Just a year ago on this same weekend, Kildare went head-to-head with Dublin in a Leinster semi-final, leading by a single point after sixty minutes of gameplay. Despite not being on our best form, Dublin managed to emerge victoriously by a margin of two points. It was quite clear to us in the changing room that Kildare’s strategies and tactical manoeuvres caused a considerable challenge for our team.
The match that Kildare played three weeks later resulted in a draw with Sligo, who had competed in the Division Four in that season and entered the All-Ireland round-robin following a substantial 14-point defeat in the Connacht final at the hands of Galway.
In round two of the All-Ireland group stages, we managed to beat Kildare by a margin of nine points. This victory was followed by an impressive performance by Glenn Ryan’s team in their third fixture, resulting in a win over Roscommon.
This sequence of events perfectly encapsulates the varying success of Kildare football, with the round-robin serving as a stark representation of the unpredictability that has dogged the side for many years. Showing one win, one loss, and one draw in three games.
This inconsistent run of form followed Kildare’s semi-final contest against us at Croke Park. They put forth a strong defensive strategy, frustrating us during the match. In my personal encounters with Kildare, this match stood as one of the infrequent instances where all their players seemed strategically synchronised.
Looking back at our games with Kildare, there have been instances where some players seemed out of sync strategically. This lack of uniformity in their gameplay could be highly disappointing for their supporters, who might expect a strong challenge against Kerry one week, only to witness a defeat against Wicklow the following week.
The seeming absence of a definite identity in their game strategy is an evident weakness, as it makes them predictable in the eyes of the opposition. If a team performs well against Kildare, it’s highly probable they’ll secure a victory.
This weekend carries significant implications for Ryan’s team. As per the Dublin defenders, players like Daniel Flynn and Ben McCormack are considered to be among the most skilled individual attackers they’ve faced over the years.
Kildare appears to lack the required strategy to harness the full potential of its team players for the overall good of the team. As evident from their attack strategy during the season, the team appears quite aimless. This is reflected in them having the poorest scoring record of all the 16 teams in the first two divisions of the league this season.
With a total of 82 points, the team managed an unimpressive average of just 11.7 points per game. Aside from the match against Cork – where they surprisingly scored 3-9, resulting in an unusual one-off goal – their average per game fell to a mere 10 points. Such performance is inadequate at this level of the competition.
It is undeniable that their offensive strategy isn’t delivering as expected, raising critical concerns for the team. Although they managed to score 16 points during their recent match against Wicklow – their highest score this time around – they were on the brink of losing that game to a team demoted from Division Three this season.
Despite the dedication and hard work of the Kildare team, which I believe is considerable, when a team is in such a slump with zero wins in all seven league games, revitalising the season becomes a daunting task. They indeed get another shot at it on Sunday. However, it’s essential to have strong-willed individuals who can fight their way out of such difficult situations, a quality that the Kildare currently seems to lack.
One gets a sense of the team merely treading through the season, waiting for someone to end their daunting journey. I doubt their ability to revamp their performance this year. The mutual understanding between management and players seems disconnected, resulting in the current predicament.
There is also a probability that some players are looking forward to spending the summer in America. Should they end up in the Tailteann Cup, it’s plausible that the panel will witness changes. A lot could be happening behind the scenes that we aren’t informed about. However, the players must remember the obligation they have towards their county, their club, their mates, and ensure their performance is delivered, irrespective of the underlying conditions.
The leadership requirement here is imperative. Kevin Feely is a consistent performer and an energizing figure amongst his team. However, Kildare needs to extract more from team members including Daniel Flynn, Mick O’Grady, and Eoin Doyle.
At the moment, Louth appears to be ahead in many ways. They portray higher mental strength, superior coaching and a stronger team identity, with a unified vision of game strategy. For Kildare to emerge victorious in the upcoming Sunday match, they might need to leverage the exceptional skills of players like Flynn or Feely. In contrast, Louth could secure a win through a strategic, team-oriented approach highlighting their tactical intelligence. This gives Louth an upfront advantage.
Croke Park is also expected to favour the ‘Wee County’ catering to their range of scoring threats. Players like Sam Mulroy, always excelling as a forward, Ciarán Downey, Ryan Burns and Ciarán Keenan are highly talented with Keenan’s centre forward performances being notably impressive.
Filling Mickey Harte’s vacated spot in Louth was perceived as a challenge, but Ger Brennan has performed excellently – something I anticipated. Having played with Brennan during my Dublin years, he was outstanding as a centre back, with great communicative abilities and spot-on instincts. Besides being pleasant, he’s tactically sound and garnered substantial knowledge from working with Mickey Whelan and Pat Gilroy.
As a new manager, he has cultivated a strong bond with the Louth players and they continue to build upon the groundwork started by Harte and Gavin Devlin. Brennan has managed to incrementally advance the team’s growth without overhauling the initial framework, leading to an enhanced scoring threat from Louth this season.
All of this adds up to a formidable test for the Lilywhites. If they can’t bring their A-game on Sunday, their downward sliding season will face the harsh reality of the Tailteann Cup. The safety nets for Kildare have been used up.