New Kildare GAA season about unfold as player return to training for their county

We may be just edging into the Festival Season but for senior inter-county footballers and hurlers the 2023 season is already up and running with full scale training having returned some ten days or so ago.

Needless to say before the embargo on collective training was lifted players had their individual gym schedules so were not coming back to the training field 'cold.'

For Kildare footballers and hurlers Brave Heart Hill on the Curragh has been a busy spot while Hawkfield is buzzing once again, not that the Manguard Plus Centre of Excellence has been all that quiet for the past month or so.

A bonus for the Kildare footballers has been a five day trip to Lanzarote for a bit of training with the sun on the backs (just returned on Monday last) before preparations for the new season kicks in big time.

As usual the O'Byrne Cup is first on the schedule , which gets under way in early January with three games guaranteed, at least, starting on Wednesday January 4 with an away game against Wexford, a game that throws in at 8 pm if you don't mind.

That is followed the following Saturday when Louth visit Newbridge (2pm) and then the following Wednesday January 11) evening when The Lilies travel to the Lake County — another 8pm throw-in game.

The semi-finals of the O'Byrne Cup are scheduled for Sunday January 15 with the final fixed for Friday January 2023, so all-in-all a fairly hectic schedule but a great opportunity to get some game time under the collective belts while also being an opportunity to see how new personnel are faring out.

Speaking of new personnel it is understood that there is a turn-around of some 25 per cent of players on the new Kildare (football) panel, with eight or nine new additions and a similar number of departures.
Meanwhile David Herity's hurlers face a similar type of schedule (but no sunshine preparation for the sliothar boys) as they compete in the Kehoe Cup with the participants being Carlow, Meath, Kildare, Down and Wicklow.

The opening game here is on Thursday January 4, at home to Wicklow with the following games being played on Sunday January 8 (Kildare have a bye), 15, 22 and 29 with the winners being who ever finishes top of the table after the four games.
The 2023 panel will see a turn-over of players even bigger than their football counterparts — in or around a third of changes in personnel, so around ten in and ten out, which is a fairly substantial figure.

There is little doubt that from January on there is very little let-up for senior county footballers and hurlers and while this time around they are guaranteed a four day break at Christmas they will be into full swing immediately after that.

The Allianz Football and Hurling Leagues then commence late January so very little time for bedding in so to speak.
The official fixtures have not been announced as we go to press but it would be unusual if there were many changes from the provisional list that we published here a few weeks ago. It is expected that the official fixtures will be know before this week is out.

The split season seems to have been generally welcomed by county players but it certainly leads to a very busy schedule at this time of year and if anyone thinks the 2022 schedule was a busy one, 2023 will be a lot more intense and it will certainly be very interesting to hear the views of all the main stake holders at the end of next season.
Football-wise the Allianz Football League is huge for The Lilies.

Division 2 has always been a competitive league but now, apart from promotion and relegation, the prospect of dropping down to the Tailteann Cup, depending on where a county finishes in the league, is massive.

Just one year again in Division 1 was a big disappointment last season and what a boost it would be if Glenn Ryan's side could climb back to the top table — a big ask no doubt — but finishing in the upper half of the league would not just be welcome but vital.

All in all the early season schedule is a major ask of players, it is a huge commitment what with training, gym work and games both league and championship.

And a life to live also!