Messages

Are Crowley, Chris Finn, Damien oc , Aaron Dowling in with a shout these days ? Or are they just squad players? I think he'll go with, Brody, Attride , Timmons, Dillon, Collins, Begley, Strong, Jol , Lillis, Farrell, P Kingston, Glynn, Ross, Donie, Walsh

Crowley is in with the U20s as far as I know.
O' Connor back from a fairly long term injury but hopefully will feature.
Dowling has been injured the past month or so.

Would be 95% sure this will be the team.
With Jamie Farrell and Donoher fighting with Glynn for 12. And Conway fighting with Munnelly for 13.

[2009- Kildare 15pts2010- Meath 10pts]

Some great posts on here since the game but here's a small thought I had during the week and a somewhat different perspective to what has been posted since Sunday.

This current panel consists of some good players who have been on the road along time including; Donie, Quigley, McMahon, Strong, Begley etc.  Sprinkled with some, (but not enough) decent youth who were apart of exclusively unsuccessful minor and U21 teams.

As for the players in their 8th,9th,10th season or whatever; These guys have taken heavy, heavy defeats. Our provincial performances since our last Leinster final appearance (in 2007) have been atrocious. The defeats include;

2008-   Wexford           6pts
2009-   Kildare      15pts
2010-    Meath       10pts
2011-   Dublin        8pts
2012-   Longford     1pt
2013-    Louth        10pts
2014-   Dublin        12pts
2015-   Kildare       13pts
2016-   Dublin        11pts
2017-   Kildare      14pts

Was last weekend a surprise?

We can talk about fitness, that Peter Creedon is incapable as a manager or whatever. Kildare physically, are at a different level to Laois. I agree.

But my point is;

• Younger panel members aren't used to winning championship games in general. No minor or U21 success in I don't know how long!
• And the older players have taken beating after beating year in year out. IMO they are mentally weak and incapable of performing against a big team. Simply because when it starts to go wrong on the big day, (ie 20 mins into the game on Sunday) There's a "here we go again" attitude.

Players don't take responsibility, the towel is thrown in and powerful & pacey teams like Kildare, Meath, Dublin will kick for home and embarrass you.

Cant remember a time when expectations were as low as they are now coming into this Leinster campaign.
2 weeks to go and so much disinterest, I hope CB does something to promote this game and get a respectable home crowd!

Would like to see a team like this, but I expect Kelly, P.Kingston and Walsh all to start.

Brody

Timmons
Booth
O' Connor

Attride
Lillis
Begley

JOL
Quigley

Donoher
EOC
Farrell

Moore
Kingston
Conway

[this group of players were much more talented than the squad at present]

Can posters just stop asking for Creedon to be sacked.
Whether you think he should or not, its NOT going to happen so start talking about things that actually matter.

Lets go back a couple of years under Mcnulty.
A committed group of lads, playing one of the most rigid defensive systems I've ever seen. However, this group of players were much more talented than the squad at present. Munnelly playing the ball of his career, McMahon, O'Leary, Clancy etc. This squad had experience and a bit of know how to win big games.

Many despised the style of football we played but didnt care when we ran All Ireland champions close two years in a row.
Very few young players were given any chance by McNulty but that didnt matter after the nice wins over Meath & Monaghan.
Although we had horrible defeats to Kildare, Louth & Longford, the panel from 1-35, was quite simply better than the ageing one we have today and everyone needs to understand that.

Now what happened in them few years is important:
Our Minors suffered from the neglection of decent development squad coaching.
Our U21s were having the worst results in 20 years or so.
There was a massive decline in the quality of our club scene. A drop in the playing numbers in big clubs and rural clubs now at breaking point.

The CB buried their heads in the sand. Ignored the deteriorating club championship. Did anyone ask how we went from a kick of a ball to winning an U21 leinster in 09', to winning only 2 games in the next 4 years?
We were all a bit deluded.

Now we could go and get high profile manager next year. A big payout for a nice backroom team, get all the ageing uncommitted (this season) players back on board for another year or two. We might get within 8 points of Dublin. Beat another Meath.

Or we can accept that our years of denial has led us to this point and realise short term success is not the answer.
A new manager, positionally selecting a better team and beating Longford is going to get us no where.
We cant hide behind our Division 2 status or a decent qualifier run anymore.
If a relegation to Division 4 kick starts us into action then so be it.

Creedon said in an interview Danny Luttrell was to come on for Meaney, then he (inevitably) got his second yellow.

For anyone that says Creedon is to blame:
Antrim, Clare, Tipperay-        The last three teams to beat us in the last three years.
Wicklow x4, Louth x3, Offaly- The only teams we have beaten in the last EIGHT years at Under21 level.

We cant exactly sack Creedon for an overwhelming lack of talent.
What this relegation has done is highlight our shortcomings and our the total absence of any aspirations from our CB over the last number of years. At the club scene, development squads, Minor and U21.

Lack of planning, no ambition, where would you even start with our CB. Can anyone step forward and take a bit of responsibility? Because the chickens have well and truly come home to roost.

As for the rest of the season:
Wrap up Donie Kingston, O'Loughlin, Quigley, Begley and co. in cotton wool until May 21st. Maybe go see Meredith, Cahillane and Gearoid Hanrahan and ask then to come back and play!

Then at the end of the year we can end the talking and start acting. Strip down our current system, put a reasonable 5 year plan in place. A 'director of football' (as such). Serious GDAs. Work with the clubs. See why the numbers of players are dropping at underage and senior level with clubs. What more can they do to develop them. A new programme for our development squads with quality coaches, not just whoever wants it.
Just a start! (of a serious restructuring that's needed)

Any word on the team for Sunday? Is Begley fit?

[Brody:]

Love coming on here after to we win to read a few somewhat positive posts!
Not a perfect performance by any stretch, but the passion and desire was pleasing in the 2nd half.

Heres my ratings for the game. First time posting so dont be too critical!


Brody:    10
Everything he done was inch perfect so why not!

Strong:   6.5
He's a versatile player that can just about play anywhere on the pitch, but he's just not a good man marker. Was very good when he was on the ball out the field.

Booth:    7.5
Still concedes the odd soft free. But was commanding and sharp again.

Kelly:      6.5
Found it hard on a cute corner forward.

Buggie:    6
Kicked a good point. Improving and gaining confidence, but physically a little behind still.

McMahon: 7.5
A typical McMahon performance we've been used to from down through the years.

Begley:     7
Solid and commanding, but found it tricky to man mark that very decent centre forward in the first half. Where will we see him play when the injured players return?

JOL:         6.5 (by his standards)
Worked hard. Possibly not 100% back to his full fitness yet.

Meaney:    6
Dispossessed too many times, concedes too many silly fouls. Due our ridiculously short knockouts, he is really underused

A Farrell:   7.5
Sprung into life in the 2nd half and kicked a wonderful score.

Conway:   8
This man just has an incredible will to win every ball. Seriously well taken goal.

Donoher:   7
Put in a good shift, was a big loss when he was sent off IMO.

P.Kingston 5
Just couldn't get into the game. In future, would he be better off starting out at 11 and then moved inside?

O' Carroll   8
He has become a great target man as his movement inside has drastically improved. He makes all the right runs and is as good as a ball winner as Kingston. Unfortunately, another player with a discipline issue.

D.Kingston 9
Different class. In hindsight the difference between the two teams.