Fay hits top form on Royal return

DUBLIN manager Paul Caffrey would not have been unduly worried by the poor standard produced in Croke Park yesterday, but be assured that nothing will be taken for granted when the champions renew their rivalry with Meath in the Bank of Ireland Leinster football championship quarter-final on June 3.

The Royal County triumphed in this game largely because they had much more to offer in attack and Darren Fay not only marked his return with a very solid performance at full-back, but also celebrated with a fine goal.

For a Kildare side undermined by the loss of injured midfielders Dermot Earley and Killian Brennan a poor performance was more disheartening than the actual result. Manager John Crofton admitted as much afterwards, when pointing out that it did not come near some of their displays in the latter stages of the League. They were quite competent in defence, competitive at midfield up to the early part of the second half, but struggled up front, with leading scorer John Doyle confined to a minor role.