Photo: MichaelMaye.com
What with the amount of snow that dumped down on Kildare and surrounding counties last week, justifiable fears have been expressed as to whether or not the pitch at St Conleth’s Park in Newbridge will be playable on Sunday. It appears those concerns have now been allayed.
A piece in the Irish Sun today (here) quotes a Kildare GAA spokesperson who confirmed that “the match will definitely be played at St Conleth’s Park, the pitch is fine.” So, then, it appears to be the case that all roads lead to Newbridge for Sunday’s must-win fixture.
Thanks Willie Joe for update. I find myself saying this before every game “please let there be no first minute goals let in..please no one be sent off..a fair ref..no injuries and take the frees”. Up Mayo!
Hopefully the break will have done everyone good. We need them points this weekend. More intensity and accuracy would bring us a long way to getting them. Alot of chat about caff as full back and how he has faired out over the years and recently. During horans time our half back line was our attacking platform and too often the play broke down and left him exposed. That game plan requires expert handling of possession and the ball must go dead at the other end. Caff struggled with physical ff as he was not the real aggressive type. I don’t think he is the answer now . My pick for full back would be aos. Sweeper in front of him and we would be more difficult go break down. Aiden is big. Good tackler and can read the game. Good kick passer which would be very handy to turn defence into attack. Conor Loftus would be my new play maker at number 11. He has craft and would be more of scoring threat. So if fit this would be my team for Sunday
Clarke
Crowe Aiden o shea o Donohoe
Keegan durcan boyler
Parsons coen
Kevin mac Loftus diarmuid
Gallagher cillian doherty
Kevin mac can move deeper and Doherty out to half forward.
There is absolutely no way Conor loftus is ready to play in such a pivotal position
He can barely win his own ball in the corner
New kick out rule means AOS is a must in the middle sector
Any particular reason you are not starting Andy is this must win game?
Conor will find more room on the half forward line. He has a good range of passing. Reserving Andy to finish out the game. Sos also to be in reserve. Doherty diarmuid can win there own ball. Parsons is great ball winner. So I reckon we should have enough ball winners if we go long.
I still have sympathy for Caff. He doesn’t get the protection he should, so often he has to cope with his own man and others who have had a complete free run in on him as well. That’s a price you pay for attacking half backs. But he doesn’t deserve all the blame. And it isn’t today or yesterday this started. Fair play is bonney play.
If Andy was playing full forward on AOS he would clean him .Not having a go at the Big man but nippy forward would turn him inside out with pace and agility. AOS needed out the middle where he can play to his strengths . Could see full back line change throughout championship depending on opposition – 3 all stars to return in Keith , Harrison and Barrett so maybe not all doom and gloom
Agree Up Mayo re Caff .
My Panel For Kildare Sunday
1.David Clarke
2.Eoin O’Donoghue
3.Ger McDonagh
4.Caolan Crowe
5.Lee Keegan
6.Shane Nally/ Paddy Durcan
7.Colm Boyle
8.Tom Parsons
9.Aidan O’Shea
10.Kevin McLoughlin
11.Adam Gallagher
12.Diarmuid O’Connor
13.Jason Doherty
14.Andy Moran
15.Cillian O’Connor
Subs
Ciaran Treacy
Conor Loftus
Neil Douglas
Seamus O’Shea
Peter Naughton
Fergal Boland
Stephen Coen
James Stretton
Robbie Hennelly
@spectre, Aidan was getting turned by Donaghy last August and would be cleaned by a smaller, faster forward. No county has a 6′ 4” full back so I don’t understand people wanting to put Aidan or Jason Gibbons back there. They would be cleaned, end of.
I like the look of that team @Westport2018. Think it’s our best bet for the weekend.
With a sweeper in front of aiden and decent defending in my opinion it could be good option. Sure he lacks mobility full stop. Where ever he plays. It’s just my opinion. Just because no other county may not have a guy his size at full back it don’t mean we can’t have one. He dine alright against donaghy and from what I remember we played great football further up the field. Our forward play was faster
Like your team Westport2018. My only addition would be a second midfield option in the bench such as Kirby.
Our points difference is -11, the same as Kildare, it just shows that we have being at about the same level as them so far. We must have missed at least 11 very scorable frees so far, nailing more of those will be a start anyway!
Only one man for the Number Three shirt and that’s Ger McDonagh. Other than for a cameo against Galway, fashioned by an injury to Caff, he hasn’t gotten a look-in during the NFL, and it’s hard to fathom why not.