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15 Apr 2026
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15 Apr 2026
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Kildare manager Brian Dowling at full-time of the Allianz Hurling League Division 2 final, Photo by Sean Brilly
“The scoreline (4-22 to 3-18)is probably a bit hard on us. We are obviously very disappointed that we didn’t get the victory here. We know Down are an excellent team, they have top class forwards and they hurt us a lot during that game. I think the response we had in the second half was top class too, we went eight points up and we’ll have to look at what happened after we went those eight clear” the words of Brian Dowling after Kildare’s Allianz Hurling League Division 2 final
defeat.
It was disappointing that we conceded a couple of goals and probably some of our own making too. Conceding from long balls into the square is disappointing, but we just have to move on from it now and three weeks' time against Kerry is what it's all about.”
The Kildare manager has remained steadfast in his stance that it is all about the Championship season ahead throughout their league campaign. Promotion is secured and Kildare will face Kerry in three weeks in a crucial Joe McDonagh Cup opening fixture.
“We wouldn’t be happy with our first half performance today. Down were very clinical with every chance that they got. They were putting things away and we probably left two goal chances behind us. The wind was very strong out there and we probably needed to be seven or eight points up at half-time. It was only two, but to turn around then and go eight up you would think it was in our hands, but we dropped away in that second half” Dowling said.
“It’s a tough game and a tough game to play, but we have to learn from it. Every Joe McDonagh game is going to be tough and tougher than that (game). We have to learn quickly and move on from it.”
The evaporation of Kildare's lead in the second half so soon after building it was the key for Down. The Lilies' burgeoning confidence was quickly turned to anxiously clinging on to the maintenance of a slender lead.
With tougher tasks on the horizon, it remains to be seen if this game will be the perfect lesson or indicative of what is to come.
Dowling added, “Kildare have never won a Joe McDonagh game so we have to change that this year if we want to go places. That is the aim. The lads won last week and got promoted, which is a brilliant achieve- ment, but we wanted to win this, it is a national title. Now we just have to get right for three weeks time.”
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