Kildare GAA General Discussion Thread

cormac halpin

Kildare will storm the NFL, Leinster and All Ireland. Its a foregone conclusion. In my honest opinion, it's most likely just a case of how much Kieran's boys win each game by to be honest. Damascus is a wonderful journey.

largepants

It must be an awful burden when someone has to carry all that bitterness around with them the whole time.

Lovin it.

cormac halpin

Huh?

DARK-KNIGHT

Na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na lily whites....

CILL DARA ABÚ MADA FAKAS

Just An Opinion

Was just saying in our own thread how impressed I am with your lads so far. I did see Kildare as one of the relegated two before hand (I called it in the pools thread) but hands up I look totally wrong on that.

It looks the typical KMcG work rate and commitment is in everyone on the pitch now and going forward could be a big year for the Lillie's. Looking forward to March 10th in Newbridge, could be one of two league meetings between the sides.

DoctaDee

Just An Opinion wrote: »

............. Looking forward to March 10th in Newbridge, could be one of two league meetings between the sides.

Pssssst .... Kildare play their home games in Croker now :rolleyes:

klairondavis

There's nothing to say Kildare won't be involved in a relegation battle yet. It's encouraging to see Kildare with some fresh ideas and beating some of the established counties but the first two rounds of the league are not a great barometer of where teams are. We lost the first two rounds last year and still won the division.

Kerry will have some more players back for their trip to Newbridge and it's obvious that they are in serious heavy training at the moment under Cian O'Neill. Kildare on the other hand probably don't have as much of that work to do because of the residual fitness built up over several years with Julie Davis. Dublin and Mayo will be very tough games on the road and we will be underdogs against both. Tyrone look in decent fettle too. It has been a great start along with the O'Byrne Cup win but it's not going to get any easier.

largepants

DoctaDee wrote: »

Pssssst .... Kildare play their home games in Croker now :rolleyes:

Pssst no we dont. We play Kerry in Newbridge next.

DoctaDee

largepants wrote: »

Pssst no we dont. We play Kerry in Newbridge next.

LOL..Every team has a 2nd pitch ...

largepants

DoctaDee wrote: »

LOL..Every team has a 2nd pitch ...

Ehh we hardly have a first one!!!

klairondavis

McGeeney fitness boost

Monday, February 11, 2013

Kildare manager Kieran McGeeney hopes to have Daryl Flynn, Eamonn Callaghan and Dermot Earley back in action by the time the Allianz Football League Division 1 returns in three weeks’ time.

By Denis Hurley

Flynn and Callaghan are both recovering from groin injuries, while Earley missed much of last year with a knee problem. But all three are on the mend and Alan Smith is back at full fitness, having also suffered from a knee complaint.

“We are still pushing to get Darryl, Leper [Callaghan] and Dermot back on the pitch,” McGeeney said.

“Dermot put in a half last week against Cross, so did Hughie. Leper is back running at the minute so hopefully that will push on over the next couple of weeks.

“Alan Smith is ready to come out of the traps at the minute, like everyone else he will have to work hard to get there.”

While the Lilywhites’ start has been very impressive, McGeeney is reluctant to put it down exclusively to superior fitness levels.

“Strength and conditioning coach Julie Davis always has our boys in good shape,” he said, “if you win, [it’s the case that] you are fit and if you lose you are unfit.

“A lot of people say when we play that we are back a couple of months, we were back a week before everybody else, apart from Donegal. We had two weeks back before them.

“There’s not much point in trying to exaggerate things. I think that we have a very fit team and a very strong team, but that banner always goes to the victor.

McGeeney also feels that the break ahead of Kildare’s next match against Kerry will not prove to be an impediment to his side’s momentum.

“Not at all, they will have a lot of hard work to do now over the next three weeks,” he said.

“It is very hard to put that work in when you are playing, we have played six games back-to-back, we have had no fitness work.

“When it’s just games, you can’t train fellas hard to increase their fitness levels but what we are getting for players is a lot of game-time, which is good.”

Meanwhile, it has been confirmed that Cork will rotate the captaincy for the remainder of their league games. Michael Shields led the team on Saturday night despite regular skipper Graham Canty being in the side. Colm O’Neill was captain for the previous game against Dublin.

http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/mcgeeney-fitness-boost-222336.html

It would be a great boost to welcome Flynner, Leper and Dermot back for the latter half of the league. Competition for places is something we might have lacked in years gone by. Too many players were too comfortable in their positions. There could be even greater depth this season if we can get two or three more from the u21s - Cribbin, Hurley, Dowling, Fogarty.

DoctaDee

largepants wrote: »

Ehh we hardly have a first one!!!

LMAO.. kerching ... yeah shockingly poor in Newbridge

full_irish

Just checked it there on Paddy Power - throwing a tenner on Kildare to go on and pick Div 1, Leinster and certain Mr Maguire will pick you up just over €7500... get your arses down to the bookies.

cormac halpin

full_irish wrote: »

Just checked it there on Paddy Power - throwing a tenner on Kildare to go on and pick Div 1, Leinster and certain Mr Maguire will pick you up just over €7500... get your arses down to the bookies.

Its like printing money.

Chaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarge!

DARK-KNIGHT

full_irish wrote: »

Just checked it there on Paddy Power - throwing a tenner on Kildare to go on and pick Div 1, Leinster and certain Mr Maguire will pick you up just over €7500... get your arses down to the bookies.

Very early days tbh to be even talking about us having a chance of winning div 1 massive games with Dublin and mayo and Tyrone will decide our fate...

Although it won't happen think ill throw a few euro down if they are the odds sure what's a fiver even just for an interest..

If nothing else great to see the younger lads coming in with real passion I absolutely love seeing players giving it their all...

CILL DARA ABÚ

DARK-KNIGHT

cormac halpin wrote: »

Its like printing money.

Chaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarge!

Oh go away will you... Again ^^ignore^^

Jesus can we not have a bit of banter here without a certain someone throwing an arse comment in..

Getting past a joke now can a mod please speak to cormac.. Really boring me now... Little do you know your friends with a guy I know on Facebook cormac....

DoctaDee

cormac halpin wrote: »

Ah that can't be true, how would half their staff get to work then?

Whatever else you are Cormac ... yer certainly good for a laugh ..

cormac halpin

DoctaDee wrote: »

Whatever else you are Cormac ... yer certainly good for a laugh ..

Cheers m8, you're alright alright.

klairondavis

Paddy Brophy and Daniel Flynn attended the Australian Rules trial at DCU yesterday

DARK-KNIGHT

klairondavis wrote: »

Paddy Brophy and Daniel Flynn attended the Australian Rules trial at DCU yesterday

Oh god please no.

Two very talented players

klairondavis

Hurley made it to the international draft last year. Very few lads actually make it all the way. The experience certainly didn't do Nuxer Buckley any harm.

largepants

klairondavis wrote: »

Paddy Brophy and Daniel Flynn attended the Australian Rules trial at DCU yesterday

Any idea how they got on?

full_irish

largepants wrote: »

Any idea how they got on?

Absolutely pants I hope

klairondavis

Interesting report in the Leinster Leader from the County Board meeting on Tuesday last which passed the new budget proposals.

http://www.leinsterleader.ie/sport/gaelic-games/delegates-enthusiastically-back-budget-proposals-1-4787540#.URzH8zQzbz0.twitter

Main points:

KCB is in the red to the tune of €2,054,460. This is made up of two increments - €1,434,000 outstanding on the Hawkfield project and the loan of €670,000 from Croke Park for the day to day expenses of the board.

The first figure is essentially being paid off on a mortgage basis by the club levy so it is not a major concern.

The Croke Park loan is to be paid off at a rate of €100,000 a year until repaid.

Money spent on the preparation of county teams makes up 35% of KCB's annual expenditure compared to an average of 45% nationally.

Fundraising only makes up 6% of KCB's annual income which compares poorly to the national average of 16%.

Our county teams are punching above their weight given the cutbacks that have been enforced upon them. Unless KCB can increase their revenue streams, it will become increasingly difficult for Kildare teams to compete with other counties with far greater resources at their disposal. The chief spokesman of the Audit Support Committee summed it up well:

“The choice is yours,” he emphasised adding “you either fund raise that extra €100,000 or simply we will have to go back to the players and team managers and tell them we have to cut you further, regardless of the consequences.”

bruschi

not wishing to start an argument with you klairondavis, or lest I be accused of being anti Kildare as I may dare to criticise, but is there any actual figures instead of percentages? Percentages tell very little in regards to money spent. they spend 35% of income on team preparation, but in years gone by, it was well up there as one of the highest in the country. I'm not sure how they are punching above their weight considering the 'cutbacks', seeing as no real cutback has yet been enforced.

What has happened the hurling there, IMO, is a disgrace, and is a slap in the face of all who do what they can to promote it. I know one club in particular in hurling, and obviously the Kildare manager is from Wexford, and I like hurling, and like seeing it promoted in other counties, so I wont lie and say I dont have an agenda or reason for the comments.

but as regards expenditure, for the last few years, Kildare were way up there at the highest level, and hurling doesnt factor into that. As a comparison, I know Wexfords expenditure on intercounty teams last year was €663,000. these are published figures released to club delegates. From what figures I have seen, Kildare spent €750k in 2011, and €600k last year on football alone (please correct me if I am wrong on that).

Kildare are obviously doing what they can to reduce costs, but it seems to me that the hurlers took the biggest hit. Wexford needed to reduce their costs, and Jason Ryan was a big financial drain on them, so there was a mutual parting of ways. But he will now be costing Kildare more than what he was costing Wexford. I just dont get how they can effectively keep 2 expensive managers on board whilst trying to cut costs.

An interesting article from last summer highlighting anomolies that occur in counties that overspend with no success.

http://www.irishexaminer.com/archives/2012/0628/opinion/money-matters-but-no-such-thing-as-guaranteed-success-198988.html

I made my point on the "loan" before so no need to go over old ground. It just seems to me that the board have mismanged funds and decisions badly, and are wording reports to try not make it sound as bad as it is. That kind of work only keeps the problem going, best off to just clear it all out and let everything out on the table. The same problems arose in Wexford, thankfully not to the same margins, but the new chairman came in and set out the figures as they were, and said they have to be fixed.

DARK-KNIGHT

As far as I'm aware Ryan isn't working in a managers role more a selectors role and because of that he couldn't possibly command same or close to money that he was getting in Wexford.

I fully agree with you bruschi re the hurlers getting hammered cuts wise compared to footballers.

I think the 100,000 is easily achievable to fundraise the Kildare lads have a massive following in the county..

Don't know how they will do it, but they should be able to manage the bulk of it..

One thing that annoys me is swapping jerseys they ain't cheap and seems like money wasted for me.. All gear should be reused without question. I think swapping of shirts has stopped as far as I'm aware but very wasteful act by any gaa player.

klairondavis

bruschi wrote: »

not wishing to start an argument with you klairondavis, or lest I be accused of being anti Kildare as I may dare to criticise, but is there any actual figures instead of percentages? Percentages tell very little in regards to money spent. they spend 35% of income on team preparation, but in years gone by, it was well up there as one of the highest in the country. I'm not sure how they are punching above their weight considering the 'cutbacks', seeing as no real cutback has yet been enforced.

What has happened the hurling there, IMO, is a disgrace, and is a slap in the face of all who do what they can to promote it. I know one club in particular in hurling, and obviously the Kildare manager is from Wexford, and I like hurling, and like seeing it promoted in other counties, so I wont lie and say I dont have an agenda or reason for the comments.

but as regards expenditure, for the last few years, Kildare were way up there at the highest level, and hurling doesnt factor into that. As a comparison, I know Wexfords expenditure on intercounty teams last year was €663,000. these are published figures released to club delegates. From what figures I have seen, Kildare spent €750k in 2011, and €600k last year on football alone (please correct me if I am wrong on that).

Kildare are obviously doing what they can to reduce costs, but it seems to me that the hurlers took the biggest hit. Wexford needed to reduce their costs, and Jason Ryan was a big financial drain on them, so there was a mutual parting of ways. But he will now be costing Kildare more than what he was costing Wexford. I just dont get how they can effectively keep 2 expensive managers on board whilst trying to cut costs.

An interesting article from last summer highlighting anomolies that occur in counties that overspend with no success.

http://www.irishexaminer.com/archives/2012/0628/opinion/money-matters-but-no-such-thing-as-guaranteed-success-198988.html

I made my point on the "loan" before so no need to go over old ground. It just seems to me that the board have mismanged funds and decisions badly, and are wording reports to try not make it sound as bad as it is. That kind of work only keeps the problem going, best off to just clear it all out and let everything out on the table. The same problems arose in Wexford, thankfully not to the same margins, but the new chairman came in and set out the figures as they were, and said they have to be fixed.

Speaking as someone who has been involved with a county hurling team over the past few years there have been significant cutbacks, across the board. Every single sliotar, bib and training cone has to be accounted for. I am not involved this year but I know each team is working within an even tighter budget. I don't like to see it painted as a hurling v football issue because I understand the football teams have had their budgets cut to a similar extent. I know Willie took his stance before Christmas on the hurling budget but he worked out a deal with KCB and it's great to see them back again winning the Kehoe Cup at the weekend.

The figures for last year were that €525,000 was spent on team preparation, of that figure €270,109 was spent on the senior footballers. I do not know what expenses Ryan or anyone else is getting but I cannot imagine they are in excess of what Grimley, O'Rourke or Rafferty received in previous years. The money simply isn't there and won't be for the foreseeable future. I don't know what the figures budgeted for 2013 are but I would imagine they are lower again.

The budget figures for 2013 were distributed to every delegate at the meeting. I was not present so can only go on what I have heard and what has been reported in the local media. From what I've been told, there was far less cloak and dagger stuff from the top table than in previous years. The situation was outlined in stark terms by Francis O'Connor from Celbridge and their plan for the year was presented.

Expenses are at a manageable level now, admittedly after many years of bad budgeting during better economic times. Increasing the revenue stream is now the major challenge. Getting Brady's on board as sponsors provides some sort of stability and hopefully the move to bring Club Kildare and KCB under the one umbrella will begin to bear fruit in the years ahead.

Red Crow

As I said before Club Kildare is a corporate supporters club for Kildare. Kildare need a cheaper and more efficient alternative supporters club along the lines of the Kilkenny supporters club. It's a far cheaper fee of €20-30 per year but you get the car sticker and what not while still putting something towards the set up. It's an amazing oversight really for a county that is fairly well supported.

Although Club Kildare isn't exactly expensive it appears to not be an option for a lot of people. Although as an entity Kildare GAA needs to be managed far better going into the future. Although a new stadium needs to be built as soon as possible.

klairondavis

Membership for Club Kildare should be looked at alright. I wonder has the GAA Season Ticket hit their membership at all because match tickets was one of the selling points of Club Kildare.

A new stadium is pie in the sky stuff. Newbridge needs a bit of a facelift but that is about it. A capacity of 10,000-15,000 is more than adequate for Kildare's needs. Any stadium in Kildare is unlikely to get any of the games that Portlaoise gets now. Look at Tullamore, fine stadium but it is very rarely used as a neutral ground, likewise Nolan Park in Kilkenny. A long term plan should be put into place with a view to upgrading Newbridge. Clearly the money is not there for it at the current time but KCB should be working on a plan that they could present to HQ sometime in the future.

roy rodgers

Gary white has left the kildare panel his tour of duty must go ahead straight away big lose to the panel in my opinion hopefully a few strings can be still pulled and he can be available for the summer. He played yesterday for sarsfields and the one and only dermo early also played for the full game. We might see him back in a white jersey yet. Smithy also played a full game and scored a few points.

DARK-KNIGHT

roy rodgers wrote: »

Gary white has left the kildare panel his tour of duty must go ahead straight away big lose to the panel in my opinion hopefully a few strings can be still pulled and he can be available for the summer. He played yesterday for sarsfields and the one and only dermo early also played for the full game. We might see him back in a white jersey yet. Smithy also played a full game and scored a few points.

Hey Roy how did dermot play??

Chalky will be a big loss but please god we might have him back in the summer..

More importantly stay safe chalky and get home to family, friends and club mates safe and sound...

CILL DARA ABÚ

klairondavis

It's a pity about Gary White but hopefully it's not the last we see of him for Kildare this year. He was playing very well recently alongside O'Neill. It's imperative now that we sort out the injuries of players around the middle third. Once we get Flynn and Callaghan back we will be a match for most teams around the middle.

klairondavis

Chalky is going on duty in May so there is no chance he will feature for Kildare this summer unfortunately.

klairondavis

The hurlers league match with Wicklow will be a curtain raiser to the footballers match with Dublin in Croke Park.

They start their league campaign at home to Laois on Sunday. It would be great for their progress if they have a good league campaign in what will be a tough division. It should be great preparation for the Christy Ring Cup this year.

DARK-KNIGHT

If rumours in kill are true local man Martin Fitzgerald who plays hurling in ardclough has stepped away from Kildare panel.. Klairon you probably know Martin is there any truth in it?? Great hurler real shining light in ardclough hurling...

DARK-KNIGHT

any of the boardsies heading to saint conleths for the kerry game?? cannot wait

roy rodgers

Yeah Im heading over to the match on Sunday. Should be an interesting game i say kildare will be favourites for it with the Kerry have been playing but they have a few players back from crookes i see the gooch is out which will be a big loss for them as they need some one to be hitting the points over.
Kildare have surprised me in the way they are playing and i think they will win this one.
It has been our best start this season under mcgeeny just hope we can keep it up but the lads looked focused and playing with a bit of style and i would be surprised if we are in the semi finals come the end of next month.
Is the match on telly does anyone know?? Love watching again after the match.

Fannyhead

roy rodgers wrote: »

Yeah Im heading over to the match on Sunday. Should be an interesting game i say kildare will be favourites for it with the Kerry have been playing but they have a few players back from crookes i see the gooch is out which will be a big loss for them as they need some one to be hitting the points over.
Kildare have surprised me in the way they are playing and i think they will win this one.
It has been our best start this season under mcgeeny just hope we can keep it up but the lads looked focused and playing with a bit of style and i would be surprised if we are in the semi finals come the end of next month.
Is the match on telly does anyone know?? Love watching again after the match.

Delayed coverage on TG4.

DDC1990

Here's a preview I did for the match this weekend.

Bare in mind this is done from a Kerry point of view, so sorry if i've got anything wrong on the Kildare side of things.

http://www.livegaelic.com/news/allianz-football-league-preview-kildare-vs-kerry/

As i've mentioned I think Kildare will be too strong for Kerry (I think I mentioned physicality or strength about 10 times in the article! :P )

Really worried about Tomás O'Connor. He's like an upgrade of the old Donaghy. Watched him at the weekend for DIT and he's a beast.

Gary White is an awful loss, big fan of his, but there are plenty of lads ready to step into the fold.

That Niall Kelly, looks like a real good footballer. Any other young lads coming through like him?

klairondavis

DDC1990 wrote: »

Here's a preview I did for the match this weekend.

Bare in mind this is done from a Kerry point of view, so sorry if i've got anything wrong on the Kildare side of things.

http://www.livegaelic.com/news/allianz-football-league-preview-kildare-vs-kerry/

As i've mentioned I think Kildare will be too strong for Kerry (I think I mentioned physicality or strength about 10 times in the article! :P )

Really worried about Tomás O'Connor. He's like an upgrade of the old Donaghy. Watched him at the weekend for DIT and he's a beast.

Gary White is an awful loss, big fan of his, but there are plenty of lads ready to step into the fold.

That Niall Kelly, looks like a real good footballer. Any other young lads coming through like him?

The one concern will be that we might struggle to win ball at midfield. Maher's absence would be a boost to Kildare's chances because Chalky will be hard for Kildare to replace. Even with Chalky there we struggled to get a grip at midfield against Cork until Cahalane was sent off. Daryl Flynn is still a few weeks away and Earley and Lynch are lacking match practice.

The young players have made a good start but the u21s play Meath in Navan next Wednesday and no one knows whether McGeeney will pick them or not. Alan Smith is back which will boost the forward line. I think it will be a tight game. The results of the opening two rounds are often blown completely out of proportion as Kildare know well from last season. Kerry were obviously in heavy training under our own Cian O'Neill and I don't think they will be as lead legged this weekend. The Crokes players will also bring about improvement even without Cooper. Brosnan and Buckley are big powerful players who will add a bit of steel to Kerry.

L1m1tless

Anyone got 2 spare tickets for Sunday? Looking to buy a pair

keane2097

I hear it's sold out yeah?

Prop Joe

Any spare tickets going boys?

colm1982

Also looking for a pair of tickets for Kildare vs Kerry if anyone has any to spare?

DARK-KNIGHT

The night before Kerry come to newbridge isn't the best time to look for tickets lads lol..

I only have mine sorry no luck for ye

roy rodgers

id say they will be selling tickets at the gate tomorrow get there early..

Frankie Lee

roy rodgers wrote: »

id say they will be selling tickets at the gate tomorrow get there early..

They won't be according to the people in Hawkfield.

klairondavis

I think there are going to be a lot of angry people turned away at the gate tomorrow. I can't remember any of Kildare's championship games in Newbridge even where there weren't tickets available at the gate. This limited capacity is a nonsense when the ground could comfortably hold more. The county board had their heads in the sand for too long and allowed the place to deteriorate into the mess it's in.

Frankie Lee

There is also the problem of Kerry having more than 1000 season ticket holders which been taken into consideration. Most of them won't travel.

roy rodgers

I remember years ago apart of the old barracks (left to the grounds when you walk in) was there and loads of people used to go up to the veranda and watch the match. there was no health and safety back then and no one was hurt..