McKenna: Kildare want another Christy Ring, then no more

Experienced Kildare goalkeeper Paddy McKenna is fed up of being a 'yo-yo' county.

Christy Ring Cup finalist Kildare's Paddy McKenna during a Joe McDonagh, Christy Ring, Nicky Rackard, Lory Meagher Cup Final media day at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

Kildare captain Paddy McKenna wants to make more history with another Christy Ring Cup final win - and then avoid the competition for as long as possible.

The Lilywhites, who will face Derry in Sunday's tier three decider at Croke Park, are proud of being the only county to have won the competition four times.

But experienced goalkeeper McKenna, who has been involved in each of the four previous wins, lamented their failure to push on after each of the triumphs and admitted they've been a 'yo-yo' county.

Kildare played in the Joe McDonagh Cup in 2021 and 2023 following their last two Ring Cup wins but were relegated on each occasion.

"You'd like to be progressing," said McKenna ahead of Sunday's return to Croke Park. "The first two finals that we won, it was back when the Christy Ring was the second tier and you had a promotion/relegation play-off the week after. After the 2014 final, we played Westmeath the following Saturday, lost that. In 2018, we played Antrim, lost that.

"After the 2020 win was the first time we were actually promoted to the Joe McDonagh. We had a year of that then which was hampered a bit with Covid. We got relegated from that, went back up then last year, for 2023. So it's been a bit yo-yo with us.

"We just need to figure that out ourselves, how we can pick it up for Joe McDonagh after the league."

If they beat Derry, as they did in the group stage when they won by seven points at Hawkfield, then they'll get another crack at McDonagh Cup hurling in 2025. McKenna is satisfied that they have the players to push on to the next level.

"We've shown it in the league," he said. "We've held our Division 2A status now for a few years, contested a league final last year. We lost out to Offaly. This year we'd a slow start but finished well in the league. We drew with Down, beat Kerry, beat Carlow to finish it up. So we're well able to compete, it's just bringing that consistency."

Brian Byrne skippered Kildare to their last two Ring Cup titles before joining Glenn Ryan's football setup for 2024.

"Hopefully we might get him back in a couple of years," said current captain McKenna. "He's 28, so he's still young enough that he could come back and we'd never have any issue with that. Growing up in Kildare, football is nearly the first thing that is thrown at you so you have to understand that too."