COMMENT: Any day a point is gained in Healy Park is a good one for Kildare

What a weekend as both the Allianz and Lidl National Football Leagues got underway, while on Friday Club Kildare held another very successful Corporate Fundraiser Lunch in Lawlor's Hotel, Naas. A great afternoon thoroughly enjoyed by one and all.

On Saturday, it was off to Omagh to take on the Ulster champions and 2025 All-Ireland semi-finalists, Tyrone, a game the layers suggested, amongst others, that The Lilies had little or no chance.

On Sunday, it was the turn of the Ladies as they opened their Lidl National League campaign down south as they travelled to MTU Arena in Cork for a clash with the girls in red.

Again they faced a big task, in this, only their second season in Division 1, however, just like their male counterparts they came off with a more than credible share of the spoils.

Back to Saturday, just seven days previously Kildare had failed to close-off the O'Byrne Cup final against Westmeath, falling behind for the first time in the entire game in the 73rd minute.
Same old. Same old.

Still, as ever, The Lilies, travelled, not for the first time, with the view, maybe, might be, hopefully with a bit of luck, something might be gained. It was though a big ask. It was, without doubt, one of the most inexperienced Kidare sides that ever lined out in the Allianz Football League. Six Kildare players were making their League debut, with another two contributing off the bench.

My colleague, Richard Commins, pointed out, him being a major stats guru, the last time Kildare defeated Tyrone, they, Kildare actually, won the All-Ireland the following year. That was, wait for it, back in 1927.

Kildare 5-7 Tyrone 2-2 with Paul Doyle scoring 2-1, Gus Fitzpatrick 0-2 and Tom Keogh 1-1.
And, as all Lilies fans know, Kildare went on to win the Sam Maguire the following year, 1928, and have not one since, just as we are still waiting to record another win over Tyrone.

Still, and while they didn't record a win over The Red Hand boys on Saturday last, they certainly made one mighty great effort at doing so.

All in all a really incredible display from the boys from the Shortgrass, who lined out in their away navy shirts, led at the break by three, went behind after the interval, as Tyrone did their very best to bully their opponents on the resumption.
Kildare lost a player to a second yellow which saw them play out the last 20 minutes or so at a numerical disadvantage.

Going behind, working their way back with some mighty two- pointers, going behind again and then at the death, leveling with an outrageous two-pointer from Brian McLoughlin, one of the stars of the present coach Davy Burke's inaugural All-Ireland U20 winning side of 2018.

Tyrone came again, looked like they would nick it; Kildare responded and nearly did the impossible and defeat their northern opponents but in the end had to settle for a share of the points.

Great start. Mighty start. But now the hard part.
Following up on that so encouraging performance.
Offaly, Saturday, Cedral St Conleth's Park.
The mind immediately goes back to less than 12 months ago.
Three times these sides clashed.

Offaly won comfortably in the League and again in the League final.

However, Kildare hit back defeating Mickey Harte's side in the Tailteann Cup quarter-final.

Still Mickey Harte's record against The Lilies, regardless of who he (Harte) was looking after, is not great. In fact bordering on the shocking.

The Faithful lost out last Sunday to Louth but, if anything, that will give them even more of an incentive this Saturday.
Add in the local neighbouring rivalry and it has all the ingredients of a cracker.

Both Kildare and Offaly would have penciled this game as one to win. A win here would certainly set up Brian Flanagan's side nicely. It should draw a great crowd.

No where better than Cedral St Conleth's Newbridge these days for a game like this.
This is what they say, in the ground ball game, is a six-pointer.

Meanwhile the hurlers open their campaign, also on Saturday, when they renew acquaintances with The Dubs in Parnell Park, a game that throws-in at 7.30.

Kildare played them six days after winning the Joe Mac last term, we can expect a much bigger display from Brian Dowling's side this weekend, but they still face one hell of a challenge.

The Ladies take on Armagh, also in Conleth's on Sunday, a game that throws-in 2 pm; another big game to look forward to.

Fógra a haon: Entering O'Neill's Healy Park on Saturday we were met by a host of folk distributing leaflets in support of Palestine and calling for an end to the Allianz sponsorship of the AFL.
Fair enough, that is their right.

However when one throws an eye on the match day programme one aspect sticks out a mile, the word Allianz fails to get a mention, good bad or indifferent.

We always knew Ulster GAA are somewhat 'different' to the other provinces, experiences have told us that down the years.
However, at the end of the day this is a Croke Park fixture, surely the Ulster Council, Tyrone GAA or whoever is responsible, do not have the right to omit the sponsors name of a national competition.

As for the half-time 'demonstration' of support, not sure how those in Headquarters will look on that.
A bit of a law unto themselves up there.

Nothing we didn't know anyway.

Fógra a dó: Maybe it's a new way of doing things but looking at Niall Dolan of Kildare warming up before Saturday's game kicking a rugby ball, surely must be a first.

Not sure if this is something that has been brought into the Kildare senior football set-up, but either way Niall did not get an opportunity to show his kicking skills, either football or rugby.

Not sure if the home county on the day had any thoughts of that, then again it is often said, do whatever it takes.
Then again, maybe the new Raheens management are improving their kicking skills using an oval ball?

Luckily Tyrone had much bigger things on their minds, prior to and at half-time of this game to be concerned with a 'foreign' ball making it on their sacred turf of Healy Park!

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