Sweeney keen to make up for lost time

HE MAY start on the bench but Ronan Sweeney is delighted to be back in an All-Ireland semi-final at last, a decade after experiencing the occasion as a raw teenager.

While Kildare lost to Galway in the penultimate round in 2000, Sweeney thought he would have plenty of opportunities to get to a final.

Years of frustration have followed but the 29-year-old is back where he wants to be, even though he is likely to make his contribution as a substitute, despite some good performances this year.