Athy aiming to 'have a real cut at' Naas in Sunday's Kildare SFC decider says joint manager Conor Ronan

Athy have the unusual case of having joint managers, Ross Bell and Conor Ronan, the boys in charge with Conor usually the one doing the talking on behalf of the management.

It certainly was a very happy joint manager we spoke to after his side had held on for a remarkable win over Sarsfields in the semi-final, a game that saw Athy lead by seven points at one stage, level with less than five minutes remaining and that is a dramatic final few minutes as one could imagine a winning point in the 63rd minute.

Conor said that “we (management) have done little the past few weeks, the lads have led it, they have worked like dogs to get here, and while we know we have that ability, we just have to bring that level or work-rate, we did let them back into it but Sarsfields are a great team but we are just delighted with the result.”

Playing with the wind and leading by six at the break yet Conor said there conversation rate was not what it should be, around sixty per cent, need to improve on that for the final against Naas.”

No doubt Athy have a great mix of youth and experience throughout the team and all played their part.

While Conor Ronan admits Naas will go into the Kildare SFC final as favourites he says “we have felt that we have been underdogs throughout this championship, we know where we are, have no issue with that. Naas have won the last four county titles but harping back to the experience we have in our squad, we have lads who have won two county titles in the last number of years in 2011 and in 2020 and we'll lean on the experienced lads. Myself, Ross, James and Paddy, we have been around the block, we picked up a few niggles, get them right, get ready for Naas and have a real cut at them come Sunday.”

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