Kildare v Dubs, Saturday next

[Zulu]

He's just an awful ref Joe, bad tonight....bad every night.

[Jinxy]

Jason Ryan should get a court injunction to prevent Tomas O'Connor setting foot inside a gym for the rest of the year.
It's coaching he needs, not another inch on his biceps.
Look at O'Gara for Dublin who has slimmed down, has more functional power and can now knock over 2/3 points a game.
This is a fella who was practically a laughing stock a few years ago such was his perceived lack of football ability.
O'Connor is not a scoring threat, and defenders are backing off without contesting possession knowing full well he has to lay it off to someone else.
That can still work as a tactic, as it did for Mulhall's goal, but as a strategy it is way too predictable.

[joemamas]

He's just an awful ref Joe, bad tonight....bad every night.

Agreed, but is anybody truly monitoring ref's, maybe it is too much to expect from one person to cover a 170 x 90 yard field now that game has really quickened up.

[imtommygunn]

He's just an awful ref Joe, bad tonight....bad every night.

Agreed, but is anybody truly monitoring ref's, maybe it is too much to expect from one person to cover a 170 x 90 yard field now that game has really quickened up.

I don't like criticising refs but they have to stop giving this guy big games. He ruins any game he is anywhere near. How he refs division 1 matches i do not know.

[macdanger2]

Donegal are good enough to beat the dubs, maybe cork & mayo too. Doesn't mean they will but they can. Tyrone also

[imtommygunn]

I don't think mayo have the scoring power.

If donegal get back to where they were 2 years ago then maybe - murphy, mcfadden and mcbrearty as lethal as anyone.

Cork could be dark horses. Goulding, o'connor and the youngish guy hurley i think you call him ? Might challenge scoreboard. How solid defense in particular is is the big question. Midfield with walsh there should be ok.

[moysider]

Meh!

The best reaction to the game so far.

[rodney trotter]

I don't think mayo have the scoring power.

If donegal get back to where they were 2 years ago then maybe - murphy, mcfadden and mcbrearty as lethal as anyone.

Cork could be dark horses. Goulding, o'connor and the youngish guy hurley i think you call him ? Might challenge scoreboard. How solid defense in particular is is the big question. Midfield with walsh there should be ok.

Brian Hurley, U21 star from last year. Colm O Neill is also back too. C They have a lot more pace in the team now with the older players departing the scene and could do well this year. Ciaran Sheehan will obviously be a  loss ,playing AFL.

[Donnellys Hollow]

Anticipated that the Dublin forwards would go to town on our defence and so it proved. Mick O'Grady was the only Kildare back who got the better of his opposite number. We badly need Kelly and Lyons back ASAP.

Dublin's pace is unreal. The speed and precision at which they can move the ball from one end of the field to the other is seriously impressive. Kildare just don't have anything like the same pace and quality that Dublin have throughout their team. We had a few players last night who could compete like O'Grady, Mulhall, Cribbin and O'Flaherty but we had many others who just looked lost at sea. Guys like Chalky, Foley and  O'Neill are as game as a pebble but they are always going to really struggle for pace against this Dublin team on the fast sod at Croke Park.

Jason Ryan won't have learned anything new last night. Our forward line will do damage against most defences provided a good supply of ball. Midfield back is where the root of Kildare's problems lie and have done for the last 2 or 3 years. He needs to inject some pace into the backs and midfield in the hope that it improves matters. The return of Kelly and Lyons might help and Dan Flynn should be brought in around the middle.

[heffo]

Happy enough with that given the quality of player we're missing.

If I were Jason Ryan, I'd be working on a plan A & a Plan B - it's seemed to me for a while that they haven't had either for a while.

[Zulu]

Kilkenny's cruciate is gone and is expected to be out for 6 months. Real blow for Dublin and the championship.

[AQMP]

Kilkenny's cruciate is gone and is expected to be out for 6 months. Real blow for Dublin and the championship.

Sad news great player. Will miss rest off the year acc to twitter

[macdanger2]

Disappointing for him, good luck in his recovery.

Dublin have cover though

[Wildweasel74]

Lads up north hes not called part of Duffys circus for nothing!!