Huge tie in store against the Wee County
Darragh Kirwan under pressure from Louth's Ciaran Downey during last year's Leinster Championship semi-final at Croke Park Photo: ©INPHO/Bryan Keane
So, we’re back where we were a year ago, going in as underdogs against Louth in a Leinster semi-final, though thankfully Leinster GAA have seen the light and taken it out of Croke Park. That should help both Kildare and the sense of occasion, though odds of 13/8 against a Lilywhite win seem about right.
If it’s been difficult to get a good read on Kildare during this transition period under Brian Flanagan, the same can be said of a Louth team who, to their credit, retained their Division 2 status with three wins from seven games despite injury issues.
Still, they were far from impressive against a stubborn Laois in the quarter final, despite the introduction of two of those injured men, Craig Lennon and Tommy Durnin, from the bench. Louth made a lot of unforced errors in the first half that day and manager, former Moorefield boss Ger Brennan felt their shooting was down to ‘rustiness’ after a three-week break, but goals from Ryan Burns and Ciaran Byrne eventually saw them through.
Ominously for Kildare, the indications are that talisman Sam Mulroy should have recovered from injury to face us as Louth go in search of a third provincial final appearance in succession for the first time since 1912 to 1914.
Louth at their best will be hard to stop and they are rightly favourites. Think back to last year and Conor Grimes lording it alongside Mulroy, Lennon and Durnin as well as Ciaran Keenan always causing problems for the Kildare defence. They also comfortably beat us in Carlow in the League last year of course.
It’s a much-changed Kildare outfit with eight of the twenty who lined out in Croke Park last April no longer on the panel and another six unlikely enough to start. The younger newcomers have brought freshness and their winning mentality.
Have we materially improved, though? Certainly, before the Westmeath game, I’m not sure many would have answered that question positively; promotion from Division 3 having papered over the cracks that led to three defeats in their last four games, including the final.
Even against Westmeath, Kildare had to hang in there in the first half, when the momentum and possession metrics seemed set to defy us. Yes, the injury to Ray Connellan was crucial and Louth have the midfield strength to target that area as well, which will be a concern.
But there were signs, tentative ones perhaps, of a more resilient Kildare in the second half two weeks ago and to push through to win a close encounter must do wonders for the confidence levels within Flanagan’s camp.
He will be forced into at least one change, given the facial injury Harry O’Neill picked up, bravely, the last day, while Kevin Flynn was also withdrawn before half-time and may not yet be up to the pitch required for this one.
Ryan Burke and Tommy Gill look to be in pole position to deputise though it wouldn’t altogether surprise this observer if Mick O’Grady came back in given the height advantage and experience Louth possess. Mark Dempsey did a decent job on Luke Loughlin, but the Westmeath player still gave one of the performances of the championship so far.
In midfield, Kevin Feely and Callum Bolton will have their hands full again and they will need to bring their second half performances to the full game. I wouldn’t expect many changes in attack although Ryan Sinkey’s double-jobbing between the under-20’s and seniors is a concern.
One dynamic that is different this year is that Louth are in the same position as Kildare in needing a win to qualify for the Sam Maguire. Last year, Down’s defeat to Armagh the night before made them safe but not so this time. Extra pressure this time.
The sense with Louth is that they might be operating slightly below last year’s levels while perhaps Kildare will come into it in a better frame of mind. The venue helps too. Big enough factors for a Kildare win? That would be greedy, surely?
