Lilywhites legend Rainbow contemplating another shot at Leinster honours

ANTHONY RAINBOW may be one of Gaelic football’s most enduring figures, but he has not ruled out giving one more year to the Kildare cause.

Earlier this year, the Short Grass’s own Peter Pan indicated that he would finally call time on a tremendous Lilywhite career.

After a season in which Kildare reached a first Leinster final since 2003 and pushed All-Ireland champions Tyrone to two points in the quarter-final, Rainbow now feels that he is part of a panel capable of collecting some silverware next term.

Although no longer guaranteed a starting role, the Suncroft star saw action towards the closing stages of three championship games this summer — Wexford, Laois and Wicklow — and even as he approaches his 38th birthday, feels he still has something to offer to a Kildare panel capable of collecting some silverware.

“I haven’t made my mind up yet,” said Rainbow. “I’m going to think about it over the next few months. I’ll see how the club championship goes and then I’ll talk to (Kildare manager) Kieran (McGeeney) and my wife and see what they think.”

Rainbow has been a regular presence on the panel since being called up by Mick O’Dwyer in November 1990. He made his championship debut in 1992 against Wicklow and played in a Leinster final that campaign.

Pádraig O’Neill was the victorious captain, scoring 1-4 from midfield. It is a stark illustration of Rainbow’s longevity that he has been playing and training with Kildare alongside O’Neill for five seasons now.

Back in 2002 Rainbow admitted to wishing he was “a bit younger, a bit quicker and a bit fitter”, reckoning that he may only have “another two or three seasons left at best”.

“I think he genuinely loves the training and playing football” former Kildare goalkeeper Christy Byrne has said in the past. “You’d have to love it because he’s playing almost 20 years now. You’d need some appetite for that. He has it and he will stay playing as long as he can because of it.”

Rainbow confirms his enjoyment of the training ground grind.

“I do love training. People say I’m mad but sure you have to be a bit mad” he laughs. “I’m well able for the training and that helps. There’s definitely a Leinster title in this team. Maybe if this year wasn’t as successful as it was I might have retired but when there’s a team capable of winning a Leinster, you want to be involved.

“I would like to think I can make a contribution to that, even if I’m not playing, by talking to players and trying to give them something from my bit of experience of various things that happen. Hopefully that is something I might continue to be able to do but if I’m there, I’ll be pushing hard to play.”