McGeeney fitness boost

Kildare manager Kieran McGeeney hopes to have Daryl Flynn, Eamonn Callaghan and Dermot Earley back in action by the time the Allianz Football League Division 1 returns in three weeks’ time.

Flynn and Callaghan are both recovering from groin injuries, while Earley missed much of last year with a knee problem. But all three are on the mend and Alan Smith is back at full fitness, having also suffered from a knee complaint.

“We are still pushing to get Darryl, Leper [Callaghan] and Dermot back on the pitch,” McGeeney said.

“Dermot put in a half last week against Cross, so did Hughie. Leper is back running at the minute so hopefully that will push on over the next couple of weeks.

“Alan Smith is ready to come out of the traps at the minute, like everyone else he will have to work hard to get there.”

While the Lilywhites’ start has been very impressive, McGeeney is reluctant to put it down exclusively to superior fitness levels.

“Strength and conditioning coach Julie Davis always has our boys in good shape,” he said, “if you win, [it’s the case that] you are fit and if you lose you are unfit.

“A lot of people say when we play that we are back a couple of months, we were back a week before everybody else, apart from Donegal. We had two weeks back before them.

“There’s not much point in trying to exaggerate things. I think that we have a very fit team and a very strong team, but that banner always goes to the victor.

McGeeney also feels that the break ahead of Kildare’s next match against Kerry will not prove to be an impediment to his side’s momentum.

“Not at all, they will have a lot of hard work to do now over the next three weeks,” he said.

“It is very hard to put that work in when you are playing, we have played six games back-to-back, we have had no fitness work.

“When it’s just games, you can’t train fellas hard to increase their fitness levels but what we are getting for players is a lot of game-time, which is good.”

Meanwhile, it has been confirmed that Cork will rotate the captaincy for the remainder of their league games. Michael Shields led the team on Saturday night despite regular skipper Graham Canty being in the side. Colm O’Neill was captain for the previous game against Dublin.