Carew confident Kildare can bounce back
The Lilywhites have impressed this summer, defeating Offaly, Wexford and Laois before falling just short against Dublin in the provincial decider in what was arguably the best game of the championship.
They won yet more admirers for their performance in Croke Park two weeks ago but the manner in which they lost that game – against a side that played the majority of the game with 14 men but yet still finished the stronger in the last ten minutes – must have been hard to take.
“We knew before the Leinster final that these were two separate competitions,” said Carew. “We are still only one game away from where we would have been if we had won the Leinster title. That’s the way we look at it.
“I would say Dublin would swap their Leinster title for a place in the All-Ireland final or even the last four and that’s what we are all aiming for now. We’ll be well up for it against Wicklow this weekend.”
Wicklow boss Mick O’Dwyer has returned to haunt Kildare, his first adopted county, more than once, first with Laois in 2003 when the O’Moore County bridged a 47-year gap between Leinster senior titles thanks to a narrow defeat of their neighbours.
The Kerryman repeated the trick just last year when the Garden County recorded its first ever championship win at Croke Park when they finished with four points to spare over Kieran McGeeney’s outfit.
It will be a very different Kildare side awaiting them this weekend. That was McGeeney’s first championship game as a manager and he subsequently guided the county to the All-Ireland quarter-finals before continuing his impressive apprenticeship this season.
“We’re looking forward to it,” said Carew. “We knew that, regardless of who we drew, that it was going to be a tough one and that’s the way it is. It’s a derby against a team showing great form so we’ll have to be prepared.
“It’s only just over a year since Wicklow beat us in Croke Park and they have three wins under their belt, all of them against Ulster teams, so their confidence will be extremely high going into this.”
As expected, Portlaoise will be the venue on Saturday evening and, while Wicklow have reported a clean bill of health, Kildare are keeping their fingers crossed that forwards Eamon Callaghan and James Kavanagh and defender Mikey Conway will be passed fit.
The expectation is that all three will be given the green light which will be welcome news to McGeeney.
In Wicklow, they face a side buzzing after those three wins in three weeks against Fermanagh, Cavan and Down but Carew is happy that Kildare are approaching the tie at no significant disadvantage despite the lay-off since their tie against Dublin.
“It was a good performance the last day, even if it wasn’t enough to get us over the line, and the good thing is that we aren’t going into this game looking for form.
“We know we have been playing well. Wicklow is a superb draw for us too. Like I said, it is a local derby and everything that involves. It is like playing Laois or Offaly. I’m expecting a good game.”
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