Kildare v Clare

We as supporters are about as erratic as the team we support if already talking about manager changes, a bit premature and a tad bit unfair until we at least see out this week's game. Promotion or Division 2 or 3 is very much in Kildare own hands, Win all games and go up, it's all down to the players and management simple as that. Time for them to show what there are about themselves. I was hopeful before Fermanagh game that they were finally learning to grind a result if even not playing well but they have still more to do on that one obviously.

Not sure why people believe we should automatically beat Fermanagh or Clare. We are all in division 2. This is our level. The fact is we have maybe 20 players who can play at division 1 super 8 level and with Pa Cribbin, Flats, Kevin Flynn and Healy out that number shrinks. We don't have all our best players or a settled team. 2 years ago in our first 6 games numbers 1 through 12 showed a grand total of one change. And when Paul Cribbin missed that 1 game we lost. Also the only player to perform v Carlow last year. Delighted to see Jason Gibbons start, I believe he has it in him, but most of last years under 20s need another year to be ready for this. It's a 50/50 game.

BTW one of the sticks continually used to beat Cian with is the lack of Moorfield players. 4 started v Fermanagh. Something to remember when Moorefield players virtues are being extolled.

Great post, nice to see some logic on here rather than the usual anger from people who can’t accept that we’re not as good as we’d like to be.

Today will tell us where we really stand in this division. Defend well and win well and we are contenders again. Lose again in another tight finish like we did so often last year then it's plain we are not good enough for div 1 and at best are a yo yo team like Roscommon and Cavan.
I don't think CON is a great leader but also we are lacking leaders on the pitch particularly in defense.

We’ll win today

Good to get the win but an error filled performance. We'll need to cut out the unforced handling errors next Sunday, if we do we have every chance of putting one foot in div 1. Some great marks by Feely and Ben McCormack promises so much.Nothing ever straight forward with Kildare

We looked a bit sharper today up until that spell when we got sloppy. Even then it never seemed like we were in any real danger. Clare are not a bad team and they were always going to have a spell at some stage.

We always seem to play better with Moolick in the team. He kicked two nice scores from range - exactly what was missing against Fermanagh. Peter Kelly added plenty too.

Big game now next week. They have a bit of momentum this year so it would be nice to bring a halt to their gallop. We should improve as we get more numbers available so a win in Navan would leave us in decent shape.

JIMMY Hyland work rate 12 more need to follow???

Excellent performance, fair play to them.

O’Grady, Doyle, Feely, Hyland x 2 all terrific and what an achievement by Neil Flynn. McCormack was MOTM - Jesus he’s some bit of stuff.

Incidentally - speechless over Fermanagh beating Donegal away, particularly coming from 9-4 down. Football bloody hell etc.

Everyone manjack of us needs to be in Navan next Sunday for the moment of truth. We’ll be like an army in Game Of Thrones. This is war & we’re not backing down an inch.

CILL DARA ABU.

Great to get the win as I thought we were in trouble when Clare got back to within 3 points with 15 minutes left. I didn’t think we played that well - some of our handling and passing was awful but a win is a win as they say.

I thought Ben McCormack was excellent- winning the penalty and a few more frees and a couple of great scores in the first half. Jimmy Hyland and Neil Flynn did well as well. 11 points was a great return from the full forward line. Tommy Moolick and Kevin Feely had good games at midfield - keeping Gary Brennan reasonably quiet and getting a few scores themselves. Peter Kelly played well and Mark Donnellan had another good game.

Defensively we were poor enough I thought. Clare strolled through our defence a few times and we would have been in trouble if their finishing was better. I wouldn’t just blame the defenders - our work rate out the field has to be better. While the ref seemed to have it in for us at times, some of our tackling was terrible and made it easy for him to give a free against us.

Based on today’s performance, I think we’ve regressed a bit since last year and I’m not sure if we’re good enough to win promotion. Hopefully Paul Cribbin and Kevin Flynn will be back soon as they would make a big difference.

Good win but far from excellent performance. Let them in for 3 or 4 goal chances that at least 2 should have been taken. Some of the inexperienced lads caught out for both chances in first half. Ben McCormack did very well. We have yet to see it in the summer from Ben so here's hoping. Midfield did well for us and the keeper paid his way today. Paddy Brophy needed the game and it showed out there today. Cribbin and Doyle have had better games. Despite getting so far ahead the game didnt look won though and David Hyland's point was badly needed to stop the rot. We could have been a bit cuter in arresting that Clare momentum, will definitely need to against better teams. Kevin Flynn and Paul Cribbin will hardly start next Sunday now. They would be 2 lads needed against an in-form Meath team in Navan.

Kevin was doing a bit before the game so he might be close. Peter Kelly worth a shot at 6, he made a difference today

Jimmy's workrate was excellent despite some terrible passes he received. He will only get better. Hopefully McCormack can continue injury free for the rest of the campaign. Moolick did very well and his long range accuracy is a big plus.
Peter Kelly's return to form has been a revelation, definitely should be given a go at 6 as he is a real leader. Don't think Doyle is a centre back and he looked slow at times today.
If Brophy isn't in the full forward line then he shouldn't be on the team. He is totally unsuited to the open spaces around the middle imo. Flynn would be a better option out there with his speed and shooting.
Great to win but the continued lack of goal scoring chances is a worry. Our 2 goals so far have come from penalties!

Good result, patchy performance. Our usual in game fade out was there again. 8 points up then back to just 3. We just can't find the means of stopping a team getting a run at us. Its bizarre now that virtually every game we disappear for 15 or 20 minutes and concede 5 6, 7 scores.

Still trying to figure out Doyle's role. He certainly doesn't block the middle and doesn't appear to sweep. He's charging up both wings and into midfield whenever he wants. I think he'd be better off as a wing back and stick a proper no. 6 in the middle. Clare absolutely butchered 2 goals in the first half. Both straight down the centre.

Our forwards were clinical in the first half and McCormack had his best day in white. Super performance and my motm. Hopefully he stays injury free. Feeley had been twice schooled by Brennan before but he got the upper hand today.
All in all a very important 2 points. Next week looks like the decider. It's a tough ask hoing up there but we've done it before.
Oh and we kept 15 on the field for most of the game which was nice.

Onwards and upwards.

Good to get the win that puts us back in contention for promotion. As has been said our full forward line was excellent along with Feely and Donnellan.

Am I wrong in thinking that Peter Kelly was picking up Jamie Malone in the second half because lads here seem to think Peter had a great game . Malone kicked 5 points from play in the second half, most of them cutting in from the left half forward position.

How Clare missed that one on one goal chance in the first half I'll never know.
The fade out in the first twenty minutes of the second half was frightening.
I'm delighted we won but I'll go to Navan less optimistically after yesterday's performance.
Meath may well have a field day with our backs - I hope not but I wouldn't be sure of a win.
But then when are we ever sure of a win!
Great work by the keeper. Saved three pretty possible points and a humdinger of a save from a Clare goal chance in the second half.

I was standing directly behind the goal that Kildare were defending in the 2nd half and while Donnellan performed most of his goalkeeping duties well on another day. if the umpires wished, he could have been sent off.

On a number of occasions, when the ball was in the Clare half of the field, he was out of his goal getting involved with Clare players and eventually got booked towards the end of the match.

He really needs to concentrate on his game and give up this nonsense.

the problem with that is most of them are at that now galway backs never stopped all game last year in newbridge

I agree but the goalkeeper been out there draws attention from the officials easier then the outfield players.

Not the best performance but the result was more important than the performance. I don't expect a victory over Meath, it's a long time since Meath had better form than us, the days of us being completely dominant appear to be behind us unfortunately. Apparently Meath are very confident and extremely determined to get back to division 1 after many years. They will be extra motivated obviously to beat Kildare after do many beatings. All the more difficult for us with Paul Cribbin out.

we have meaths number i think we will beat them