Kildare hurling manager Brian Dowling reacts to Laois loss

“Disappointed not to get the points from it. Delighted with the first half, but I thought we could have been more points ahead. Second half then, we had a goal chance and didn’t take it, then they go down the pitch and took theirs. A six-point swing straight, but the lads showed great character,” the words of Kildare manager Brian Dowling following his side’s loss to Laois.

Adding, “The game was going away from us but the lads stayed fighting and with 70 minutes gone there were only three points in it, so for it to end up at seven points was disappointing. But happier than last weekend, we were very disappointed with our performance and the lads were mad to get out there today and I thought they showed a bit of pride in the jersey, just disappointed with the result.”

The post-match was interview was perhaps as cheerful as it could have been following a disappointing loss as Kildare showed much more of their quality in the second league game. The Lillies held a narrow lead at half-time and were it not for some better finishing early in the second, they could have stayed in front for much longer.

“The only performance so far we have been disappointed with where we were at was the Meath game. I said to the lads that we can take losing a match but when you don’t perform and don’t work hard enough that is not good enough. That is the standards we have set and we promised each other as a group that we are going to fight for absolutely everything during the year. People at the match today will be able to see that. A good team like Laois had us on the racks and the lads stayed going and we brought the gap down to three but unfortunately we couldn’t get it back any closer,” Dowling said.

The Kildare boss was of curse quizzed about injuries following two more forced departures in the opening half of this game with Jack Higgins and Cathal Dowling going off.

“We seemed to be losing players more than getting them back, it’s very frustrating. We lost another two there today in the first half...it just seems to be one thing after another.”

Adding, “I’m sure luck will turn at some stage and we are not making excuses, Laois have injuries and every team does so we just have to get on with it. The 15 lads that are lucky enough to start just have to wear that jersey with pride and today was the starting point and we have a huge match against Down in two weeks time.”