Third time lucky for Kildare footballers?
Harry O'Neill tangles with Offaly's Daire McDaid during the league encounter between the two teams in Tullamore last March Photo: ©INPHO/James Crombie
Kildare will play Offaly in the Tailteann Cup quater-final in Cedral St Conleths Park next weekend after the draw was made this morning.
It will be third time that the teams will have played this year and Kildare will be hoping for a change in fortunes after losing to the Faithful County in Division 3 in Tullamore in March and then again in the league final in a few weeks later in Croke Park.
Previous to that, Kildare had an excellent record against Offaly and had won 13 games in a row against them between 2009 and 2021 and will hope that home advantage can bring a return to that form.
Kildare have won all four competitive games at the Newbridge venue this year and speaking after last week's win over Sligo that secured the home tie, manager Brian Flanagan emphasised how much home advantage means to the team.
“We wanted to make the new Cedral St Conleth’s Park a fortress for us this year and we’ve done that so far and it’s about finishing that in style. We wanted to win today (against Sligo) to give ourselves and the fans, one more run out in St Conleth’s Park. Home advantage means a lot to us and we don’t want to let that record slip.”
Kildare were beaten at this stage of the competition last year against Laois but crucially, were denied a home tie after winning their group due to the redevelopment work that was going on at St Conleths Park.
Confirmation of the time and date of the game will follow in due course but there is the possibility of a huge double header along with the hurlers' All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final against Dublin.
Fermanagh v Sligo
Wicklow v Westmeath
Kildare v Offaly
Limerick v Wexford
