Comment: One swallow doesn't make a summer...hopefully

With over 300 in attendance at Kildare GAA's Corporate Lunch, sponsored by Joe Mallon Motors, at Lawlor's Hotel of Naas, on Friday last where guest speakers Eamonn Callaghan, Dick Clerkin, Philie McMahon and Tomás Ó Sé, were questioned by Off The Ball's Joe Molloy, one very interesting question asked from the floor was “any ideas why Kildare have had so little success over the years, despite winning two All-Ireland U20 titles along with Leinster minor football titles in recent times.”

Needless to say there were no quick and/ or positive answers.

However Monaghan's Clerkin suggested that Kildare, something like his own county, simply “do not have the tradition or the belief.”

And you know he probably has come as close as anyone has to answering that conundrum.

I wonder to myself if any of the four guest speakers were in attendance at Netwatch Cullen Park to see Kildare take on Cavan in the AFL Division 2 opening game, would they have expended on that particular issue?

One thing that was obvious on Saturday on one of the most disappointing displays we have seen from The Lilies in recent times, was that Cavan looked way better prepared than Kildare.

Maybe Cavan are more advanced in their preparation for the season than Kildare, and if they are one has to ask why.

There was a time when the Allianz Football League was to all intents and purposes, a preparation competition for the upcoming various provincial championships, but that day has long gone.

From this writer's perspective the most important competition of the entire year, certainly from where Kildare are coming from, is the League; not the Leinster Championship and not the All-Ireland Series.

The Allianz Football League.

Full stop.

If that is the case, and no doubt everyone would not agree with that assessment, nevertheless, one has to ask just how well were Kildare prepared for last weekend's opening encounter?

There is no doubt that Cavan were more up for that game than Kildare.

There is no doubt that Cavan came with a plan to take two points.

There is no doubt that Cavan were the hungrier, pacier, more physical and more tuned in on the day.

It looked very much like one team came to win it; the other came hoping to win it.

Of the nine Ulster counties in action last weekend, eight won and one drew.

What does that tell you?

Well one could certainly argue that compared to, for instance, the O'Byrne Cup, the McKenna Cup up north is taken a lot more serious than the equivalent in Leinster.

There is little doubt that the McKenna Cup is not taken as a 'training competition' for the Allianz Football League, and that's for sure.

Take Kildare for instance, they played three games since Christmas.

They defeated Carlow, lost to Wexford and defeated Wicklow in a behind-the-scenes game played at Round Towers just a week ago.

How would that level of competition, I wonder to myself, compare to the various games in the McKenna Cup?

Former Tyrone manager and now Derry boss Mickey Harte said that he likes nothing better than having a few really tough games in January, before the start of the league, and it is from here, he (Harte) can judge where his players are at.

Interesting to say the least.

Looking back on Saturday and Cavan, I don't think I have heard as much criticism and more disappointment from Kildare supporters than was evident after that game.

No doubt the players, who have been in training very hard now since November are very disappointed also.

As no doubt is the management team, the coaches, the selectors and manager Glenn Ryan, who witnessed the game unfolding from the corner of the stand in Carlow.

Cavan just looked so far ahead of Kildare.

Right from the throw-in, which Kildare gained possession from, moved inside their opponent's 45m line only for the first meaningful kick went backwards some 35m or so.

The die was cast.

The really worrying aspect of Kildare' s play was the basic errors.

The handling.

The hand passing.

The kick passing.

As for the standing off by defenders from their immediate opponents by, at times, 3 to 4 yards.

Incredible stuff.

Yes, of course, there were players missing but so had Cavan less we forget.

Some maybe back next week.

Asked who will be available we were informed: “We will access that during the week.”

Bump into a one of the players out injured, ask the same question and you are told “hopefully within three weeks.”

Maybe we should not read too much into that one game.

One swallow doesn't make a summer.

Hopefully.

One defeat, in the first game at that, possibly should not be taken as a sign of things to come.

But we will know fairly quickly.

Fermanagh this Saturday.

Armagh two weeks after that and so on.

We' live in hope.

As ever.

Fógra 1: Is there any logical reason why supporters are not informed of the selected team until the day of the game; it was a hot topic last weekend; a very hot topic.

Fógra 2: If Saturday's programme is a sign of things to come I would suggest that supporters do not waste their hard earned cash on such a frivolous effort.

Nothing short of a disgrace.