Full credit to the players, we won it against the odds, says Nolan

PAURIC NOLAN has never been the type to shout his successes from the rooftops.

Yesterday was no different.

The only hint as to his mood after dethroning the Leinster champions was a smile that, try as he might, he could never fully erase.

Kildare entered that game with fitness doubts over half a dozen key men, he knew. Not yesterday.

With a clean bill of health and Westmeath having spent their winter nights parading the Delaney Cup in virgin territory, Nolan realised there was a soft underbelly to the Leinster champions that was just begging to be exposed.

Even when Ronan Sweeney was shown the line after just 20 minutes, Nolan’s faith never wobbled. “Full credit to the players. We won it against the odds.

“We knew Westmeath were there for the taking and we sat down after the Wicklow match and said that. It was just a case of tightening up in a few areas.”

A meticulous planner, the Kildare manager had considered such an eventuality and his side switched to Plan B with an impressive lack of fuss.

“Yeah, I thought Ronan’s sending-off was harsh but these things happen in games.

“We got to half-time just a point down and it was just a case of re-organising a few things.

“The pride and the passion was there and it was just a case of playing it cute. When you’re a man down and you’re ahead they have to come out to you and the longer it goes on the more likely they are to panic.”

Down the corridor, Páidí Ó Sé carried the air of a tired looking man, and he admitted that Westmeath had never really got their heads around playing against 14 men.

“Offaly had an extra man against us last year as well and it didn’t work out for them either,” he said. “That’s not the first time it has worked in the favour of the team short a man. It might mean that they work harder.”

Ó Sé was again quick to hold his hand up and admit that his team had been second best.

“I’m very disappointed but, at the same time, I don’t want to take away anything from Kildare.

“They were the hungrier team. Certainly we had chances to keep in touch with them and on other days we would have got them.

“The Kildare defence had the measure of a few of our forwards and I felt their game against Wicklow brought them on considerably. They didn’t play very well but they still won a very tight game and that stood to them. They were constantly putting us under pressure.”