Cronin praises his team but admits there will be regrets over first half in Kingspan Breffni
Kildare U20 manager Niall Cronin Photo: ©INPHO/Tom O’Hanlon
Despite suffering huge disappointments as Kildare minor manager over the last number of years, Niall Cronin always maintained a sense of stoicism and dignity and the now Kildare U20 manager displayed the same qualities as his side lost out to defending champions, Tyrone, at the semi final stage in Breffni Park on Wednesday evening.
Speaking to local media after the game the Naas man found difficulty in explaining Kildare’s first half performance, which was in total contrast to the displays in the Leinster championship winning campaign and saw them trail by five points at the break, despite having played with the wind.
“The first half performance was just a bit flat and stale. I don’t think we will ever be able to define what the reason for that was. Possibly the week-on-week kind of caught up with us a small bit. Conditions were tricky and Tyrone were very well set up, they were very hard to break down,” he said.
Expanding further on the last few weeks which saw Kildare face into an All-Ireland semi-final one week after winning Leinster Niall Cronin said, “It has been a long road over the last couple of weeks and I know that sounds a bit funny when we finished so well. We had loads of energy but you’re on a bus for two and a half hours, you’re week on week, it’s just been a slog and maybe that just counted against us a small bit in the opening quarter. We were just a bit leggy and just needed to get a bit of dirty diesel out of the system.” Kildare continued to battle throughout the game but Tyrone’s goals were serious blows to that battle. “Unfortunately, the mountain was just a bit too high to climb although we did get it back level and probably did have a bit of momentum. Probably both their goals in both halves came at really important times for them. Ultimately, they go on and that’s the end of our year,” Cronin said philosophically.
Speaking of his own players the Kildare manager said, “These lads have backed themselves all year, they’ve come from difficult situations and difficult places. It’s hard to digest now but obviously it’s disappointing and maybe there are a couple of things we could have done different. The lads weren’t pleased with themselves in the first half. There were just a few things that weren’t right, a few fine margins.” Conin reserved praise for Tyrone who are chasing a three in a row of titles at this grade. “Tyrone probably managed the game very well in both halves; a bit of game management, a bit of cuteness and that’s part of being on a journey for the past two or three years,” he opined.
The Kildare manager agreed that Tyrone’s second goal was a real hammer blow to his charges at a time in the second half where they had twice drawn level with the Ulster champions.
“It was the timing of it. We have been very good on kickouts all year. It was just one of those ones that just didn’t come off for us. You have to hand it to Tyrone, the last week when we have been looking at them, they are a hungry, hungry team. You’d think they never saw a medal in their lives. They have plenty of them, they just have a hunger and a determination and a lot of skilful footballers and when it’s just off by fractions they are going to punish you. Ultimately that was the one that made it too hard to come back from,” he sighed.
Cronin concluded by saying, “We did have chances again and there were a couple of ones that we probably needed Lady Luck to shine on us. It just didn’t happen. There will be some regrets over the first half but I’m not going to sit here and blame anyone or any individuals. I think of the work that these lads have put in these last few months and certainly over the last few weeks. We wanted to be playing football in May; we planned to play football in May and that’s ultimately where we were. We would have liked to be playing right on to the end of it but it’s not to be. Week on week they have gone out there, they put on the jersey, they have turned up and maybe not for long enough tonight but again they did and I’m immensely proud of them.”
