AS WE wait in nervous excitement for the All-Ireland semi-final, it’s worth remembering that just two months ago the talk was of a crisis in Kildare football.
It’s hard to credit now that the Louth defeat had us all in such a state of depression.
Many analysts said they had seen it coming (in fairness one or two actually did) from Kildare’s indifferent league.
Don’t forget that that campaign featured severe beatings by Down, Armagh and Laois, and a somewhat fortunate win over troubled Westmeath.
Indeed, after the Laois match in O’Moore Park on 21 March – a game where Kildare could have lost by a lot more than the 0-13 to 0-9 scoreline suggests – many could see only a season of doom ahead.
While this column was not one of those many, we did pen an article after that match of ten reasons why Kildare were not performing as well as last year.
This week we revisit those ten reasons to see what has changed as Kildare stand 70 minutes from reaching only their second All-Ireland final since 1935.
1 MIKEY CONWAY’S INJURY
What we wrote: “His absence has seen our forwards starved of quick, clean possession. Conway is one of a handful of players Kildare simply can’t replace.”
Still true, but yet it seems not to matter. A fully fit Conway would be an addition even to this team. And the talk is that there are chances of him being available before the end of the season.
While there is surely precious little chance of him starting, McGeeney may welcome such an option off the bench. Even if he sees no minutes this year, which is likely, the thoughts of him rejoining the team next year, with our forward line operating so well, is mouth-watering.
2 ALAN SMITH
“No-one else offers the Sarsfields’ man pace and goal threat.”
Well, except perhaps James Kavanagh. And Padraig O’Neill. Still, though, the return of Smith has strengthened us as he plays his way back to form, starting, we reckon, with his tour-de-force when introduced against Derry. And here’s the thing – while playing very well, he is still not quite at the level he was in 2009. That hopefully offers room for another small improvement in the Kildare attack.
3 DERMOT EARLEY
“He is so important to Kildare that we need him to be great instead of merely very good.”
And Earley, while not grabbing headlines like in 2009, was great in Derry and against Monaghan, controlling midfield.
But it shows you how far we’ve come in four months that you would no longer say, after the Meath game, that Kildare can’t win big games without the legend. That is a major step forward for this side.
4 OTHER ABSENTEES
“There are very few Kildare regulars who have been available all season.”
Make no mistake, this situation clearing up is perhaps the main reason for Kildare’s rejuvenation. Rob Kelly and Conway are the only two who have not returned.
5 TACKLING
“Kildare haven’t made a fraction of the dispossessions they did last year.”
Changed utterly – Kildare’s workrate and tackling is now not just as good as last year – it’s better.
6 GOALKEEPING
“Thomas Corley and Shane McCormack’s blunders seem to have made Paul Flood number one.”
Flood was number one at the time, but his mistake in Meath allowed McCormack to return, and the Allenwood man, who has come in for criticism here before, has not let Kildare down since. Here’s hoping he continues to grow in confidence.
7 LACK OF NEW BLOOD
“Which makes it all the more disappointing that Eoghan O’Flaherty opted out.”
Little did we know at the time that the younger Flats would end up kicking five points in an All-Ireland quarter-final. And Peter Kelly is not bad either. Indeed, the addition of these two further explains the Lilywhite renaissance.
8 FULL-BACK LINE
“The fact is that last summer opposition inside forwards destroyed us.”
Ah, but McGeeney has taken action, with Aindriú Mac Lochhlainn and Hugh McGrillen regaining their form and Kelly outstanding. Emmet Bolton now plays at half-back, to stunning effect (and is really starting to prove this column wrong about his ability). Gary White has also not been infl icted any more with being asked to play out of position. It has made for a much more solid-looking Kildare rearguard.
9 TEAM SELECTION
“Even with all the absentees, there have been puzzling decisions.”
And in fairness, there were, but every decision is questioned when you lose, and every one lauded when you win. Fifteen knowledgeable people could pick their teams and they would almost certainly come up with 15 different ones. Although as a matter of opinion, this column still believes that Michael Foley and Gary White can become two of our best players.
10 MANAGEMENT
“Here’s hoping McGeeney, Niall Carew and Aidan O’Rourke can convince us this summer that the loss [of Paul Grimley] was not too significant.”
No doubting that Grimley is still one of the best coaches out there. Still and all, question answered, wouldn’t you say?