlights our major weakness
Failed to take 3 golden goal chances ( opted to punch points on two occassions)
Being first team out after half time. Not good enough.Sack the manager!!!!

I agree the last fifteen minutes yesterday was impressive but the first 55 minutes were anything but. We could/should have been a further two goals behind by then.
The first fifteen minutes was terrifying in the sense that the Clare attacks were doing a hot knife on butter with our defence. I've been to all of the matches this season and, while things are better than last season, we are also playing weaker teams than last season. We haven't really shown ourselves to be any better than a Div 3 team which is worrying for the coming summer.
Looking at the Div 2 lineup for next year, we'll be pushed to stay there on current form but, hopefully, a year will bring changes/improvements. The summer is the more worrying prospect - but let's see how April 23rd goes first

tomoneillandhissisteranne wrote:

The first fifteen minutes was terrifying in the sense that the Clare attacks were doing a hot knife on butter with our defence.

In fairness Gary Brennan (Clare number 8 ) is one of the top midfielders in the country and was on the Ireland team last year in the compromise rules. Feely couldn't get to grips with him but Cribbin did a lot better when he was switched onto him. I wouldn't fully blame the half-back line either as presumably they were told to follow their men rather than hold their positions and our defence is too easily pulled out of shape.

Clearly though we'll have to do much better in this area both in terms of our tackling and the way we set up.

Great to get the promotion and team is improving, it has been mentioned above one area i am disappointed with is the strength levels we are portraying especially after bringing in one of the best regarded strength and conditioning coached in Ireland in Cian, we are doing to much 'shadowing' if that comment makes sense and not 'pressing the flesh' this causes me massive concern for Championship - not sure of peoples taughts on this but i taught the tackling and physicality from the u21's was miles ahead of the seniors where they don't seem to attack anything.....

I know people are saying we should have put Clare away earlier and only the last 10/15 minutes were impressive but I actually took it as a positive thing to see Kildare come back when they were behind, keep fighting and finish strong. Too many times we've seen them leading only to be beaten at the very end. It was also encouraging to see that when things were going wrong, good changes were made from the sideline that made all the difference to our strong finish.

kickingking wrote:

Lily8 wrote:

What exactly is Eoin Doyle's injury? He's been out for so long now but haven't heard much about it or the aim for when they hope to have him back (missed the KFM reaction today though so maybe it was mentioned).

Osteitis pubis. The same thing Leper has trouble with. I've seen Doyle at a number of matches in the stand with Brian Flanagan and Bryan Murphy but I haven't heard or read anything from the management lately about his availability later this year. Maybe some Naas folk on here know if he's going to line out for the club before the Leinster Championship starts?

Thanks kickingking. Yea he seems to be at all the games alright but no sign of him togging out yet.