Nolan pins hopes on Kildare young guns

THEY weren’t expecting much in Kildare this summer.

With an injury-ravaged side, a poor league campaign and experienced heads gone, they headed down to Mullingar more out of compulsion than any hope. And within the first minute, their worst fears were confirmed. Longford’s hefty full-forward, Niall Sheridan, had pierced their net.

Smart gamblers felt this was ripe for an upset and for the first 20 minutes or so, that is the pattern it followed. On the sideline, Padraig Nolan never panicked. Under his customary baseball cap, he knew there was enough time and enough good players on his team to pull through.