Proud Kildare boss says charges have re-grouped for Roscommon game

THE only real disappointment for Mick O’Dwyer in Croke Park yesterday came when he visited the Kildare dressing room to say the few words which every winning manager hopes will lift the spirit of the opposition.

He admitted as much, as he made his way out. “It was difficult. I spent marvellous years with them,” he said.

It was some time later before his successor, Pauric Nolan, emerged, apologising to the assembled media for the delay.

“It’s still great to be involved in the championship at this time of the year. A lot of other counties wouldn’t mind being in our position,” he said. “If you were in there , you’d see that the players are absolutely shattered. And there was only the kick of a ball in it. I am very proud of our lads. We came from six points behind and we were on a roll. The difficulty was that they had an extra man and we wasted a few balls. We started without three of our top players and took a lot of knocks.

“We were well aware that if we won we were out in a fortnight and if we lost we were out in a week. That’s the way it is and that is the way we have got on with it.”

“We have re-grouped already and we’re getting ready for next Saturday night (against Roscommon).”

Nolan was fulsome in praise of his players, commenting that he couldn’t say enough about their spirit. He paid former captain Glenn Ryan a special tribute. “Glenn has been one of the best fellows ever to play for Kildare and he still has a lot to offer. And, he was brilliant out there today.”

Defender Brian Lacey said they never felt that the game was gone from them. “The way we have been playing over the last few years, we tend to give teams a lead and then come back. We never give up and we didn’t today. We met a good Laois team and Micko had them primed. Unfortunately, we missed a lot of chances and we gave away some easy goals.”

County Board chairman Andrew O’Sullivan felt the team distinguished itself in extremely difficult circumstances. “That early sending-off was a hammer-blow to us. But, fair play to Laois, they got the three points in the end. Things conspired against us, but we have no qualms about the result.”

Finance Minister Charlie McCreevey, no stranger to Kildare dressingrooms, said: “I was proud of the way they played.”

Provincial chairman Nicky Brennan took particular delight in the occasion, as much as in what the result meant for Laois. “Occasions like this are all too rare in the GAA and when they happen we should savour them.”