Stung Kildare get show back on the road

NO NEED for a thermometer here.

Stick a microphone in front of Kildare manager John Crofton and he’s quick to launch a broadside against the press. Stick a microphone in front of Roscommon manager John Maughan and he couldn’t get away quick enough.

Maughan said he’d be back to discuss the game, but there was no return. At least not Saturday. His captain Karol Mannion insisted later the Roscommon squad stood squarely behind the manager.

“The performance against Sligo in Connacht was down to the team, not the management. We produced a better performance today. Everyone knew we had to produce a better performance. We realised we let our supporters down the last day and we knew we had to produce something. Success will come to Roscommon,” vowed Mannion.

A three-point defeat in front of a pessimistic crowd marked the end of a season that promised much more in the afterglow of an All-Ireland minor crown.

Kildare broke their own qualifier hoodoo on the road, but the Lilywhites were guarded in victory glow. Selector Davy Dalton herded the players in for a rousing speech from their manager. John Crofton made his dispatch to the critics after.

“I genuinely don’t feel pressure. My job on the line? I mean who’d want my job? I really did feel that there’s unwarranted, ill-informed criticism — particularly before the match — of the players. Some of the commentary over the airwaves uncensored is just not good, I don’t think it’s fair on players. I just wanted Kildare’s footballers to confirm what they are capable of, fellas that were written off and pilloried by the local press,” said Crofton.

Whatever. Kildare shipped deserved criticism after a dismal Leinster SFC display against Meath and if the players had a point to prove, it was as much to themselves as the fourth estate. On Saturday evening, they still relied on John Doyle for 1-8 of their total, his goal two minutes before half time giving the visitors at 1-8 to 0-8 interval advantage despite facing a ferocious breeze.

The resumption brought a Roscommon resurgence. Karol Mannion blasted home after 45 minutes to edge them two points in front; Gary Cox caused plenty of problems but often a goal chance was spurned in favour of the handy point.

The policy backfired. Four minutes from the finish Padraig O’Neill timed his leap to perfection, palmed Ken Donnelly’s delivery down and fired home the decisive score.

Not even eight minutes of injury time could save Maughan and Roscommon.

KILDARE: E Murphy; E Callaghan, K O’Neill, A McLoughlin; A Rainbow, M Hogarty, E Bolton (0-1); D Lyons, R Sweeney; J Kavanagh, J Doyle (1-8, 5fs), K Donnelly (0-1); M Conway, J Phillips (0-1), P O’Neill (1-2).

Subs: T Rossiter for Kavanagh (50); M Foley for Lyons (56); T Archibald for Rossiter (69).

ROSCOMMON: G Claffey; S McDermott, A McDermott, P O’Connor; S Daly, D Casey, R Dooner; S O’Neill (0-1), M Finneran; J Tiernan (0-1), G Cox (0-4, 2f), C Gregg (0-1); D Connellan (0-2), K Mannion (1-1), G Heneghan (0-3, 2f).

Subs: S Purcell for O’Connor (inj, 8); D Keenan for Dooner (25), E Kenny for Cregg (inj, ht); D Hoey for Tiernan (69).

Referee: J Bannon (Longford)