Messages

I haven't come across any other Irish person who wasn't roaring Munster on.

We there that many people into it?

I dont know anyone who actually did watch it!

Still, was good to hear the Irish team won.

Well I didn't mean to imply that every single Irish person I knew was interested. However, in my own particular circle of family, friends and work colleagues there was a big interest in this game. And all along the common feeling was of support and goodwill towards Munster, no matter what province anyone was from.

Dinny Breen...

I for one didn't like the last 20 minutes of the game as a neutral, it was just too negative for me.

Dinny, were you seriously 'neutral' on Saturday? I haven't come across any other Irish person who wasn't roaring Munster on.

Team with clubs for those interested...

1.     Thomas Corley (Moorefield)
2.     Morgan O'Flaherty (Carbury)   
3.     Kevin O'Neill (Moorefield) 
4.     Emmet Bolton (Eadestown)
5.     Anthony Rainbow (Suncroft)   
6.     Aindriú Mac Lochlainn (Ellistown)
7.     Gary White (Sarsfields)
8.     Killian Brennan (Suncroft)
9.     Demot Earley(Sarsfields)   
10.   John Doyle (Allenwood)   
11.   Daryl Flynn (Moorefield)   
12.   Ronan Sweeney (Moorefield)
13.   Michael Conway (Nurney)   
14.   Pádraig O'Neill (St. Laurences)
15.   Alan Smith (Sarsfields)

Looks like a strong team on paper. You'd be worried how fit Pádraig O'Neill, Killian Brennan & Kevin O'Neill would be coming back from injury. I don't like Bolton in the corner either. Would rather see Eamon Callaghan in the there (maybe he's injured). Hope Johnny Doyle is fit to start but hopefully Conway and Smith can offer a scoring threat.

New York...

I've been very impressed with McCloskey. Think he has better future prospects than Duddy or Lee.

He does seem to be the boxing equivilent of Andy Reid though in that he doesn't have the normal muscle definition of a pro-boxer. He has all the natural talent but is he getting the proper training and coaching? Just wondering.

Kildare team to face Mayo...

1.     Thomas Corley (Moorefield)
2.     Emmett Bolton (Eadestown)
3.     Kevin O'Neill (Moorefield)  (Capt.)
4.     Morgan O'Flaherty (Carbury)
5.     Eamonn Callaghan (Naas)
6.     Anthony Rainbow (Suncroft)
7.     Brian Flanagan (Johnstownbridge)
8.     Ronan Sweeney (Moorefield)
9.     Demot Earley(Sarsfields)
10.   John Doyle (Allenwood)
11.   Michael Conway (Nurney)
12.   Tadgh Fennin (Castlemitchell)
13.   James Kavanagh (Ballymore)
14.   Pádraig Mullarkey (Roun Towers
15.   Ken Donnelly (Ellistown)

Does Lord Lucan still get money from Westport?

It's Calstebar Shamrock. I think the locals have refused to pay the rents since he disappeared. Not sure of the full story.

The Kildare team is as follows:

1.     Thomas Corley (Moorefield)
2.     Emmett Bolton (Eadestown)
3.     Kevin O'Neill (Moorefield) 
4.     Morgan O'Flaherty (Carbury)   
5.     Anthony Rainbow (Suncroft)   
6.     Andrew McLoughlin (Ellistown)   
7.     Gary White (Sarsfields) 
8.     Killian Brennan (Suncroft)   
9.     Ronan Sweeney (Moorefield)
10.   Alan Smith (Sarsfields)   
11.   Pádraig O'Neill (St. Laurences)   
12.   John Doyle (Allenwood)   
13.   James Kavanagh (Ballymore)     
14.   Pádraig Mullarkey (Round Towers)   
15.   Ken Donnelly (Ellistown)   

From RTE.ie
Kildare manager Kieran McGeeney has made a number of changes to his starting line up ahead of Sunday's Allianz NFL Divison 1 tie with Donegal.

Padraig O'Neill returns from a long injury absence and starts at full forward, but work commitments rule Dermot Early out.

Alan Smith is named in the forwards having scored 1-7 for the county's under 21s against Meath last weekend, while Ronan Sweeney switches from the forwards to partner Killian Brennan at midfield.

Tom Corley replaces Enda Murphy in goal.

O'Gara had a good game and is invaluable to Ireland but did anybody else notice him pull out of that 50-50 challenge towards the end of the game. Can't remember exactly when it was and it wasn't shown in the highlights. It was at a crucial stage. There was a loose ball at one point and he was closer to it than the French player who won the ball but it looked like...how can I put this nicely...he was minding himself.

As I said overall, he'd a good game but what he did was uncharacteristic of him or rugby players in general. Usually them lads have no regard for personal safety

Dinny, as our resident GAA board rugby expert, what do you make of Niall O'Donavan? Surely, as Forwards Coach, he should have been getting a lot of flack for the way our forwards performed at the World Cup. He seemed to have escaped media criticism completely.

Our lineouts were a shambles. Why don't Ireland contest opposition throw the same way Munster did to great effect against Wasps?

Lineouts will be crucial for our success especially with the great form that O'Gara is in.

Will it be repeated ?

Yes. Saturday night at 23:05.

Kildare team to face Tyrone has been added to the Kildare website. You were only wrong with the goalkeeper Dinny.

1 Thomas Corley (Moorefield) T Mac Thoirealaigh
2 Emmett Bolton (Eadestown) E Ó Boltún
3 Andrew McLoughlin (Ellistown)    A Mac Lochlainn
4 Morgan OFlaherty (Carbury)    M Ó Flahartaigh
5 Anthony Rainbow (Suncroft)   A Rainbow
6 Kevin ONeill (Moorefield) C Ó Neill
7 Gary White (Sarsfields) G De Faoite
8 Pádraig Mullarkey (Round Towers)    P Maolairce
9 Killian Brennan (Suncroft)    C Ó Braonáin
10 John Doyle (Allenwood)    S Ó Dúghaill
11 Michael Conway (Nurney)    M Mac Conmidhe
12 James Kavanagh (Ballymore)     S Ó Caomhánach
13 Ronan Sweeney (Moorefield) R Mac Suibhne
14 Demot Earley(Sarsfields)    D Ó Mochóir
15 Ken Donnelly (Ellistown)    C Ó Donnaile

Is the term 'pukas' at Halloween only a Kildare/Offaly/Laois thing?

I live in the Galway and from talking to Galway/Mayo people they seem to think it was always called 'trick or treat'. People have never heard of it being called the Pukas.

I've been on here in its various guises since 1997. Was called either The Lark or An Lark.

[Tommy Callaghan: How much do you know about the standard of football in Kildare?]

[From the Leinster Leader]

Tommy Callaghan talks with Kildare boss Kieran McGeeney:

Tommy Callaghan: How much do you know about the standard of football in Kildare?
Kieran McGeeney: Well without being over familiar with Kildare I know how they have fared out against Armagh the last few times we played. They reached the semi-final of the national football league and while they may not have had a great championship run they are, nevertheless, a decent side and I am looking forward to working with.

Short term what would your ambitions be?
Well like everyone else, I would like to win every game that we play. That goes without saying whether that be in the O'Byrne, Cup, the National League, the Leinster Championship. It is everyone's ambition to win an All-Ireland and I am no different in that regard. Win every game we can I suppose is the short answer to that.

Paul Grimly is obviously very important to you?
Very important. I am not trying to pretend I know all about management. I don't. I have just finished my inter-county career and I will need a lot of guidance and as much help as I can get and Paul will be a big help in that regard. I have my own ideas and thoughts having played for so long but you need other people there to help and guide you and thankfully Paul is that man.

Your reputation is one of total dedication as a player I presume you will be bringing that attitude with you into management and expect your players to show the same dedication?
It depends what you want to do. If you want to turn up for every game, go through the motions that's one way but if you want to win you have to be committed; winners don't win by accident; you have to have hard graft; you only get out of the game what you put in to it; if it was just a matter of turning up on a Sunday or whenever it would be great but it doesn't work that way. Winners are the hardest trainers and the most dedicated of players; that has always been the way and always will be. If you don't put in the effort, you will get what you deserve.

I presume you will be bringing a third selector on board. Have you decided on who at this stage?
I will (bringing in a third person) but I have not decided who that person will be just yet; plenty of time to do that when I see how things are going in Kildare and who is available but between now and Christmas we will be training and we'll just see how things go and take it from there. Hopefully I can find someone who will get along with both myself and Paul which is essential and we will take it from there.

As an inter-county player who has just retired and still involved at club level in Dublin, what are your thoughts on the club versus county problems that crop up throughout a season. Are you anxious that your players play with their clubs as much as possible?
Yes, of course, I want people to play as much football as possible; if you want to become a better footballer you have to play football. Yes, I will be trying to accommodate the clubs as much as possible; it is vital for players to be playing football and while I am aware of the problems I will certainly be trying to accommodate everyone, both players and clubs

I presume you will be taking the player into the gym sooner rather than later?
A lot of people have this misconception of me and the gym. I am in the gym a lot less than many people envisage; the gym is part of the overall training; it is an essential part but in the overall picture of training it is only a very small part of it; you have to win the ball; you have to hold the ball; you have to kick it over the bar. The most important part of football is winning the ball, holding the ball, knowing when and how to get rid of it and putting the ball over the bar. Gym work is important but it is not the be all and end all that many people seem to think.

2002 was your greatest year, what was your biggest disappointment?
Again the perception of me out there is very different to the reality. The bonds you make; the friends you make in football these are the great things about playing football and when you learn to become part of a team that is when you learn about winning and I suppose losing. You learn to take what comes and work hard to ensure you improve. Football is very rounded; it helps to form a person for later life also which is very important. Disappointments are all about what goals you set for yourself, both on and off the pitch. The bigger the ambition the greater the disappointment if it doesn't work out but when it does the sense of achievement is immense.

You are heavily involved with the GPA do you feel it is important that the GAA move to improve the welfare of players from an injury point of view and so on?
Of course. The players must be looked after. They are the ones doing all the work; they are the ones putting their body on the line week in and week out, whether that is training or playing; and I'm not talking about professionalism here and neither is the GPA. Don't forget that players pick up injuries that can stay with them for the rest of their lives and they must be looked after and looked after properly. They have to be given as much lee-way as possible to accommodate them for their training and when playing but things have improved over the last ten years and hopefully that will continue. There is always room for more improvement; everything has to be right for the players; we have to get as good as players as possible out on the pitch in as fine a condition as possible and that can only be done with the help of the county board; the help of the hierarchy and really everyone involved in the game.

I don't know whether you are aware that this is a mad GAA county and I can guarantee the first time Kildare will line out under yourself and Paul the ground will be packed, as it was in Micko's term, whether that game is in St. Conleth's Park or elsewhere, do you think that will bring extra pressure on yourself and indeed on the players?
Well first of all I am a long way from Micko's profile but all counties these days have big GAA following so that is nothing new. As for pressure, I suppose there are different types of pressure. I am well aware of the pressures on players and while I have yet to experience pressure in management, I suppose it is a bit like everything else, if you want to listen to the negatives or the positives; I will listen to them all but am well aware that a clap on the back is not far removed from a kick in the arse.

When do you hope to meet with the players?
Sooner rather than later; lots of work to be done and the sooner we get a start the better for all concerned.

05 October 2007