Brian Dowling names Kildare team for league opener with Dublin
After a week one bye, the Kildare hurlers face Dublin this Saturday, January 31 in their opening Allianz Hurling League Division 1B clash
After a week one bye, the Kildare hurlers face Dublin this Saturday, January 31 in their opening Allianz Hurling League Division 1B clash. Throw-in is set for 7:30pm in Parnell Park and Brian Dowling has named his team as The Lilies tackle a Dublin team with already one league game under their belt.
KILDARE: Paddy McKenna; Liam O Reilly, Rian Boran, Evan O Briain; Paul Dolan, Dan O'Meara, Daire Guerin; Alan Goss, Cathal McCabe; Caolan Smith, Gerry Keegan, Jack Travers; Jack Sheridan, Muiris Curtin, James Dolan.
BENCH: Mark Doyle, Cathal Derivan, Cathal Dowling, Cian Boran, Tim Ryan, Tom Power, Harry Carroll, Matt Eustace, Conan Boran, Simon Leacy, Conn Kehoe.
The Lilies' last competitive outing was against Kilkenny in the Walsh Shield final and Brian Dowling's men put in a more than respectable showing, leading throughout the game before Kilkenny took over down the home stretch. This game will be a stiff test for Kildare who will be hoping to put in a much better showing than they were able to last year when the side's met just six days after the Joe McDonagh Cup final.
The Dubs narrowly lost their league opener to Clare, 3-18 to 1-22, when they visited Cusack Park in Ennis and will be chomping at the bit to get their first league points of 2026 on the board.