Cill Dara v Áth Cliath Cluiche Ceannais Laighean 12/07/09

[heffo]

That's a wind-up.

Look through my previous posts on Dublin team selection and see how inaccurate I've been..

[Declan]

Hubbard must be fairly cheesed off though

[Dinny Breen]

Hopefully Paddy Andrews will pop up and do something like this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sc1einG-EOA

Is he not more of a natural forward?

[heffo]

Hopefully Paddy Andrews will pop up and do something like this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sc1einG-EOA

Is he not more of a natural forward?

He is a natural inside forward - he played Sigerson last year at corner back and started against Meath in the league last year at corner back - played a couple of early games this year at corner back and was then moved up..

[heffo]

'Failed' Kildare boss Crofton keeps it low key

http://www.leinsterleader.ie/sport/Midfield-can-sway-it-for.5439538.jp

1975.
The old Croke Park is heaving with Kildare and Dublin fans. The final whistle blows in the minor match and we have completed a near impossible comeback.
Ten points down early in the second half, after Colm O'Rourke converts a penalty for Meath. We win by a point.

Joy unconfined for players and supporters alike.

After the presentation we parade the trophy on the lap of honour.

Even the newly ADVERTISEMENT

formed 'Heffo's Army' on Hill 16 recognise the feat.
O'Rourke had scored 3-3 and finished on the losing side.

I often thought in subsequent years that he used up all his 'bad luck' in that game and we our 'good luck.'

When us minor players changed and came out to our reserved seats in the front row of the Hogan Sand, we shared all of the confidence of the masses of Kildare people in attendance for the senior final.

Why not?

Although Dublin were All Ireland champions, there was a peculiar feeling in Kidlare that it was a once-off. We had actually beaten them in a Division 2 semi-final in '74.

A couple of seasons earlier we had beaten a Dublin team in Carlow in a first round tie, 0-19 to 1-6. That Dublint team had Cullen, O'Driscoll, Doherty, Hanahoe, Keaveney all on board.

Now here we were, having at last beaten our tormentors of that previous five years, Offaly, in the semi-final.

Surely Crinnigan, Mangan, Dunney, Carew & Co would have their day in the sun?

It wasn't to be.

Dublin won comfortably and we weren't to know it then, but they were only starting on a decade long battle withKerry for All Irerland supremacy.

OK, that's the nostalgia done!

What about Sunday?

It's the first time since '75 that our minors and seniors qualifyfor the provincial final, quite an achievement in its own right.
I wish Brian Murphy, Christy Byrne & Co and the minor panel all the best on the big day. What a boost victory would be for all involved in underage promotion in the county.

The senior team come to headquarters on the crest of a wave. When the championship draw was announced the general consensus was that we could get to the final.

Comprehensive wins over Offaly and Wexford were greeted as much with relief as anything, given our dismal recent record in Leinster.

The value of those wins was difficult to assess – Offaly beset by internal strife and Wexford, minus Mattie Forde, disastrous in the league and relegated to Division 3.

The Laois win was different.

Local derby, heightened pressure, tentative first quarter, we responded by delivering our best championship performance in years, scoring 2-12 from play for the second time running, moving the ball and supporting at pace, dominating in the 'middle third' and tackling aggressively from the forward line backwards.

It was joy to watch.

Now the task is to find another gear.

This Dublin team is very beatable and essentially untested this year.
Westmeath were a shambles and Meath delivered the tamest challenge I can remember to the Dubs.

I don't think leaving Shane Ryan ('08 All Star), Whelan and Cullen on the line has strengthened them. On the contrary, McConnell is a 'failed' full back from the last regime and Bastick, a 'failed' midfielder.

Brennan, at centre back, is comfortable with ball in hand but but 'iffy' in his defensive duties.

Westmeatah corner forwards scored seven poins between them on small scraps of possession.

Dublin conceded 15 and 16 points averages in their league campaign, and must still be suffering from 'flashbacks' to their semi-final demolition by Tyrone in last year's campaign.

In fairness, like Kildare, they are looking to get ball as quickly as possible to their danger men, Keaney, the two Brogans and Jason Sherlock.

The Brogans, both have serious pace and the key is to deny them space and impose a concentrated man-marking system on all of the above mentioned.

And on the evidence of the Laois game, we have the men to do it. We do face a higher level of fitness and strength in Dublin than any opposition to date, but our overpowering of opponents so far would suggest that we have reserves here too. The availability of a strong experienced bench will stand to us when the going gets tough.

So I expect Dermot Earley, Daryl Flynn, Padraig O'Neill and Roli Sweeney to reproduce the Laois form and give us a 'pull' in the midfield exchanges and our speed in attack to thrive in the open spaces.
With our collective defending and huge work-rate, we can take it to Dublin from the start.

Another early Smith goal would be welcome.

We can do it.

Good luck to one and all!



Page 1 of 1
Last Updated: 08 July 2009 11:39 AM
Source: Leinster Leader
Location: Kildare

[INDIANA]

I work in Kildare- couldn't help reading the local papers this morning. Good grief- Dublin have the team talk for Sunday already prepared. Just pin a few of those articles to the dressing room wall. If that doesn't get our lads going nothing will.

[Dinny Breen]

In fairness our media are writing for a Kiildare audience balanced reporting you won't get, the supporters are confident of a performance not a win and the players will only be paying attention to McGeeney

[INDIANA]

But the herald caters for a Dublin audience but it won't be anywhere near that. Nearly spilt my coffee this morning reading it. Not that I care either way- but its probably given Dublin an incentive now that maybe they didn't have. A certain Laois midfielder did something similar a couple of years ago.

[heffo]

A certain Laois midfielder did something similar a couple of years ago.

Ah Clancy said his 'Dublin footballers are ladyboys' was taken out of context!

[Declan]

Kildare were eventually given permission for a training session at Croke Park ahead of Sunday's Leinster SFC final against Dublin.
Manager Kieran McGeeney had requested the ban on pre-match training sessions at GAA headquarters be lifted in the aftermath of the Lilywhites' semi-final win over Laois.
That initial request was denied but Kildare bosses made another request to GAA president Christy Cooney over the weekend during his visit to the county for Féile and Kildare were last night granted a 30-minute run-out.
It is now thought that the official ban on GAA panels training at Croke Park prior to fixtures at the venue may be dispensed with.

Everything falling into place for the Lilywhites now

[Donnellys Hollow]

Éamonn Callaghan is a doubt with a groin injury. He'd be a big miss even if he hasn't been at his best so far in the championship. We're not exactly blessed with natural scoring forwards on the bench. Presumably either Karl Ennis or Ken Donnelly would come in if Leper doesn't make it. Chalky lined out in the half-forwards last year but he played as an extra defender and he has looked off the pace in the matches he's come on in. Both Rob Kelly and Eoin O'Flaherty could also be options but they're both lacking in big match experience.

[Dinny Breen]

Éamonn Callaghan, he's expected to make it but i'd imagine Donnolly will be next in line.

[Donnellys Hollow]

The Leinster Leader claims he's expected to be fit but I've heard he's only 50/50 and that he hasn't done much training since the Laois match.

It could be bullsh1te though - you usually get these sort of wild rumours and stories before big mathces. Its been so long since we've been in a big match, I've forgotten what the build up is like!

[Donnellys Hollow]

I work in Kildare- couldn't help reading the local papers this morning. Good grief- Dublin have the team talk for Sunday already prepared. Just pin a few of those articles to the dressing room wall. If that doesn't get our lads going nothing will.

Crofton's article doesn't read too well but it's not as if one of the Kildare players or management have come out with such comments like Denis Glennon did before the semi-final or Pádraig Clancy a few years ago. The match won't be won or lost in the papers and neither side should be lacking any motivation anyway.

The Kildare papers have written an awful lot worse about our own players over the years!

[Dinny Breen]

Yea Crofton is writing as a fan and not an analyst and he wouldn't be one of the games greatest thinkers....