All fair and the one key thing is minding a man who is clearly not going to be involved in the play at times. It's something we are very guilty of for years.
That defending is hard to watch .Plenty of men back but again just shadowing players and no physicality.Cut open at will.
Team i'd play Sunday with players available and taking it that KO'C is still out.
Cordonnier
Harry O'Neill Mick O'Grady Ryan Burke
Jack Sargent Eoin Doyle Tony Archbold
Aaron Masterson Alex Beirne
Shane Farrell Niall Kelly Paddy Woodgate
Kevin Feely Darragh Kirwan Daniel Flynn
I am a big fan of Paddy McDermott but his form has fallen off a cliff this year and probably needs a break. A Paddy McDermott that is playing like he plays for Naas gets in ahead of Sargent usually. The same for Shea Ryan. Probably the best full back in the county over the past couple of years but has lost all form this year and hasn't looked himself at all. I'd have Woodgate further out because his passing is better than his scoring from play. If Tony Archbold is fully fit then he gets into my starting 15 every day of the week for Kildare. I'd have started Cordonnier ages ago for his kicking alone. How many times in a game does a keeper have to pull off a big save? Not a lot. Therefore long-range kicking and quick, accurate kickouts are more important than being a good shot stopper. We have left a huge amount of points behind in games this year for not having a long-range free taker. Our minor and U20s are floating them over for sport. That change at keeper will not happen though and Donnellan will be solid enough. It's those extras that I'm looking for from a keeper. Highly doubtful any of those U20s will be drafted in either but i'd be having a serious look at Ethan Mountaine, James Harris and Colm Dalton going forward into whatever competition we end up in.
I really don't like that full back line to be honest. It lacks a bit of niggle and I'd still give Shea another shot or Houli. Those 3 lads might be OK if there was a proper system of coverage but more than likely they will get left 1 on 1 and won't come out on top..
Harry could move one line out as I think he is a very intelligent footballer and plays heads-up football.
All fair and the one key thing is minding a man who is clearly not going to be involved in the play at times. It's something we are very guilty of for years.
Lot of lads on here has been saying this for 3 years now. Nothing has changed. Nothing.
It's absolutely mind boggling. Imagine Johnny Doyle, Rainbow, Ryan and Sweeney cannot see this? Even more damning is that they either can't rectify it or don't know how. It's Shocking really.
This has festered for 3 years to a point where we are Division 4 standard at defending and attacking.
Glen Ryan's post match comments are that he cannot fault the players efforts.
The fact we are underdogs for once in a game like this is great. Everyone writing us off and hopefully Louth are thinking the same. Form suggests otherwise but we should be thinking we are better than Louth. Two years ago we absolutely mullered them in Tullamore with largely the same players they have now. All you can hope is that fitness is improving and if they just cut out those STUPID individual errors then I give us more than a fighting chance. Our two performances in Croke Park last year were actually quite encouraging and most players love playing there. We live in hope.
Nothing for me suggests a win here. Louth are fitter, faster, better coached and better set up.
The one and only thing that would pull us over the line against them is we actually have more talented footballers. But talent alone wins nothing .
We can't defend. We can't score. This is very worrying. Our conditioning is the worst I've ever seen in a Kildare team, something we've prided ourselves on for decades.
We've not improved any aspect or area of our game since Wexford in the OB Cup and Cavan in the League.
We've had the same approach, defensive set up & system all year. We didn't create a single goal chance against Wicklow. We lost games badly in the League and had no kick or reaction the following week. We lost every league game, some to very poor opposition.
I'm going with Louth by 6 and i think it be a very very hard watch.
I'd love to be proven wrong but nothing suggests otherwise.
If we were a horse, we'd be 100/1 and in pedigree chum by the time the race meet was finished.
One of the many things that annoys me about Kildare senior team is how crap we are integrating young stars. These lads are often better than their peers in Dublin, Kerry, Mayo etc but those counties know how to manage it. Honestly lads, like most aspects of Gaelic football, it’s not rocket science.
You give one or two players starts, and gradually introduce a few others with sub appearances. Instead, manager after manager, from Cian O’Neill to Glenn - both men I admire - gaslight us and tell us “these lads aren’t ready”.
The thinking is if you bring them in, they could get overawed & the whole thing could turn into a disaster. Can anyone tell me what’s a bigger disaster than being humiliated in every league game, losing them all & being relegated to Div 3?
Is it any wonder outstanding young players like Mark Dempsey, Brian McLoughlin & Jack Robinson - who Mayo for example would love to have - can’t be bothered? Anyway I’m trying to keep the tone positive so will put a sock in it!
Louth definitely have the better system and form, but on the other hand, we are psychologically not in a bad place - being underdogs - and the team may (I emphasise MAY) be able to rouse themselves and put in a performance. The other factor in our favour is that Louth are a bang average team.
As mentioned, we certainly have more all round ability, with a potentially higher ceiling, but unfortunately individuals don’t win games, teams do. It’s the classic “travelling more in hope than expectation” scenario, incredible to say against Louth, but that’s how awful the season has been.
Funny thinking about second game... The generation before us, Dublin v Offaly was THE Leinster rivalry. Kevin Heffernan v Eugene McGee, it was absolutely awesome stuff. It was the forerunner of 80s/90s when Dubs had intense rivalries with Meath and ourselves. Offaly had a resurgence in the 90s too, of course.
GAA these days quite happy to see Offaly down. If they started winning Leinsters again & Dubs weren’t successful, what would GAA do for all those massive gate receipts & sponsorship figures? Whole thing is rotten to the core tbh, would genuinely make you sick.
All fair and the one key thing is minding a man who is clearly not going to be involved in the play at times. It's something we are very guilty of for years.
Lot of lads on here has been saying this for 3 years now. Nothing has changed. Nothing.
It's absolutely mind boggling. Imagine Johnny Doyle, Rainbow, Ryan and Sweeney cannot see this? Even more damning is that they either can't rectify it or don't know how. It's Shocking really.
This has festered for 3 years to a point where we are Division 4 standard at defending and attacking.
Glen Ryan's post match comments are that he cannot fault the players efforts.
Fuck me lads. Fuck me pink.
Like in 2022 we were so open against Westmeath that we were blessed they didn't bag a few more goals. Before the Leinster final it was literal high stool talk about what plan we had for the game. How we would block up the middle...but we know what happened.
Dean Rock is doing that as a little nixer and bar playing against us, doesn't watch us week in week out, yet he can pick that out with video analysis.
We just can't seem to address any glaring issues, but we always live in hope...
PS On a general point. More of that kinda YouTube bits please. Something different and easily accessible.
Donnellan Burke Shea Ryan O’Grady Sargent Doyle McDermott Masterson Beirne Woodgate Niall Kelly Farrell Feely Kirwan Dan Flynn
You'd struggle to be hopeful.
Whatever about the rest of the team, it’s some full forward line if ball can be supplied. Glad to see the midfield too opting for lads that can deliver rather than KOC. Niall Kelly can hopefully pull strings at 11 too… beggars belief but I am hopeful.
Last year we were able to raise it against Ros and Monaghan bt we had better personnel then. Ben and Neil were by far our best 2 players in those games. Kevin Flynn another big loss. KOC was good last year. David Hyland, Jimmy Hyland, Robinson and Daragh Malone. Reality is all 8 would start tmoro if available. Our defence looks too open, disappointed not to see Houli or Harry or both in. Louth are not as good as Monaghan or Ros though. If we got one of those increasingly rare Dan Flynn ON days then who knows. Kirwan needs to fire. Needless to say, we have to get a bloody goal or two.
Dan Flynn has done fuck all for Kildare in 2yrs! He will probably get on 10 possessions! Score 1 great point that everyone will talk about but kick the other 9 into row z.
Last year we were able to raise it against Ros and Monaghan bt we had better personnel then. Ben and Neil were by far our best 2 players in those games. Kevin Flynn another big loss. KOC was good last year. David Hyland, Jimmy Hyland, Robinson and Daragh Malone. Reality is all 8 would start tmoro if available. Our defence looks too open, disappointed not to see Houli or Harry or both in. Louth are not as good as Monaghan or Ros though. If we got one of those increasingly rare Dan Flynn ON days then who knows. Kirwan needs to fire. Needless to say, we have to get a bloody goal or two.
This.
Those players that we are missing were a huge part of our team last year. We don't have the firepower up front this year and our bench is shockingly lacking forwards. If one or two of our forwards have to go off injured (which happens ALOT this year) then we are in huge trouble to find scores. Daniel Flynn got on ball early against Wicklow but his kicking and passing were wild and crazy until he went off. Hoping the Croke Park turf suits him like the very similar ground in Cork did. I just can't get over how we haven't gone out to try find forwards to cover missing all those players from last year and our injuries this year.
Daniel Flynn has to be one of the most frustrating players in Ireland. For example last day out V Wicklow, for the little time he was on the pitch he didn’t score and his decision making was very poor. I would worry about the lack of speed in our team and our fitness levels in the wide open spaces of Croke Park. Alex Beirne at midfield is interesting but I would worry if he has the engine for midfield in Croke Park. We’ve all watched the analysis of our diabolical attempts at defending on various platforms this week, Louth must be licking their lips. We also have 2 young players in Burke & Farrell who haven’t played in Croke park before and will need protection, not sure if they will get it.
Sunday isn’t about making a Leinster final, it’s about avoiding the Tailteann Cup. All we can really salvage from this awful year is reaching the All-Ireland Series.
Subject: Re: Leinster Championship 2024 Sat Apr 27, 2024 12:04 am
On paper that full-forward line can do damage but in practice...it also depends on if early ball is played in.
The rare and wonderful goals v Cork still came from Dan, and he is still being minded by opposition teams, but we never seem to use that and let him drag defenders away.
That being said he shouldn't be starting given performances but Christ I honestly dunno who should be starting at all, bar one or two...
Maybe Dean Rock will do some pre-match analysis and the lads can stick on YouTube before Sunday...Louth are no great shakes either in fairness.
Twentyeight Senior
Posts : 152 Join date : 2018-05-22
Subject: Re: Leinster Championship 2024 Sat Apr 27, 2024 12:11 am
Is Daniel Flynn the most overrated player to play for Kildare in the last few decades? I regularly hear him being discussed on national TV and podcasts as one of the top forwards in the country. I went to a few league game when JTB were division 2 and he never stood out. He’s rarely among the top scorers in the club championship.
I wouldn’t have him in the top 5 forwards in the county never mind the country.
Flamingo All-Star
Posts : 1117 Join date : 2011-01-24
Subject: Re: Leinster Championship 2024 Sat Apr 27, 2024 12:27 am
I think you can't blame him for what outsiders say and if anything it shows the lack of research and knowledge of some pundits. They see a highlight where he does something amazing.
To be fair he hasn't been fit looking at all, and if he can't do the big runs there should be other roles for him.
Against Mayo after the Leinster Final horror show loads latched on to a goal chance but the runs from deep where he brought the team up the field were serious. All the Mayo heads around me were raving about them, but then on here it was all about a stupid shot at goal.
He takes up more space here than most players, again not his fault, but there are plenty others who hide during games and if they were as good as we say they would be the ones double-marked by the Dubs.
I don't think he should even be on the panel this year if I'm honest but that's a big call and one Glenn and the lads don't like making. In JTB alone Really Unnoficial scoring charts he tends to be behind Sam Doran, Paul Cribbin and Sean O'Hehir.
BUT, he trains and gives his time. He gets picked and namechecked by lazy pundits - again that's not his doing.
really_unofficial_kildare likes this post
murof All-Star
Posts : 1673 Join date : 2010-07-05
Subject: Re: Leinster Championship 2024 Sat Apr 27, 2024 1:17 am
Goals will decide this game I feel. Louth score a lot of them and we usually don't get any. Very difficult to see us score enough points to compensate. Where is the coaching and tactics to change our attacking options after 3 years??
moatesports All-Star
Posts : 604 Join date : 2012-08-23
Subject: Re: Leinster Championship 2024 Sat Apr 27, 2024 1:31 am
On goals down scored 14 in league div 3 , Westmeath 2 in div 3 ,goals win matches in league final down no goals Westmeath 3 goals go figure
Thelillywhites All-Star
Posts : 523 Join date : 2021-07-31
Subject: Re: Leinster Championship 2024 Sat Apr 27, 2024 5:32 am
Subject: Re: Leinster Championship 2024 
Wed Apr 24, 2024 12:04 am
