'We fought to the bitter end, but the class of Galway just told in the end'- Dowling
Kildare manager Brian Dowling. Photos: INPHO/Lorraine O’Sullivan.
Kildare manager Brian Dowling succinctly summed up the feelings of most of us after another hugely encouraging performance from the hurlers.
“Similar to after the Wexford game. Happy enough with how we competed but disappointed that we didn’t get anything out of it. We fought to the bitter end, but the class of Galway just told in the end,” he told us afterwards.
Kildare have arguably never put in a half of hurling like they did in the opening thirty-five minutes, wind advantage notwithstanding, and Dowling couldn’t disagree.
“At half-time we were in a brilliant position. I thought our first thirty-five minutes was probably the best we’ve played since I’ve been involved. When you’re playing a team as good as Galway they’ve bringing a lot of lads off the bench, Tom Monaghan came on there and scored 1-4 and that’s what you’re dealing with.”
He was delighted with how his charges put the game plan into action in that opening half.
“I said it during the week to the lads that we’re going to throw everything at Galway and see what happens. We’re not going to stand up and admire them and just look at them hurling. They’ll drill balls around and they’ll run off the shoulder. They’re a class team, you have to get in their faces, you have to try and upset them.”
And that they did.
“Everything went right for us in the first half but in the second half we dropped balls that we normally secure. The effort that we put in and the work rate of our team was brilliant, our shooting consistency was great. If you told me coming up we’d get 1-22 I’d be delighted but we probably needed another goal or two to get over the line.” And yet, to lose by nine points feels like a kick in the teeth, for all the effort put in.
“I think nine points is hard on us. I think a couple of the goals we’d be disappointed with and definitely could have prevented them. We’ll have to look back and learn from them. I think someone said there it was 55 minutes when Galway took the lead for the first time. We’ve seen what Galway have done to other teams this year and we went toe to toe with them. We definitely had them worried there at half-time. They made a couple of subs at half-time.”
With three defeats now in three despite the competitive performances, Dowling reflected on the relentless nature of the Leinster championship.
“We’re trying to close such a gap in such a short space of time. We’re competing against the top teams, we’re just trying to do so much. That’s credit to the players. It’s ruthless. Every week coming up here it’s going to be a massive battle, every week a tough game and if you’re going to take a massive scalp you’re going to have to hurl really well for seventy minutes. We’ve two games left. We have to leave Nowlan Park next Saturday night and be alive and have a chance here at home against Offaly. Hopefully that will be a massive game.”
We got Cathal Dowling back today, that’s massive. We were down four starters from Joe McDonagh last year as well so what the lads were doing there I think is incredible. The effort they’re putting in, I can’t ask for any more.
We’re trying to close such a gap in such a short space of time. We’re competing against the top teams, we’re just trying to do so much. That’s credit to the players.
While the Kildare support was enthusiastic, it felt like there were considerably more Galway fans in St Conleth’s Park. Dowling was diplomatic and believes that performances will drive attendances.
“It’s up to us to put bums on seats, up to us to make the crowd want to come, up to us to make sure we’re playing good hurling and get the crowd behind us. I think the crowd can see the effort that the crowd are putting in, getting in the tackles, getting in the turnovers, some brilliant scores. The score Gerry Keegan got before half-time, he left two Galway lads sitting down. Absolutely top class. It’s great for Gerry there, he’s waiting all his career to play at this level and delighted that he put in a massive performance today and scored great points.”
What a player Rian Boran has become. He was imperious here in the opening half in particular, lording it over the Galway full-forward line while finding the time to drive over two superb points. In the second half it was often the Naas man driving Kildare forwards with intricate passing moves out of the defence, often involving brother Conan and club mate Simon Leacy. Cathal McCabe was outstanding once more as was Muiris Curtin, particularly in the opening half, while Gerry Keegan looked completely at home in this company with four superb points. For Galway full-forward Conor Whelan was their star turn, while Tom Monaghan had a superb impact from the bench with 1-4.
This might seem a strange choice but Galway’s first goal, five minutes from half-time, kept them in touch when Kildare were threatening to sail into the distance. What a seismic shock this could have been, but when Rory Burke pounced to fire past Paddy McKenna, it seemed to be worth more than three points at a time when the gap was still nine points. If only Kildare could have kept their goal intact all the way to half-time.
Gerry Keegan has waited his whole career to play at Leinster championship level, and he showed his class in the thirteenth minute when, close to the stand sideline, he sent two Galway players out to the Central Grill for a burger with the most brilliant of dummies, before landing the first of his four exquisite points.
Kildare fashioned 36 shots and converted 23 of them (64%) while Galway managed 48 and scored 26 of them (54%). Ultimately Galway’s pressure wore Kildare down in the second half as home legs tired.
It doesn’t get any easier for Kildare with a daunting trip to Nowlan Park to face Brian Dowling’s native Kilkenny on Saturday next (6pm) before they finish their campaign at home to Offaly a week later (Sunday 24 May, 2pm).
