Tomás Ó Flatharta focuses Laois for showdown with old rivals Kildare

As a Kerryman who has been manager of Westmeath and Galway, Tomás Ó Flatharta knows all about derbies.

There is a difference in the emotional levels of the spectator and someone directly involved in such ties however.

The fan can afford to get caught up in the tribal warfare of Cork-Kerry, Westmeath-Meath or Galway-Mayo but the players and mentors must remain a step removed.

“From a spectator’s point of view, it’s great to have an edge like this,” says Ó Flatharta ahead of Laois’ Leinster SFC quarter-final with Kildare on Saturday evening.

“But from the players’ point of view, and from the team point of view, you have to be really, really careful.

“It’s just so important that we completely focus on what we’re doing and not get distracted by what is in the media or what the public are saying. We just listen to the voices within our dressing room.

“It is a derby and there is going to be an edge to the game for the supporters. That’s great from an entertainment point of view for them. We have to stay away from all of that and we just come training every evening and prepare as well as we can.

“A lot of these lads will know each other, having played against each other before and that will bring a bit of edge to it as well.”

Kildare endured a torrid league and were relegated to Division 3. Ó Flatharta points to the competitive nature of Division 2 and the fact that Laois lost to their neighbours in Portlaoise, but crucially, retained their second-tier status.

“It was a competitive game (in the league). They went into the lead and kept the lead and (were five points up in the second half). Our lads had a good fightback… and we got a goal towards the end but we conceded a very, very late goal and they won by three points.

“Things were very tight and going into the next day I know we will need to improve on the performance we had in that game and that’s what we’re preparing towards.”

Only Ross Munnelly, Billy Sheehan and Colm Begley know what it’s like to beat Kildare in the championship, being the sole survivors from the 12-point hammering Laois inflicted on the Lilies in 2005.

Munnelly is the only current player with a Leinster championship medal, won in his stunning debut season as a teenager revelling in the freedom and belief inspired by another Kerryman, Mick O’Dwyer in 2003. Kildare were the victims in that final.

Laois have had to take a back seat as Kildare prospered under Kieran McGeeney in more recent times, albeit without garnering a provincial title. The ship has steadied in the past 12 months but this is a significant test.

They recorded a facile victory against Carlow (3-16 to 0-8) in the opening round at Netwatch Cullen Park but while the comfortable passage was widely predicted, Ó Flatharta insists that he never looked beyond that game.

“I always take it that you should take it one game at the time and going into the Carlow game, we had a job to do in that game.

“I was pleased with the performance and pleased with the preparation we had. But the more you progress in the competition, the more intense the games are going to be.

“That’s what we expect now, that the intensity levels will be higher than they were the last day. I’m sure whoever we were going to be playing down the line were probably looking at the game to see how we performed.”