Comment: Not the best start to the New Year in Kildare

Hold God but thas been some week, what with two O'Byrne Cup matches along with two All-Ireland Club semi-finals, the biggest problem was deciding which was the game to go to (on Saturday) but we did, got all covered as you can read in this week's edition.

The action began at our new 'home' in Netwatch Park on Wednesday and while it was not an official 'home' game for The Lilies on that occasion, it was nevertheless a visit to take on Niall Carew's side, a game that saw Glenn Ryan and his management put out a fairly strong side.

In the end a somewhat comfortable win and with a few of the new lads getting game-time it was more than a useful exercise with a thirteen point win recorded.

And so on to Saturday and a trip to Pairc Tailteann, Navan as Allenwood took on St Patrick's Cullyhanna with a place in the All-Ireland final up for grabs.

But when the boys from Armagh took to the pitch in Navan sure I nearly fell off the bit of a seat I was sitting on in the press box thinking it was my old friends from Ardclough that were taking to the pitch.

Very similar colours but that was where the comparison ended as we witnessed a big strong, very physical side line up against The Blues of Allenwood.

Big outsiders, the Kildare lads certainly gave the hot favs much to ponder and after surviving a goal opportunity for St Pat's from the off; Allenwood opened up a three point lead with some top class play.

By half-time that was overturned to a one point deficit; followed by a quick-fire goal on the resumption for the northerners which put Allenwood on the back burner and while they tried and tried their hearts out they ultimately came up short by a mere three points.

Don't think I have seen Johnny Doyle as disappointed in a long time as he was after that game.
He used the word 'disappointed' and 'hurting' on a fair few occasions in an after-match chat and you could really feel for him as he dissected what went wrong.

Having said that Johnny is a player who showed just how much a role model he is, and can be, for younger players.
“Sport is a greedy game,” he said, “no matter how far you go you want to go an extra step.”
How right he is.

The former county man added “unfortunately it didn't fall our way today but that's sport you have to dust yourself down”, adding “but while there are a lot bigger problems in the world today than a football match but when you put so much into it, it simply hurts and it is hurting today.”

Uachtarán Cumann Luthcleas Gael, Larry McCarthy, was at Saturday's game and went out of his way to shake Johnny's hand after the match.
And he was not alone.

Incredibly the amount of young, and not so young, Cullyhanna fans that looked for photos of themselves with the former Kildare county man, tells its own story, and Johnny accommodated each and every one of them.
Johnny summed up the day and game as only he can.

“Losing today after a great season is a bit like a death,” he said, adding “you mourn for a while and then you look back on the positives and there are plenty of them there; we are Leinster champions, Kildare champions; no one gave us a chance at the start of the year and that is not being disrespectful because we had not earned that right to be favourites but we got better and grafted all the way; have to say I am very proud of the lads.”

As are all at Allenwood, throughout the county and further afield of you Johnny, and that's for sure.
At the same time (don't get be going) Milltown were attempting to make, or add, to their own bit of history as they took on another Ulster team, Arva of Cavan in the junior semi-final equivalent.

Unfortunately they were out of luck and while they did not get as close to their opponents as Allenwood did, they certainly will recall, re-live and re-play the season of 2023 for many a long day.

An incredible achievement for two small clubs, a mere few miles apart — and from the same parish — made it to just one game short of heading to Croke Park; both have done their club, their county and themselves extremely proud.
And the action did not end there on Saturday.

A half an hour after both Allenwood and Milltown had commenced Glenn Ryan's Kildare side took to the field of Wexford Park in the O'Byrne Cup as they were looking to book a place in this season’s semi-final of the early season competition.
More disappointment here.

The Lilies, yes were not at full strength, made ten changes from the side that started the previous Wednesday against Carlow, but nevertheless were hot favs to advance.
It was, however, not to be.

Level at half-time Wexford, with three goals in total took the honours by four and advance to the last four and a meeting with a Dublin side that would be hard to recognise from their team sheet.

For Kildare though this was a big disappointment but in fairness probably not too much should be read into it, nevertheless another, at least, competitive game prior to the start of the Allianz Football League on the last Saturday of the month would have, no doubt, be welcomed by the players and especially the team management.

Having said that it will give all involved time and space to fully focus on the upcoming opening game of the League when they take on Cavan in Netwatch Cullen Park.

A win in that game is certainly more important, and vital, that winning the O'Byrne Cup, but we will come back to that in a week or two time.

Overall a very disappointing weekend of football action but for now it is onwards and upwards.
And this weekend it is the turn of the hurlers to take to the field as they travel to Bray to take on Wicklow in the opening game of the Kehoe Cup with new manager Brian Dowling getting his first opportunity to throw the rule over his squad.
See preview page 41.