Huge weekend of games in store as 4 Kildare teams face knockout championship ties

Kildare’s momentous win over Mayo on Saturday evening has set the Lilywhites up for a make or break match with Fermanagh this weekend that decides which team goes through to the Super 8 series.

The Lilywhites were drawn against the beaten Ulster finalists in Monday morning’s qualifier draw, and Navan has been chosen as the venue for the big game on Saturday which throws in at 7pm. Fermanagh come into the game on the back of a 12-point hammering at the hands of Donegal in the Ulster final, but they have enjoyed wins over Armagh and Monaghan in the provincial series that highlighted the potential of Rory Gallagher’s side.

Kildare are not exactly well suited to facing a system such as the Ernesiders, who pack the defence and look to utilise the power of the Quigley brothers up front and the hard-running of Aidan Breen and Ryan Jones to deliver the scores.

The Lilywhites were knocked out of the Leinster Championship when they faced a similar gameplan against Carlow earlier this year, while they have found it tough going against sides such as Armagh, Galway and Down over the last couple of years, all of whom are sides that were prepared to get a large number of men behind the ball.

The hope is that the Kildare management’s analysis of the Fermanagh gameplan and their experience from previous similar encounters with a defensive system may see them gain the upperhand this weekend. There is no doubt that Kildare have a more talented group of players but exerting their own style on this game will be the key for Cian O’Neill’s men.

Preceding the All-Ireland SFC round 4 qualifier is the Kildare juniors clash with Kerry in the All-Ireland JFC semi-final. Colin Ward’s side defeated Meath in the Leinster final a fortnight ago, but they come up against a Kerry side who have won the last three All-Ireland titles and will go into this game as big favourites. Throw-in for that game in Páirc Tailteann is scheduled for 4.45pm.

The weekend’s action begins on Friday evening when Kildare face Dublin in the first ever Leinster U20 Football Championship final. Davy Burke’s charges easily defeated Offaly in the semi-final last weekend, and they meet a Dublin team who pipped Meath in the other semi-final.

The action-packed weekend concludes on Sunday afternoon in Newbridge when Kildare host Wicklow in the Leinster Minor Football Championship semi-final at 2pm, with a place in the final against either Meath or Laois up for grabs.

All to play for then….