KILDARE FANS MAY be disappointed with yesterday’s O’Byrne Cup final defeat to Dublin but manager Jason Ryan believes there was a silver lining to the loss.
It took extra-time before the issue was settled in Newbridge and after Kildare recovered from a poor start to the game, Ryan reckons they can only benefit from the experience.
“We haven’t faced anything like that intensity since Monaghan last summer so it was a real shock to only come back from your club championship matches.
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“The players aren’t used to that intensity. January has been way too easy for us up to now. A bit of reality hit us there now in the first-half and it took probably 20 minutes for the guys to realise we can’t afford to go into contact.
“You live and you learn and if we can go from today learning how efficient we need to be with the ball, it will help us greatly going into these key matches for us. It is a huge plus, really important. We needed it.”
A scuffle breaks out between Kildare and Dublin players in the first-half. Donall Farmer / INPHO
Donall Farmer / INPHO / INPHO
Kildare start their Division 2 league campaign at home to Down next Sunday before a trip to Navan to face Meath the following Saturday night. Ryan offered the latest update on their injury situation.
“Peter (Kelly), please God will be okay. Eoghan O’Flaherty we decided not to play him. He might have been able to play, but just to make sure things were okay for him for next week we left him out. Niall Kelly (UCD) and David Hyland (Maynooth) will be back and available for selection so after that we are pretty good.
“Paul Cribben, Cathal McNally, Alan Smith, Michael Conway, Fergal Conway, they are all there or thereabouts. They probably won’t be available for next week, but hopefully for the Meath game we’ll have another batch of guys available.
Jason Ryan: 'It was a shock to the system - January has been way too easy for us up to now'
KILDARE FANS MAY be disappointed with yesterday’s O’Byrne Cup final defeat to Dublin but manager Jason Ryan believes there was a silver lining to the loss.
It took extra-time before the issue was settled in Newbridge and after Kildare recovered from a poor start to the game, Ryan reckons they can only benefit from the experience.
“We haven’t faced anything like that intensity since Monaghan last summer so it was a real shock to only come back from your club championship matches.
“The players aren’t used to that intensity. January has been way too easy for us up to now. A bit of reality hit us there now in the first-half and it took probably 20 minutes for the guys to realise we can’t afford to go into contact.
“You live and you learn and if we can go from today learning how efficient we need to be with the ball, it will help us greatly going into these key matches for us. It is a huge plus, really important. We needed it.”
Kildare start their Division 2 league campaign at home to Down next Sunday before a trip to Navan to face Meath the following Saturday night. Ryan offered the latest update on their injury situation.
“Peter (Kelly), please God will be okay. Eoghan O’Flaherty we decided not to play him. He might have been able to play, but just to make sure things were okay for him for next week we left him out. Niall Kelly (UCD) and David Hyland (Maynooth) will be back and available for selection so after that we are pretty good.
“Paul Cribben, Cathal McNally, Alan Smith, Michael Conway, Fergal Conway, they are all there or thereabouts. They probably won’t be available for next week, but hopefully for the Meath game we’ll have another batch of guys available.
- Originally published 00.05
Dublin see off Kildare after extra-time in O’Byrne Cup final that features 43 points
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GAA Jason Ryan Manager O'Byrne Cup Reality Bites Kildare