Conway not raising white flag just yet

August may be upon us, but the Kildare team that faces Monaghan in the All-Ireland qualifiers on Saturday returns to Croke Park with no-one knowing for certain where they stand in Gaelic football’s pecking order.

Performances have resided somewhere between very good and very bad. Louth were dispensed with in ruthless fashion, while Meath saw them at their inconsistent worst.

Their efforts through the back door have been similarly Jekyll and Hyde. Down were dealt with impressively in Newry, but then came a miraculous escape against Clare in Ennis which saw old doubts resurface.