Bradley blasts “shambolic” Saffrons

FUMING Liam Bradley slammed his Antrim players for bottling it when the going got tough against Kildare on Saturday night.

A scoring burst that yielded seven unanswered points in the third quarter of the game ultimately sealed a replay win for the Lilywhites. John Doyle hit 1-6 overall and was at his best in the second-half when he added five points to the 1-1 he’d already sniped in a more balanced opening period.

But as far as Bradley was concerned, victory was put on a plate for Kildare by his Antrim team’s ‘shambolic’ second-half display with some of the Saffrons players apparently wilting under the intense pressure.

The comments will do little to endear Bradley to his players having confirmed after the tie he intends staying on to see out a three year deal in 2011.

“It’s a problem with Antrim teams down through the years that when push comes to shove they lie down and certainly in that second-half whenever Kildare put on the pressure we had no answer to it,” blasted Derry man Bradley.

“We certainly didn’t fight hard enough. Hopefully we’ll learn from that defeat because if we don’t we’re going nowhere. It’s another big day that we’ve let ourselves down. That’s two league finals we’ve lost and we lost against Tyrone last year in the championship final and now as well. When the chips are down, one or two guys just can’t seem to step up to the plate. It’s something we’re going to have to look at.”

Ironically, rival Kildare manager Kieran McGeeney’s mood wasn’t a whole lot brighter. He said his team’s performance was “good without being great” a week after they were held to a 0-15 to 0-15 extra-time stalemate in Newbridge.

Their defence has certainly tightened up, however, since they were dissected almost at will by Louth in the Leinster championship and they conceded just three points from play in Belfast. At the other end, six wides was a massive improvement on the 24 they shot in Newbridge against Antrim.

Ultimately it was the scoring burst of 0-7 without reply between the 38th and 54th minutes that settled the tie and booked their passage to Round 2 against Leitrim this weekend.

“You probably wouldn’t want to repeat what was said at half-time,” said McGeeney whose side led 1-4 to 0-5 at the break courtesy of Doyle’s 21st minute goal when he out-fielded Colin Brady to Emmet Bolton’s high ball and found space to hit the net.

“They were working hard but not doing themselves justice. I don’t think they’ve clicked yet or are doing themselves the justice they should be. They’re talented but it’s been a tough year for everybody. Even at the minute Ken (Donnelly) is coming back, Keith (Cribbin) is coming back and you still have Rob (Kelly) and Mikey (Conway) to come back. David (Whyte) is just back from suspension, he came on and did well, so you’re still waiting on them all.

“They’re getting there but it’s just been a long year with injuries and suspensions and things like that pulling you down. That’s what builds character though. Hopefully they’ll show they have some. The boys are showing they’re getting a bit of bite back. It’s good to see that sort of confidence coming back in.”

McGeeney was given food for thought ahead of the Leitrim game by the strong showing of All Star midfielder Dermot Earley at full-forward in the second-half. He was switched there after a quiet first period and ignited the scoring burst with a fine point. It was all the more impressive considering the emotional strain on the Sarsfields man who buried his father, Dermot Senior, just seven days earlier on the morning of the drawn game.

“I asked him at half-time to give me 10 minutes and good old Dermot he gave me 30 and done it very well,” praised McGeeney. “That’s the sign of a good man, when his back is to the wall he gave it everything he had.

“He got us one point and set up another two.”

Scorers for Kildare: J Doyle (1-6, 2f); E Callaghan (0-2); M O’Flaherty, D Flynn, D Earley, P O’Neill, E O’Flaherty, R Sweeney & K Cribbin (0-1 each).

Scorers for Antrim: P Cunningham 0-7 (6f); B Herron & K Brady 0-1 each.

Subs for Kildare: D Whyte for MacLochlainn (44), K Cribbin (0-1) for E O’Flaherty (56), G White for Sweeney (63), M Foley for Flanagan (66), K Donnelly for Earley (69).

Sub for Antrim: M Magill for Healy (49).

Referee: J McQuillan (Cavan).