Kildare head back to Croker as they begin life in Division 2

Saturday evening, 5 pm.

Kildare v Dublin.

Croke Park.

Life is Division 2 was never going to be easy and a clash between last season's two relegated counties certainly whets the appetite, even if we we are still in the month of January.

Strange or what.

They have met in the last two Leinster Senior Football Championship finals, no surprise results there.

Have met in last season's Division 1 league in St Conleth's Park, where The Lilies caused a bit of an upset defeating Dessie Farrell's side 1-12 to 0-12 and despite holding Kerry to a draw a few weeks earlier in the opening game of the League and the first competitive game under new manager, Glenn Ryan, and his much vaulted backroom selectors of Johnny Doyle, Anthony Rainbow and Dermot Earley, those results were not enough to see Kildare retain their Division 1 status.

The fact that even after they were defeated in their last game against Mayo in Carrick-on-Shannon by 2-20 to 0-18 there was still a glimmer of home for a further five minutes or so as Dublin and Monaghan were drawing deep into injury time. A draw would have seen Monaghan drop and Kildare finish third from the bottom and retain their Division 1 spot.

But there was no fairytale ending for the boys in white as Monaghan converted a late, late free to edge it over The Blues by a single point, 3-13 to 1-18, Banty once again surviving at the top table.

And while The Lilies went on to reach the Leinster final, for the second season a row, that game also panned out as expected, although few would have expected to concede five first half goals before the half-time break.

Another day.

Another season.

Another trip to Croker.

Another tilt at The Dubs.

While The Lilies defeated Wexford in Round 1 of the O'Byrne Cup; lost to Louth in Round 2 and then decided not to play Westmeath in Round 3, albeit a dead rubber, it certainly leaves little to go as regards 2023 form.

And when you take into consideration Dublin, as usual, use the OBC as an opportunity to have a look at what could only be regarded as their third string, it all leaves us with little or no so called form to go on coming into Saturday's clash.

Of course Division 2 has over the years been a very competitive division but the 2023 version carries with it a lot more than mere promotion, relegation or an opportunity to cement your place in the division.

With the new All-Ireland Championship format, teams relegated, or even in the bottom half of the division, will more than likely find themselves excluded from the All-Ireland Series and will end up playing the Tailteann Cup.

Not something one would like to contemplate, especially at this stage of the season.

Three home games and four away beginning on Saturday followed by away trips to Clare (never an easy hunting ground for The Lilies); followed by Limerick and Louth (in Ardee) and it is plain to see what lies ahead.

As for the home games, the second game on Sunday week will see Cork coming to Newbridge; Ulster champions and All-Ireland semi-finalists of 2022 Derry coming to St Conleth's Park with Colm O'Rourke brining his Royals to the same venue for the final game.

How will we be standing at that stage of proceedings I hear you saying to yourself.

How indeed?

But back to Saturday, The Dubs and Croke Park.

Having shocked The Boys in Blue in Newbridge back in February of last year, have no doubt that this time Farrell will have his side primed to put down a marker — not just against Kildare — but everyone else in the Division.

The fact that they (Dublin) have been lying low should not be taken as an indication of their lack of intent.

They may not have been playing games under the gaze of the general public, or indeed the press, but that certainly does not mean they will not come into Saturday's clash unprepared.

Far from it.

Talk emanating from their camp indicates they are fully focused and fully intent, not just putting Kildare into their box, but rather keeping Kildare in their box.

While the Lilies camp are doing their best to play down the significance of the opening game, have no doubt they have been preparing for this one since the initial fixtures emerged some months ago.

Glenn Ryan and his management team, and indeed their players, are still feeling the pain from that five goal first half goal blast they received in the Leinster final last season.

From what we have seen to date we can expect The Lilies to have a safety first approach with more players behind the ball as we saw in their earlier games this season.

It will be interesting to see the side that lines out. Almost certain to miss our are three players, three experienced players who are not quiet up to speed yet. Ben McCormack, Daniel Flynn and Eoin Doyle are understood to be making progress but still have a bit to travel.

Having said that Kildare do have a fair few options, especially up front, the big worry and the big concern being will those players get enough possession to keep the score board ticking over.

Players such as Darragh Kirwan, Jimmy Hyland, Jack Robinson and Neil Flynn, to name just a few, are all talented players and on their day can be match winners.

Kevin Feely has got game time until under his belt of late, much to the amazement of the team management.

Mark Donnellan will probably wear No. 1 while captain Mick O'Grady, Ryan Houlihan, Shea Ryan and Kevin Flynn will be expected to start.

The remainder we will have to wait and see but even apart from the starting XV, it will be interesting to the see the remainder of the match day panel.

Very interesting.

Here's hoping, as ever!