Gaelic football’s two camps leave with vastly different readings

BRAINS TRUST: Kildare selectors Dermot Earley, centre, and Johnny Doyle, right, with Kildare manager Glenn Ryan. Picture: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

In certain noisy places Gaelic football’s evolution is depicted as an assault on the game’s heart and soul. We’re about to step right into that culture war. Efficiency, expected scores, conversion… warts and all. Turn back now if that is not your bag.

Kildare’s remarkable late show in Cusack Park last week left many with one main takeaway: how the hell did Clare lose that? They led by four at half-time, by six 10 minutes later and were still five clear when Ben McCormack was sent off midway through the second half. There were 2,695 spectators in Ennis and the final whistle left the majority asking the same question.