Glenn Ryan reacts to Kildare's win over Limerick that keeps them in Division 2

Kildare manager Glenn Ryan during the Allianz Football League Division 2 match between Limerick and Kildare at TUS Gaelic Grounds in Limerick. Photo by Tyler Miller/Sportsfile

placeholder image — Kildare manager Glenn Ryan during the Allianz Football League Division 2 match between Limerick and Kildare at TUS Gaelic Grounds in Limerick. Photo by Tyler Miller/Sportsfile

“It was all about the result today” was Kildare manager's Glenn Ryan initial reaction following his side's six point win over Limerick that assures his side of Division 2 football come 2024.

The manager added “at different stages we seemed a little bit desperate but that is a result of our recent results where things have not gone our way and I wouldn't say they went our way today but enough went our way to enable us to go away with a smile on our faces.”

A nervy finish after Limerick got two second half goals?

“We were talking about confidence a couple of weeks ago and it is hard to build up confidence when you are not winning but then when you get into a position of winning it is confidence that you want to get you over the line but hopefully we will gain confidence from that win today and the lads have put in huge work and a huge amount of times and at times you have to wonder if they are putting in too much time to try and get things right; but we still have a lot of work to do but it was important to get the result today and that ultimately is what today is all about.”

The fact that Kildare scored three goals is certainly a positive and Glenn said that “while we haven't been getting goals recently it was good to get them today and hopefully that will give us confidence to get more.”

On Darragh Kirwan's back-kick finish for the late third goal, the manager admitted “I was too busy giving out to the referee for not giving a free in for a touch on the ground so I didn't see it to be honest” adding “maybe that is a sign of the confidence coming back but when the ball goes into the back of the net you don't mind how it goes in but Darragh did very well for us today; set up the goal and he was a key figure for us throughout the game and he, along with all the others are working very hard.”

On the sluggish start to the second half the manager said “look you come out for the start of the second half, you want to attack it, go hard after things but then the most blatant free of the day, a fella going through (Kevin O'Callaghan) and it is not given; we could have been seven points up and then we end up defending for the next ten or so; I know it was only one free but I do think the referee did a good job overall today but that decision ...”

We are hugely conscious that the lads are working hard, very hard, I would definitely say working harder than last year and it doesn't necessarily show on occasions, we all acknowledge that but the aim is to get better than we were last year.