From relegation to minor triumph- The Kildare GAA review of the year

As the dust settles on 2015 it is a fitting time to take a look at everything that happened in Kildare men's football over the past 12 months. There was plenty of heartbreak for the senior side, jubilation for the minors and agony for the U21 team. Hopes remain high for a better 2016 however. Division Three beckons Jason Ryan’s second year in charge of the Kildare senior footballers got off to a promising start as Kildare breezed their way through to the O’Byrne Cup final in January where they eventually lost out to Dublin after extra-time in the final in St Conleth’s Park. Ryan would have been quite happy with his preparations for the 2015 National League campaign as the likes of Padraig Fogarty and Darroch Mulhall scored freely during the pre-season competition. Hopes were high that Ryan could guide the Lilywhites back into Division One of the National League following their relegation the previous spring, but things could hardly have gone much worse. An exhilarating opening game in St Conleth’s Park against Down ultimately ended in a high-scoring four point defeat, while a derby defeat to rivals Meath in the next game all but assured Kildare would not be playing Division One football in 2016. From that point on it was damage limitation but a further disheartening defeat to fellow relegation candidates Westmeath left Ryan’s charges in a hole. The fourth round of the competition saw Kildare travel to Kingspan Breffni Park where Cavan awaited. Daniel Flynn and Eoghan O’Flaherty came to the fore for the visitors, scoring a goal each as Kildare won 2-13 to 0-14. [caption id="attachment_65729" align="alignnone" width="420"] Eoghan O'Flaherty's fine league campaign couldn't prevent Kildare from being relegated.[/caption] It was hoped that this win would kickstart the campaign, but the concession of 0-24 at home to Roscommon ensured this was not to be the case. The next game say the men in white battling to avoid relegation, and when Emmett Bolton’s last gasp goal away to Laois secured a three point victory, it meant that both Laois and Westmeath would join Kildare in an exciting final matchday to see who would be consigned to Division Three. Laois lost away to Down, while Westmeath fell to defeat at home to Roscommon, meaning a win for Kildare over Galway would see them remain in the division. Kildare’s final performance was somewhat lacking in bite however, with a Shane Walsh inspired Galway winning 3-12 to 1-12. U21’s fall at final hurdle The county’s U21 side were denied a Leinster Championship success by a supremely talented Dublin side at the beginning of April. Kildare had put together quite a strong side with the likes of senior stars Niall Kelly and David Hyland providing some vital experience, while Neill Flynn was in splendid form throughout the championship. Comprehensive victories over Offaly and Meath set up a showdown with Dublin, but the Sky Blues made it three titles in four years with a 3-10 to 1-12 win over the Lilywhites. Neill Flynn’s magnificent 11 point haul wasn’t enough as Dublin senior panellist Cormac Costello netted two goals which ultimately proved crucial. Dubs crush Kildare’s Leinster hopes While even the staunchest of Kildare fans would have hesitated in backing his side to make the Leinster final with Dublin on the same side of the draw, few would have been prepared for the pummelling received at the hands of the Dubs. Laois were the first up in the Leinster Championship, a game that looked finely balanced on paper. It ended up being a thrilling encounter as Kildare battled back from a three point deficit in the final minutes as a brace of Eoghan O’Flaherty frees brought them to within a point of the leaders, before Tommy Moolick, who had been sprung from the bench, landed a late equaliser to force a replay. The replay was expected to be just as tight, but Kildare produced one of their best performances of the 2015 season to wallop the O’Moore men by 3-18 to 1-11. Eoghan O’Flaherty was again influential, notching 1-4, while Gary White and Paul Cribbin were dominant in midfield. Up next were the Dubs, with hopes of delivering a performance against the Leinster kingpins all that was realistically expected. Kildare slumped to a humiliating 19-point defeat in the Leisnter semi-final, with the Dublin full-forward line of Dean Rock, Diarmuid Connolly and Bernard Brogan plundering 5-10 between them in a blisterning display. It was by far the worst defeat in living memory for the Lilywhites as they went out of the Leinster Championship on a scoreline of 5-18 to 0-14. [caption id="attachment_65728" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Diarmuid Connolly helped inspire the Dubs to a massive victory.[/caption] The Kids are alright While the senior footballers were dumped out of the Leinster Championship thanks to a defeat at the hands of the capital county, the minors were busy building their own memories on the same day. Despite losing to Louth in the first round of the Leinster Championship, Brendan Hackett’s young side earned a semi-final spot thanks to consecutive one-point victories over Offaly and Laois. The semi-final between Kildare and Dublin was one of the best games throughout the 2015 football championship in any grade, as Kildare edged out Dublin on a scoreline of 3-16 to 3-13. Jimmy Hyland, Matthew Kelly and Rory Feely bagged the goals for the young Lilywhites, while Sarsfields pair Conor Hartley and Shea Ryan were exceptional around the middle. A Leinster final date with Longford beckoned. The Leinster final victory over the midlanders was probably the most complete performance that Kildare put in all year, with Jimmy Hyland shooting the lights out with seven points from play in a stunning individual display that helped his side to a 2-15 to 1-9 win. Kildare continued their knack for winning close encounters at the quarter-final stage, as they saw off Cavan on a scoreline of 2-14 to 2-12. Again Hyland was a central figure as he scored 1-4, but his partner in the full-forward line, Ciaran Kelly, was the star man as he stapled 1-7 onto the scoreboard. A semi-final meeting with Tipperary awaited, and it ultimately ended in heartbreak as 14-man Tipperary were excellently led to their 0-11 to 0-9 victory by midfielder Jack Kennedy. Wish you were here Much of the narrative surrounding Kildare in 2015 was concerning players who weren’t involved with the team. Hugh Mc Grillen and Morgan O’Flaherty announced that they would not be part of the Kildare panel for 2015 before the season started, but Tomás O’Connor’s decision to leave the panel in April came as quite a shock. The defeat to Dublin in the Leinster Championship semi-final also marked the end of David Hyland’s and Darroch Mulhall’s involvement with Kildare in 2015. The Athy duo opted to go the States for the remainder of the summer. [caption id="attachment_60201" align="alignnone" width="800"] David Hyland left for America following defeat to Dublin.[/caption] Another false dawn for the seniors In the immediate aftermath of the Athy duo, Kildare had to pick themselves up for a qualifier clash with Offaly. It was a tense affair, with Kildare obviously still reeling from defeat to Dublin, but they came out the right side of a 1-15 to 1-13 scoreline. The only side to lose by more than Kildare did to Dublin in 2015 was Longford, so it was somewhat apt that the two sides met each other in Round 3 of the All-Ireland qualifiers. Kildare did their best to banish the demons of that Dublin defeat, blowing Longford away on a scoreline of 2-24 to 0-11. A Semple Stadium date with Cork in the fourth round of the qualifiers awaited, a game which most people weren’t giving Kildare much of a chance in. In what was surely Jason Ryan’s finest moment in charge, Kildare dismantled Cork with attacking verve and style as they comfortably trounced the Rebels in Thurles. Despite putting 13 men behind the ball a lot of the time, Cork were unable to handle Niall Kelly as the 21-year-old produced his best display in a Lilywhites jersey today. The likes of Eoghan O’Flaherty, Eoin Doyle and Paul Cribbin were outstanding on the day as they recorded a 1-21 to 1-13 win to set up an All-Ireland quarter-final meeting with Kerry. The less said about the Kerry match the better, with all the good will generated from the Cork victory soon dissipating as Kerry romped to a 27-point victory as they smashed seven goals past Mark Donnellan in the Kildare goal. Changing of the guard Just over three weeks after the hammering by Kerry, Jason Ryan tendered his resignation to the Kildare County Board. While his time in charge of Kildare was muddled with departures from the team. Johhny Doyle(retired), Paddy Brophy, Seanie Hurley, Daniel Flynn(all AFL), Hugh McGrillen, Morgan O’Flaherty, Tomás O’Connor, David Hyland and Darroch Mulhall were all unavailable to him at different times for various reasons during his tenure. His 40% win record in the league and championship was ultimately a disappointment, and the former Wexford manager’s decision to step down was hardly a surprise. There was much debate over who would take over the reins, but Cian O’Neill was ratified on 6 October. It seems a match made in heaven, and it feels like the right match for all parties concerned. O’Neill has a good platform in Division Three to build upon this year and the former Mayo trainer has been saying all the right things in the build up to his first season in charge of the Lilywhites. [caption id="attachment_57675" align="alignnone" width="642"] Cian O'Neill was announced as the new Kildare football manager in October.[/caption] Kildare hurling takes in a Limerick legend It came as somewhat of a shock when Brian Lawlor stepped down from his role as Kildare Senior Hurling manager, but the Tipperary man opted not to renew his contract in August. Despite a chastening defeat to Kerry in this year’s Christy Ring Cup semi-final, Lawlor can look back on his achievements with Kildare and draw great pride from those. Lawlor guided the hurlers to the county’s first ever Christy Ring Cup in 2014 before sealing promotion to Division 2A of the National League in 2015. Joe Quaid was soon registering his interest in the job, and his appointment appears to be somewhat of a coup considering the record he has with Limerick as a player. His experience will bring something different to the table, and like his footballing counterpart O’Neill, Quaid certainly seems to be projecting the right ideas as he seeks to build a better long term future for Kildare hurling. [caption id="attachment_59842" align="alignnone" width="640"] Joe Quaid steps into the role as Kildare Senior Hurling manager.[/caption]