Nolan ready to step into O’Dwyer’s boots

PAURIC NOLAN begins his uncertain walk in the footsteps of a legend tomorrow.

He accepted the role as the first Kildare coach in a landscape changed by Mick O’Dwyer.

While some, mindful of Kildare’s surrender to Kerry last summer, might consider it a poisoned chalice, Nolan has taken to the challenge with gusto.

Kildare is no longer the county he played football for. We are a big county, with a big population and you are taking about a group of potential players who have just seen Kildare win two Leinster titles in the last few years.

“When I was growing up, Kildare won nothing and kids have very little to aspire to in a footballing sense. Now, they do and there is some very good footballers in Kildare.”

Nolan, who did an fine job with Offaly before taking the Lilywhite reinWith home advantage tomorrow, and a Westmeath team that did their best to lose to a Louth side that hit 18 wides last week, Pauric Nolan’s reign should get off to a winning start.

John O’Leary will visit an old haunting ground tomorrow, when his Wicklow side meet a severely depleted Dublin in Kiltepper Road.

Although, the Leinster champions will have stars like Stephen Cluxton and Paddy Christie on display, the bulk of their regular team are in South Africa. With a host of under-21s playing for the Dubs, Wicklow folk should prepare themselves for a famous win in a competition they may go all the way in.

Longford, O’Byrne Cup winners two years ago, meet an experimental Meath side in Navan.s, says he never felt apprehensive about taking over from Micko.

“Obviously, they are very big shoes to fill. But it is something I no longer think about. Everyone in Kildare appreciates what Micko did for Kildare, he turned this county around, but we are entering a new phase. And I have just to get on with it and do my job.”

Although, Westmeath provide the opposition in Newbridge tomorrow, the new manager won’t push any panic buttons should they lose. It is only the O’Byrne Cup. Neither himself nor Luke Dempsey, eager to put a disappointing summer behind him, will be too bothered by the result.

“It’s an experimental time of the year, and we will be experimenting with different players in different positions, as I am sure Westmeath will. Tomorrow’s game is just about building a team for the league and, the championship. But it will provide experience for some of the younger lads.”