Big decisions looming on, and off, the field of play

It's been coming now for some time and when it finally arrived it wasn't pleasant.

The demise of Kildare football has been on a downward trajectory not just from this season, but last season and if the truth be told, the previous season also.

Operating in Division 1 of the Allianz Football League back in 2022, after gaining promotion the previous season under Jack O'Connor, in was a covid league, unusual in that the league was made up of groups of four in Kildare's case in along with Clare, Cork and Laois with the top team gaining promotion.

So in many respects it was not really a true run race as the saying goes. Nevertheless The Lilies were promoted to the top division the following season while Laois were relegated.

Kerry came calling for Jack O'Connor and that was that.

In came Kildare's Dream Team, led by Glenn Ryan, along with Anthony Rainbow, Johnny Doyle and Dermot Earley with Brian Lacey, in that season, in charge of the stats.

It proved a step too far for Kildare and, ironically along with Dublin, were relegated, but in fairness it was a close run thing and it took a Monaghan point deep into injury time to see 'The Banty' boys escape the drop at the expense of Kildare.

Kildare defeated Louth and Westmeath in the Leinster Championship before getting a mother and father of a beating against Dublin in the provincial decider and then losing out to Mayo in the Qualifiers.

In the Allianz Football League the following season (2023) Kildare retained their league status, but only just, and it went right down to the final game against Meath, the last game to be played in St Conleth's Park before the re-development commenced 24 hours later.

But survive they did and in the Leinster Championship Kildare defeated Wicklow before going under to Dublin in the semi-final, albeit by a mere two points, a very creditible performance it has to be said.

In the Qualifiers last season The Lilies lost to Dublin, drew with Sligo before recording a much-needed win over the Davy Burke-managed Roscommon by a point. In the pre-quarter finals The Lilies were desperately unfortunate to go out to Monaghan by a single point, thus bringing an end to the 2023 season.

The management teams first two seasons were now up and following what we were told was a deep analysis and review, it was decided to hand the management team a third year in charge, on condition they brought in an extra recognised forwards' coach, this they did with Colm Nally linking up with the squad.

With no home venue this season it ended up with Kildare playing their 'home' games in Cullen Park, Carlow. Four home games and three away saw Kildare fail to win a single game in an absolute disastrous campaign.

Into the Leinster SFC and a hard pressed win over Wicklow was followed by a four point defeat at the hands of Louth.

As Kildare finished up in the league in 16th position (bottom of Division 2) they did not qualify for the All-Ireland Series and instead went into the Tailteann Cup, in a group that included Longford, Waterford and Leitrim; they came through that before meeting Laois on Sunday last with a place in the semi-final up for grabs and a meeting with Antrim.

The rest, as they say is history.

Defeat against Laois who operated in Division 4 this year and who gained promotion and will now operate in Division 3 come 2025 along with Fermanagh (demoted with Kildare), Clare, Sligo, Antrim, Offaly and the two teams promoted from Division 4 Laois and Leitrim.

And unless they reach the 2025 Leinster decider Kildare will once again operate in the Tailteann Cup in 12 months time.

So all in all it has been a very difficult few years for everyone involved.

In fairness, as the manager pointed out after Sunday's game, they operated without five players that played championship last season, and apart from those who stepped away for various and varied reasons, they had to cope with a string of injuries with the loss of Jimmy Hyland and Ben McCormack particularly hitting the squad very hard.

Then again there is not a county in the country that has not had to deal with injuries, as pointed out by Glenn Ryan after Sunday's game.

There is absolutely no doubt that the time and effort put in by the management, and the players, has been second to none, but for some reason things just did not work out.

Players, of course, have to take responsibility also; Kildare have been on the slide for a number of seasons now with no guaranteed the end of that slide has been reached.

Division 3 football, Tailteann Cup football and all in the same season the new re-developed Cedral St Conleth's Park is due to reopen, now on the cards.

All thoughts now turn to who will take over. Needless to say the runners and riders, if one is to believe the 'talk' are many.

Decision time for the county board and that's for sure and just to add another ingredient into the mix, come convention time in December, present chairman, Mick Gorman will be stepping down his term up, and it is also understood that treasurer, Alan Dunney, will also be stepping away

So big decisions.

And unlike in previous times there seems to be no obvious successor for the chair come convention.

Again there are no shortage of names being mentioned, most from the top table, but there is also, at least one person with plenty of GAA experience both at county and indeed Croke Park level, that is considering putting his name forward.

So interesting times to come and that's for sure.