Cill Dara v Aontroim - AI Football Qualifier 26/06/10

[Dinny Breen]

Hope humbly then; with trembling pinions soar;
Wait the great teacher Death; and God adore!
What future bliss, he gives not thee to know,
But gives that hope to be thy blessing now.
Hope springs eternal in the human breast:
Man never is, but always to be blest:
The soul, uneasy and confin'd from home,
Rests and expatiates in a life to come.

- Alexander Pope

So it begins, home draw and a goodish record against Ulster teams, no excuses shit or get off the pot Kildare

[armaghniac]

No pope here, as they say in Belfast.

[JMohan]

This should be a cracker

Good test for both teams, but my money starting this evening would be on Antrim based on the two 1st round games. 

Will be an interesting side show watching McGenney and Baker also ... both will be spoken about as replacements for their home counties for next season.

[ExiledGael]

Very interesting draw, could be a cracking match. Kildare will learn a a lot about themselves from this, one way or the other.

[JMohan]

Very interesting draw, could be a cracking match. Kildare will learn a a lot about themselves from this, one way or the other.

Gee ... I'd have thought they learned enough the last day out!!!


Could this be McGeenys last game in charge?

[ExiledGael]

Anyone can be caught out on an off day, they know as Dinny says it's shit or get off the pot time. It won't be easy.

[JMohan]

The fact it's away is a small spanner in the mix for Antrim.
Won't see 6 or 7 in it for Antrim either!

[Dinny Breen]

Antrim hammered Louth in the league, there's your form line all we want from Kildare is a bit of dog and some passion.

If Kildare lose I's say McGeeney is gone, some senior clubs already staring to move against him, new Chairman is allegedly not a fan either..

[JMohan]

McGeeney has spent a lot of money and not produced a result of note or at least to support the investment, so CB's are going to look at that of course.

Tactically, losing Grimley was a bad move and it's showed that he hadn't the experience to manage at IC level.

Physically they've been struggling so badly and have had far too many serious injuries for a team that being trained properly or intelligently.

Some of the player selection has to be questioned also, especially with what else is in the county.

It's definitely last chance saloon for this set up.

[Dinny Breen]

His choice of Aidan O'Rourke as selector did not go down well in Kildare either, another stick to beat him with and it's hard to see what he has brought to the table, also he more less told the Juniors (Kildare's B team) that they shouldn't be playing with their clubs either.

[Mickeys beard]

Really looking forwards to this one.  Could be the tie of the round.

[Donnellys Hollow]

Hard one to call at this stage. Kildare should be well up for it and I'd expect a reaction after the shambles of last weekend. Having it in Newbridge is a big plus, it should be worth a few points to us - I wouldn't fancy our chances at all if we had to go up to Belfast.

McGeeney has to earn his corn now and make some big calls. Radical surgery is required on that backline to give us any hope. If we line out with square pegs in round holes again we'll be slaughtered.

Team I'd like to see:

Goalkeeper - Corley is back on the panel but I've no preference really between himself, Shorty and Flood. Shorty didn't do a whole lot wrong in the Louth match but his kickouts do lack variation at times. The same criticism could be made of Corley. Flood wouldn't let Kildare down but he's hardly a man for the future.

1. McCormack - stick with the man in possession of the shirt and hope his kickouts improve

Backs - The warning signs have been there for 18 months and it was no surprise that a team finally went to town on that Kildare defence last weekend. Too many lads being played out of position and having their confidence damaged as a result. Chalky has to be moved out of full-back and Flanagan hasn't hit the heights of last year at centre-back. The lack of natural corner-backs on the panel is frightening and I'd hope to see Leper selected in one of the corners where he's never let Kildare down.

2. Callaghan - probably the best corner-back on the panel and far less inclined to give away needless frees a la Bolton/Mac
3. Foley - doesn't look like Kevin O'Neill will be back and Foley did better last year than anyone who has been tried in 2010
4. O'Flaherty - did ok as a corner-back in 2008 and has improved as a player since then
5. McGrillen - fine footballer who would be far more comfortable and effective in the half-backs than in the full-back line
6. White - will be keen to put last weekend behind him and should be given a shot at redemption in his best position
7. Flanagan - doesn't hold the centre well enough for me at no6 but he should be given a chance on the wing

Midfield - The Moorefield pair were well beaten in the first half last weekend but in fairness to them the half-backs/forwards were poor on the breaks. David Whyte has plenty of fight in him but his skills and decision making aren't good enough for this level yet. Flynn deserves another go after his league showings and will hopefully benefit from having a fully fit Dermot Earley alongside him.

8. Flynn - poor enough the last day but missed Earley alongside him in the first half
9. Earley - hopefully will be over the injury and won't be as rusty as he was when he came on

Forwards - Not sure this 2-2-2 thing is working anymore and we seemed to be much better in the second half against Louth when we brought O'Connor in at full-forward and went with the more orthodox 3-3 approach. Roli will be very lucky if he holds his place and I'd like to see Cribbin's pace utilised in the half-forwards. Hopefully Eoghan O'Flaherty is over his injury because we need more forward options off the bench.

10. Cribbin - not a defender and was still unfortunate to have been taken off to accomodate Chalky
11. Kavanagh - our best player the last day and could be very effective dictating matters on the forty
12. O'Connor - Roli was poor against Louth and O'Connor is in good form and could be an effective third midfielder
13. Smith - starved of ball against Louth but showed flashes of what he's capable of
14. O'Neill - stupidly substituted in Navan so will be well up for this, could interchange with O'Connor in the half-forwards
15. Doyle - tends to go too deep (by necessity more than choice) when he's on the wing, keep him inside where he can do damage

[ONeill]

Should be a cracker. Antrim lose this and despite all the progress made last year it'd be played 2 lost 2 in the Championship. Geezer's last stand too.

[Dinny Breen]

Hmm I'd go for

O'Callaghan,
Foley,
McGrillen
Scanlon
White
Cribben
Flynn
Earley
O'Connor
Doyle
Kavnagh
Smith
O'Neill
Ennis

Flanagan and O'Flaherty way off the pace imho, Flanagan looks like a body builder not a footballer..

[imtommygunn]

This is a tough draw for antrim.

I think it is one they can win but Kildare would have to be strong favourites. They were tanked by Louth but I find it hard to believe they're as bad as that day suggested.

The key position Kildare are weak in is FB but Antrim don't actually have a FF to expose that.

Close one to call. Paddy Cunningham missing doesn't help.