THE three-week sabbatical had startlingly different effects on these two sides, with Kildare looking much like their old selves and Donegal but a pale shadow of the team that steamrolled Laois last time out.

Kildare 1-17 Donegal 1-9

KILDARE boss Kieran McGeeney described midfielder Daryl Flynn’s performance as “immense” at Semple Stadium on Saturday night.

Kildare 1-16 Tipperary 0-8

Kildare 0-8 Down 1-16, Newbridge

ALL-IRELAND champions Kerry have named just five of the team that started in last September’s victory over Cork for tomorrow’s NFL Division 1 opener against Dublin in Killarney.

LOUTH kept what is becoming a customary run of wins in January going by claiming the prized scalp of Kildare in Newbridge.

Louth 1-16 Kildare 0-14

Kildare 1-14 Monaghan 1-11

Kildare manager John Crofton has been forced to ring the changes for tomorrow evening's All-Ireland SFC first round qualifier against Cavan (Newbridge, throw-in 7pm).

THE Leinster Council are to meet within the next 48 hours to determine if Offaly have forfeited their Leinster Championship victory by using one substitute too many in the three-point win over Kildare.

Matty Forde kicked his fifth free in injurytime to see Wexford share the spoils with Kildare in Newbridge.

Derry remain on top of Division 1B after a measured win over Kildare at Celtic Park.

Leinster champions Westmeath open the defence of their crown as they meet Kildare in the provincial quarter-final at Croke Park today.

Kildare boss Padraig Nolan has dropped five of the team that narrowly defeated Wicklow in the opening round for Sunday's Leinster SFC quarter-final against defending champions Westmeath at Croke Park.

Wicklow 2-12 Kildare 1-17

The Leinster football championship gets underway today with a double-header at Croke Park.

Kildare boss Padraig Nolan has to do without defenders defenders Andrew McLoughlin and Karl Ennis in Sunday's Leinster football championship clash with Wicklow at Croke Park.

Michael Ellard and Brendan Larkin

Michael Ellard and Brendan Larkin

The clash of Kildare and Meath is the tie of the round as the O'Byrne Cup quarter-finals are down for decision today.

Wexford 0-12 Kildare 0-10

Offaly 1-16 Kildare 1-08

NUI Maynooth 0-13 MICE 0-6

KILDARE’S footballers won some encouragement from an old friend last night on the eve of their do-or-die All-Ireland football qualifier with Roscommon.

Kildare are sweating over the fitness of key players Anthony Rainbow and Karl Ennis ahead of Saturday night's qualifier clash with Roscommon.

Laois 2-13 Kildare 1-13

YOU WANT to understand the change in Kildare football. You want to know how they are coping in their brave new world, how much they miss — or don’t miss — Micko. You need to discover how an age of uncertainty transformed swiftly into an age of unexpected success.

First-half goals by Niall Sheridan and Trevor Smullen put Longford in control by the slenderest of margins at half-time in the Leinster SFC at O'Moore Park.

Kildare have sprung a few surprises for Sunday's Leinster SFC opener against underdogs Longford at Cusack Park, Mullingar.

Kildare have named four debutantes in their team for this Sunday's Leinster football quarter-final against Longford in Mullingar.

Kildare make changes in attack for Sunday's vital NFL Division 1B game against Laois in Portlaoise on Sunday.

LIMERICK senior hurling coach Dave Keane is seeking to have Friday’s Datapac Fitzgibbon Cup semi-final between UL and WIT put back to next Tuesday.

Meath bounced back from defeats at the hands of Laois and Cavan to edge out Kildare in an exciting National Football League Division 1B encounter at Pairc Tailteann, Navan.

Kildare boss Padraig Nolan has axed several players ahead of Sunday's NFL tie with Sligo at Markievicz Park.

Kildare have made changes in all area of the field in the wake of last Sunday's defeat by Cavan, as the Lillywhites face a difficult trip to Markeveicz Park to face Sligo on Sunday.

Kildare boss Padraig Nolan makes just two changes - both in attack - for the O’Byrne Cup semi final against Dublin on Sunday in Portmarnock.

There were wins today for Kildare, Dublin and Wexford in the quarter-finals of the O'Byrne Cup, while the Meath-Longford clash didn't go ahead due to a frozen pitch.