PREVIEW: Tough task awaits Kildare in Omagh for league opener

The real action gets underway on Saturday evening when Kildare make the long journey to Healy Park, Omagh, to tackle the home side in the opening round of the Allianz Football League Division 2, a game that throws-in at 6 pm.

After enjoying a great, and successful season of 2025, The Lilies are certainly in for a baptism of fire on Saturday when they take on Tyrone, who were relegated from the top table last season despite being on the same points and scoring difference as Armagh but Kieran McGeeney's men survived having defeated Tyrone in the league; Derry were the second side that dropped into Division 2 while Kildare and Offaly came up from Division 3.

Having been appointed in late 2024 Malachy O'Rourke remains in charge of Tyrone. The former Fermanagh player is a highly regarded manager having previously taken charge of his native county along with Monaghan.

While relegation was a blow to The Oak Leaf county, they dusted themselves down and made it all the way to the Ulster final, losing out to Armagh by the minimum.

Moving on to the All-Ireland Series, they topped their group defeating Donegal and Cavan (losing out to Mayo) and then made it to the All-Ireland semi-final where they bowed out to the soon-to-be crowned All-Ireland champions, Kerry.

So while it is Divison 2 have no doubt Tyrone remain one of the top teams in the country and one with huge ambitions.
Kildare, over the past five years have had very mixed form in the league.

Back in 2020 they finished third in Divison 2, while a year later they gained promotion to Divison 1; were relegated in 2022; finished fifth in 2023; relegated in 2024 (after failing to win a single game) and then in '25, now under Brian Flanagan, bounced back gaining promotion, with Offaly, back to Division 2.

The Lilies have lost a host of players through retirements, and whatever, players of the calibre of Mick O'Grady, Daniel Flynn, David Hyland, Ryan Houlihan and Niall Kelly, to name just a few, so an incredible amount of experience in that group gone.
And with a fair few players out injured including Darragh Kirwan, James McGrath, Tommy Gill, Colm Dalton, amongst others, the task facing Kildare in their opening game of this league is immense.

Don't think Kildare have ever got the better of Tyrone up north and to take anything away from Healy Park on Saturday evening would certainly be a bonus.

Still with so many new players on the panel, it is definitely an opportunity to experience what competitive inter-county senior football is all about.

There are a lot of new talented players on Brian Flanagan's side, it will take time for them to find their feet, to blend it but in fairness up this point, they have done well but we are about to go up a fair few notches come this weekend.

Tyrone, under O'Rourke, will have a quick bounce back to Division 1 as one of their top priorities, they will be well prepared, well up for the job and will not lack confidence, against a Kildare side that could possibly show as many as six or seven changes from the side that won The Tailteann Cup in July of 2025.

Brian Flanagan has added to his backroom team with former successful U20 All-Ireland manager, Davy Bourke, coming on board. It will be interesting to see how Davy blends in with the management team.

The Confey man has been in charge of Roscommon over the past three years, managed Wicklow for a year, being the youngest inter-county manager at that stage, while he also guided Sarsfields to their last senior title in 2019, so a wealth of experience from a man who knows Kildare players very well, has first class knowledge of many who were involved with him in that All-Ireland success of 2018, and it will be interesting to see how his involvement back in Kildare pans out.

Davy is known as a man not shy to give his opinion, not shy to give instructions during a game, while also being very popular with players.

But at the end of the day a manager and his players, can only do so much, once players cross that white line it is up to them to show what they are capable of.

Brian Flanagan, no matter how one looks at it, has had a great opening season in 2025. Promotion, Tailteann Cup success and now back in the All-Ireland Series, all positive in a twelve month spell. Still, patience will be required and that's for sure.

A tough opening game followed by a crucial game seven days later when Offaly come to Newbridge, another Saturday evening outing.

It's all systems go.
Fasten the seat belts.
Let the action begin.
And most importantly,
Keep the faith!

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