Kildare back seeking Christy Ring glory

This coming weekend is also a big weekend for the hurlers of Kildare as they commence their campaign in the Christy Ring Cup with an away game against Sligo.

Last season, Kildare enjoyed a great league campaign in Division 2A, got to the final only to lose out to Offaly but unfortunately seemed to lose their way somewhat when it came to the Joe McDonagh Cup.

In fairness they suffered a lot of injuries that in the end probably cost them their place in higher tier and this year are back in the Christy Ring Cup.

One man looking forward to the start of the Ring Cup is Naas man Conan Boran, one of three Boran brothers presently on the panel and as Conan points out himself “hopefully another on the way shortly.”

Conan is one of an elite group’ of players who actually played for the county before playing at senior level for his club.

“Yes that was the way it fell, we had a very competitive Naas team at the time and I was only a young lad of 17 or 18 and I was carrying a bit of an injury so I didn't really get much of a chance to play with Naas; went into Kildare under David Herity at the time who was happy enough to give me a chance to play senior with Kildare and thankfully it went well, have been in there every since and loving it ever since.”

Conan says they have played a lot of in-house games to keep the competition up which is great and everything is going well at the minute.

“This is third year in with the county, trying to bring other lads with me now that are only on the panel for the first or second year and welcoming them in and trying to get them to push for places on the squad to try and keep the whole think going.”

Looking back on last year, great run in the league, a little unfortunate in the final and then things just didn't work out, would ye have put too much emphasis on the league maybe?

“I don't think it is fair to say that, from a point of view that each game you are going out and trying to perform as well as you can knowing the championship is just around the corner“says the Naas man, adding “my perspective is a league game is much more beneficial than a training session, you learn a lot more; you push yourself a lot harder.

“I think it was more of just picking up some early injuries in the championship; I think there are a lot of lads on the panel this year that are happy that last year is finished and the way it ended so we hope to get it right this year and drive on.”

A new manager with Brian Dowling replacing David Herity, how are your finding life under Brian?

“Brian is brilliant, great to get a new perspective on things in the dressing room, he has been brilliant, his man management is very good and I have no issue with him at all, he has definitely brought a bit of new life to the scene; a different voice in the dressing room; a different perspective on things; we still have Nigel, the trainer, who was there last year and the training is high intensity and skill-based which is brilliant.”

Christy ring 2024

“Championship is something special, you are always looking forward to it; starting off where you want to go on; we will be putting it all into the first game but we will be taking it just one game at a time, not looking too far into the future” admitted Conan.

Acknowledging that Kildare will be regarded as firm favourties to go all the way is not something that seems to add any more pressure on the young man who is regarded as one of the more skilful player son the panel at present.

“We will be favourites due to the fact we were relegated from the Joe McDonagh last year, the higher division but you can't take your eye off the ball knowing that every team will be out to get us knowing we will be favourites to win the competition so vital lads have the right attitude.

“Definitely the goal at the start of the year, we are there to win the Christy Ring and get ourselves back up to the McDonagh Cup but you can't go out in a game thinking of a Christy Ring final it has to be step-by-step and follow the process that Brian (Dowling) has set out.”

On the injury front Kildare are more or less in the clear but Conan Boran is quick to point out that apart from a number of young additions to the panel they also have a number of lads returning to the panel of 2024.

“A lot of lads back now that had been struggling throughout the league, fitting fit, we have stepped it up to another level over the last number of weeks and is forcing lads to turn up to training with a better attitude and showcase yourself to the management to get on to the team or at least the match day panel.

A number of experienced players have returned to panel this year and that is a real bonus; lads who have been there and done that so all going well and hopefully we can get off o the right start on Sunday and we will take it from there then adds a confident Conan Boran but definitely a player who has his feet firmly on the ground as he sets out to capture another Christy Ring medal.