COMMENT: Time to readjust, reset and go again for Kildare

The stadium was practically empty except for one or two reporters who were filing copy to their respective papers.
Empty except for Kildare players who, having had their after-match grub, slowly emerged as they headed for their cars or whatever. Slow is the proverbial word.

They walked along the sideline in ones and twos, heads down, just wanting to vacate the premises.
It had been one of those days.

Another one of those days that have tested the morale, the courage and the belief of players who had now chalked up defeat no. 5 of their seven game Division 2 programme.

The Allianz protesters had vanished, thank god, even the Palestenian flag bearers had had enough and they too had departed the scene, no doubt off planning their next point of call.

Looking at the players, looking totally dejected, totally down and totally gutted, one could not but feel for them. They, after all, are the ones who put in the effort, week in and week out; mostly unnoticed and unseen by the general public.
Kildare had come into this competition with much anticipation, much hope and much belief.

However, the more one thinks about it, the more one analyses the situation the question has to be asked did we, yes we, not go beyond our station believing that having been runners-up in Division 3 of the Allianz Football League last season, suddenly with a host of untried and untested players everything in the garden would be rosy, not only that but many were even dreaming of Division 1 football.

Hindsight, of course, is always a great thing; hindsight often tells us and shows us things that we had maybe been thinking about, maybe concerned about but not discussing.

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As manager Brian Flanagan said in his after-match chat on Sunday's game the gap between Division 3 and Division 2 of the Allianz Football League is massive.

The gap between Division 2 and Division 1 is not as wide as between Division 3 and 2.

Yet, here we were not just expecting to retain our Division 2 status but hoping, some at any rate, hoping to make it all the way to the top division, sitting along side the elite teams.

Yet it all began so promising.

Or did it?
A draw with Tyrone on the opening evening up north saw The Lilies take home what was regarded as a brilliant point.
Motor on a week and the first home game saw Kildare welcome our nearest and dearest from down the road — Offaly.

These sides had met three times in 2025, with The Faithful coming out on top twice, but still it was hoped that a win could be achieved and if so, the foundation was laid for a really successful campaign.

The win was achieved and with another home game next up, albeit against Derry, the omens were good, the omens were positive, we were firmly on our way, firmly assured (almost) of retaining our divisional status.

That was the aim and as we said many months ago, the no. 1 objective in the season that was 2026 was to retain Division 2 status and build on that come 2027.

Against Derry The Lilies, with a near storm blowing down the pitch saw Kildare win the toss and elect to play against the near hurricane.

It went well. Very well. Early on at least.

And with Derry's Conor Glass picking up an early red, well one felt this is an opportunity not to be missed.

Kildare were reduced to 14 before the break, advantage gone, but incredibly went into the comfort of the dressing room leading by four clear points.

And with the wind on the backs of The Lilies in the second half, it was a position any team could only have hoped to be in. Within minutes, yes, literally minutes, that four point lead had been wiped off the slate as Derry grew in confidence while Kildare simply fell apart, fell asunder.

In the end there was three points separating the sides, Derry departed with two precious points while Kildare were left wondering how this one could have gone so far wrong.

Still, there was hope and with Cavan next up, it was looked upon as an opportunity to get things back on track. Cavan had been struggling heretofore, and were looked upon as one of the prime contenders for the drop. The opening half of that one was a game that one could have nightmares over.

Injuries, like every game Kildare have played this season played a part but not enough a part to suggest Kildare would come away with anything other than two points safely tucked away in the bag.

It was a game, a throw-back to pre New Rules times, lacking in pace, lacking in passion, lacking in , you name it, everything.

The half times score read 0-5 apiece, probably the lowest scoring inter-county game in every single division since the New Rules were introduced.

And it certainly did not improve in the second half as Kildare added a mere eight points while the boys from Cavan tacked on eleven white flags. The signs were there. And with Meath next up, suddenly the feeling was not good.

The Royals came and went home with smiles as wide as the River Boyne as they gave Kildare a lesson as the home boys , for the second game in a row, chalked up a first half total of five points (to Meath's 1-9). In the second half Kildare doubled their total to ten while the boys in green and gold tacked on twelve to win in a canter by fourteen points.

Cork were next up, a side gaining momentum with every game, they blew The Lilies out of the water, eight two-pointers in the opening half, they led by sixteen at the break, eventually winning by nine after Kildare upped their game considerably on the resumption, but of course not enough. And so to Sunday. Louth, Kildare's bogey team down the years.

Hamstring injuries again played a part. If anyone is interested in doing a thesis on hamstring injuries, they should drop down to Conleth's Park where they will find more damaged hamstrings than they are ever like to see or hear about in an entire season. Division 3 beckons.

The Leinster Championship beckons. The All-Ireland Series beckons. Expectations are suddenly readjusted. Expectations are suddenly more realistic, even by Kildare standards. A game against Offaly or Laois in four weeks time in Newbridge.

An opportunity?
Absolutely and that is not being overly optimistic (hopefully).