INTERVIEW: New Kildare camogie manager ‘coming home’ to Lilies

Rob O’Neill has been appointed as Kildare senior camogie manager for 2026. Now part of Naas club for a considerable number of years the former Ballyhale Shamrocks man managed Kildare to the Leinster and All Ireland Minor ‘B’ Championships in 2023. He also managed the Wicklow team to the Leinster Junior title and the Premier Junior All Ireland semi-final earlier this year.

Speaking about his new role Rob O’Neill said, “We (Kildare) won the Leinster championship in a thrilling game down in Fenagh against Laois (in 2023). We then won the All-Ireland that year. Several of the players from that minor team were represented on the Maynooth and Naas teams in the senior County Final. I’m delighted that they are coming through. This is my way of coming back home to see if we can rebuild and see if we can set some achievable and measurable goals for 2026,” he explained.

He is happy with the players coming through in the county. “I know we have a very good conveyor belt of talent there. It’s just bringing those on to the senior squad and bringing them on to a place where they are used to seeing and having that elite mentality. I have no doubt that we will move the needle in the right direction,” he added.

Rob O’Neill is pleased with the response to his appointment. “I think there is a huge willingness within the club and within the county to bring themselves back up to where they belong and with the cohort of individuals coming through now and the number of players that have expressed an interest in playing, I have no doubt that we will reach the level that we were a few years ago,” he said.

The new manager is confident about player availability for 2026. “I have already put feelers out and the feedback that I’m getting is extremely positive. I think that we will be having the best players in Kildare playing for Kildare in 2026 and beyond.”

Two further coaches are to be appointed to his Management Team. “They all have experience in the club and in the county structure with that elite mentality and elite personality. From my tenure in Wicklow and what we achieved there I’m looking to bring some of that talent in with me as well.”

He will use his Ballyhale and Kilkenny experience to guide his philosophy for Kildare. “I actually grew up on an attacking game. I’m very much attack minded but you have to be defensive as well,” he explained.

The new Kildare manager will hold a Training Camp in November into December, play some challenge games against club sides still in championship and have a League panel for early December.

Management Team
Manager: Rob O’Neill (Naas)
Keith Heffernan (Maynooth)
Laura Smullen (Straffan)

Two other coaches to be appointed Iluta Ratkevica (S&C), Finbarr McCarthy (Stat's/Data Analysis) and
Aoife Timmons (Physio)

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