Northwest test needs to be passed today as Kildare bid for Division 1 survival

There is no denying that time is running thin for Kildare in this National League campaign. The Lilywhites have more than shown that they can compete with the best teams in the country, and judging by the standards of Division 2 this year, they are comfortably a ‘top eight’ side.

Competing and winning are two very different things however, and for all the good of the last display against Tyrone, Kildare were left empty handed once again as they fell to northern opposition by the minimal margin for a second weekend in a row. Despite identical gaps in the scoreline, the performance against the Red Hands was streets ahead of the one against Monaghan, and maybe the signs suggest that a win is just around the corner.

Donegal are in a similar position – they have lost all three games but have shown signs that there is more to come from this team. They have the luxury of bringing back the likes of Michael Murphy, Frank McGlynn, Neil McGee and Martin McElhiney, all of whom could start on Sunday. Paddy McBrearty is in the type of form that leaves Cian O’Neill with a huge decision over who he can designate to cull the Kilcar man’s threat, while the returning Ódhran MacNiallais has picked up where he left off in 2016 with the Tir Chonaill men.

They will be desperate to win this game in the fortress that is Father Tierney Park in Ballyshannon, with the hope of retaining their Division 1 status burning just as much as it is in Kildare.

They captured the McKenna Cup last week against Tyrone with a much-changed side, but that could inject some impetus into their challenge ahead of Sunday. Stand-in captain Hugh McFadden was certainly not too enthralled by the win, turning his attentions to the challenge of Kildare immediately after lifting the trophy.

“Kildare beat us in 2012 in Croke Park but it will be a very good game,” he said when posed a question about this weekend’s game.

“They are probably the second best team to Dublin in Leinster and they always produce quality players and they are capable of playing some very attacking football at great pace.

“They have a lot of quality players like Kevin Feely, Daniel Flynn, Paddy Brophy and Tommy Moolick who are al big strong athletic man who are able to perform and have shown they can perform on the big stage.”

“We know it is going to be a huge challenge and we know we will have a battle and will have to work very hard to get a result,” he said.

McFadden didn’t want to be drawn on the fact that the losers of this game will face an almost impossible task to remain in the division, but he did admit that this is now a relegation four-pointer.

“Without putting too much of a label on it this match is a four pointer as both of us have no points.

“So whoever comes out on the wrong side of the result this weekend will probably be looking at a very hard route to get enough points to stay up in Division One”.

“We know that Ballyshannon on Sunday will be a completely different ball game with Kildare.

When Kildare travel to the northwest they are undoubtedly faced with a mammoth challenge to garner their first win since a brilliant day in Tullamore last Summer when they hammered Meath in the Leinster championship.

Manager Cian O’Neill pointed out following the defeat to Tyrone that Kildare’s performances were improving week on week, and in the absence of points that is a positive. It is most certainly, but a fine performance allied with a win would be much more uplifting.

There is a slight vulnerability about the Donegal defence, whose concession of 3-50 so far in the league is the highest of all eight teams. Kildare have threatened to catch fire going forward at times, and scoring 2-40 across three games is not to be sniffed at in Division 1. The absence of goals in the last couple of games is slightly worrying however, and the fact that the Lilywhites never troubled Rory Beggan or Niall Morgan in those ties points to a side that is failing to creating clearcut goalscoring chances. Indeed, the two goals against Dublin on the opening night were more down to defensive complacency and a late sucker-punch rather than anything practiced on the training park in Hawkfield.

Northern teams seem to have an ability to cull the threat of Daniel Flynn, and you can be sure that Declan Bonner will have someone detailed to track him wherever he roams on Sunday.

The focus this year is undoubtedly making it to the first ever ‘Super Eight’ part of the championship season, but staying in the top eight in the country in the league could prove more beneficial. A win on Sunday would go some way to making that a possibility.