Comment: Championship win for Kildare is always a boost, regardless

Saturday evening began at Cedral St Conleth's Park, Newbridge, with an emotional tribute to former Kildare manager, Mick O'Dwyer, with Co. Board Chairman making a presentation to Micko's son, Karl, on behalf of the family, Karl of course played with The Lilies under his dad.

The attendance of 7,000 made their feelings known with a standing ovation for the great Micko.

At half-time another presentation saw Tom Murphy, who has soldiered with many a Kildare county manager as kit-man from the start of the '90s. Many of those managers sent their best wishes to Tom, who has retired, those wishes conveyed on the screen at half-time; a very popular man is Tom who has given the county tremendous service.

Hard to believe it is thirty years since Kildare last played a Leinster Championship game at St Conleth's. The opposition that day was Louth, and it was the first time the Sunday Game showed a live provincial game.

Like many games in relative recent times Kildare fell to the Wee County on that day in 1995, when under the guidance of former great Dermot Earley snr, The Lilies lost by two points (0-13 to 0-11).

Indeed Louth, who Kildare now meet on Sunday week in Tullamore in the Leinster semi-final, have proven a real thorn in the side of Kildare in relative recent times, losing out to the boys in red, in Drogheda, in Newbridge and only last season, in Croke Park.

A great occasion at St Conleth's Park last Saturday evening, great atmosphere, a mighty game of football that went right down to the wire with The Lilies coming out on top by two points to advance to the last four.

Incredible as it may seem only three players who started the game on Saturday started in the Leinster semi-final against Louth in Croke Park last April.

The three, Darragh Kirwan, Alex Beirne and Kevin Feely, while another three came on that day that saw game time on Saturday last, it just goes to show the massive turn-around in players and the inexperience of this team as Brian Flanagan embarks on a new era for Kildare seniors.

A lot of big decisions were made at the start of the season as regards panel members for 2025, some controversial, a few head scratchers and the odd one few would have expected, but that was always probably going to be the case, especially after 2024.

Westmeath came into Saturday's game with a record, very reminiscent of Kildare's the previous year, they lost six an drew one in Division 2 of the AFL.

Swap places
Yes, some of those losses were high-scoring losses, some very close but in the end of the day they was still no win in the entire league campaign, that ended in demotion as they swap places with Kildare for 2026.

It was expected to be close and tight and close and tight it was.

A stiffish breeze blew into the Kilcullen end as the visitors got an early grip around the middle.

The Kildare kick-outs were causing major problems for the home side, a distinct lack of variation was worrying, especially with Westmeath ensuring the Kildare midfielders did not get the room to gather with both Kevin Feely and Callum Bolton finding it difficult to get any clean ball.

In that first half, Kildare lost close to seventy per cent of their own kick-outs and that put enormous pressure on the team.
The fact there was only one point separating the sides at the break must have been somewhat worrying, for the visiting side, Alex Beirne's goal and a two-pointer from Brian McLoughlin went a long way to keeping the boys in white in touch.

The half-time topic of conversation centred around the problems the home side were enduring from that aspect of their play.
Would they go to the short kick-out option?

A highly risky move unless executed with absolute confidence and accuracy.

Would they improve the out-field movement giving the kicker more options?

Would there be a change of personnel?

We got under way with no change of personnel, though informed later than a variation of the kick-out was top of agenda.

In fairness to keeper, Cian Burke, he made three fabulous, top-class stops; one in the opening half when the unfortunate Harry O'Neill picked up a head and eye injury that certainly was not pretty; another vital save the custodian made late on denied Westmeath the opportunity of forcing extra-time. However what really changed the game around had nothing to do with the Kildare second-half plan at all.

Star midfielder Ray Connellan, who had been lording it in the middle in the opening half, was forced off after two minutes of the second half with what looked like a hamstring issue. It was a devastating blow to the visitors.

Slowly but surely Kevin Feely and Callum Bolton took advantage with Feely in particular suddenly putting on impressive displays of high, clean catching, while Bolton, who had been quiet also up to that point, got himself more involved.

Brilliant goal
Alex Beirne who scored a brilliant goal in the opening half, making a brilliant catch from a long punt in from Ben McCormack but while the Naas man still had a lot to do, he did manage to squeeze in between two defenders before blasting to the net — a vital score at a vital time.

In the second half, another long punt in, again by McCormack, saw centre-back David Hyland get a vital flick and Westmeath keeper, Conor McCormack had to empty his net for the second time — another vital score at another vital time in the game.

That goal lifted the fans, lifted the team and handed the initiative and momentum to the boys in white.

Alex Beirne added four second half points, Ben McCormack flourished with two points, his work-rate was top notch, Callum Bolton got his name on the score sheet as did Niall Kelly.

Tommy Gill, who came on for a tiring Kevin Flynn, first start in a fair while due to hamstring problems, certainly showed what he is capable of.

Confident and pacey he showed little signs of inexperience in this his debut at this level, getting on to the score sheet was a real bonus for the Carbury man.

Overall a great game to win.

Lots of positives, a win that should certainly bring on The Lilies big time.

Any championship win is a boost regardless.

Major improvement is still required though, have no doubt about that and that was certainly the view of manager Brian Flanagan but improvement, one suspects, will come, it will have to if the team is to halt Ger Brennan's Louth and a run of poor results against the Wee County is to be halted.

A lot at stake.

A Leinster final place in sight.

Not forgetting a win would guaranteed a place in the All-Ireland Series.
Massive game on Sunday week.

O'Connor Park, Tullamore, 2 pm throw-in.

Here's hoping!

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