Doyle says Kildare need to be ruthless

In a maelstrom of newfangled techniques and preparatory fads, Johnny Doyle stills find himself going back to the ways he knows best.

“Ordinary run of the mill stuff,” is what he calls it. Before a game, there’s nothing he likes doing better than grabbing a bag of balls and heading down to his local field and “working up a bit of a sweat on my own”.

It’s served him well. Sunday will mark his 59th consecutive championship appearance for Kildare. He hasn’t missed a summer game since Mick O’Dwyer threw him a jersey against Louth in 2000.