O’Neill: Lilywhites have cleared a mental hurdle
The Lilywhites have stumbled in recent years at the last-eight stage but the weekend win has put all those ghosts to rest, according to O’Neill.
“It’s a great feeling,” he beamed. “The target was to get to the semi-final after the last couple of years in the quarter-final but we’re just delighted to get there.
“This is a big step for us. Down were good and it’ll be another step up for us but we’re looking forward to it.”
O’Neill isn’t concerned by Kildare’s slow starts, claiming that the players have a steelier resolve than was the case prior to Kieran McGeeney’s arrival.
“It’s better to concede the scores early than late. We never panicked. We got the goal and a couple of others got a couple of scores to settle us down and gradually got back into the game. We were tipping away and Jimmers (James Kavanagh) got the goal and we were back in it then. I suppose we would have dropped the heads a couple of years ago but you learn. We’ve been in those situations before so we knew we had to keep plugging away.”
O’Neill is one of the unsung heroes of this Kildare team, fulfilling the type of role that Paul McGrane did with Armagh in their pomp, with a selflessness McGeeney has always admired. It is the industry of the St Laurence’s man that facilitates the names of others being put up in lights.
On Sunday, he also kicked two excellent points including one trademark booming score from distance, while also setting up Alan Smith’s goal just before half-time.
“Every lad that goes onto the pitch has to do hard work. Attack, harry, put them under pressure, everyone has to do it. Make turnovers and get scores and it knocks the stuffing out of the other team sometimes. It’s tough going but we’re well able for it.”
The approach knocked the stuffing out of Meath and now Kildare’s fans are dreaming of All-Ireland glory. O’Neill preaches caution but is relishing the opportunity.
“We haven’t won anything yet. There’ll be hype but you deal with that. These are the games you want to play in. You get to prove yourself against the best.”
