Preview: Massive day for Kildare footballers and hurlers but for vastly different reasons

We have all heard the term Super Sunday to describe sporting occasions, mainly soccer it has to be said, but this coming Sunday could certainly be described as Super Sunday from a Kildare GAA point of view.

And let it be said for entirely different reasons for The Lilywhites footballers and hurlers.

While the hurlers head to O'Connor Park, Tullamore, for their final round of their Allianz Hurling League (Division 2A) their footballing counterparts must travel south as they head for The Gaelic Grounds for their penultimate league game in the Allianz Football League, Division 2, and a tilt with bottom-of-the-table Limerick.

A vital game for players of both codes but while the hurlers have, you might say, a safety net in place as if they fail to defeat The Faithful boys they have already booked a semi-final spot, a home game against last Saturday's opponents Kerry.

On the other hand if David Herity's lads can keep their remarkable winning streak going for another week they will go straight through to the Division 2A final in two weeks time.

And what an absolute remarkable achievement if that were to happen.

On top of the Division 2A table, albeit on scoring difference, they have an unblemished record in this season's league now seeking to make it five wins from five.

They played some of their best hurling last week against the boys from The Kingdom; scored two brilliant goals and when you add on no less than 20 points, it is easy to see why manager Herity was so pleased with his entire squad.

The former Kilkenny ace goalkeeper has been saying over the last year or two that the work being done at underage level gives him the opportunity to blend up- and-coming players into the senior set-up and when you see that he has given game time to no less than 31 players in this season's Kehoe Cup successful run; add in 26 that have seen action in this season's AHL, it can only be positive after positive for the man who has done so much for hurling in Kildare over the past number of years.

Sunday will be another big test but that is what he wants and one thing for sure that while Offaly will go into this one as favourites, don't rule out The Lilies booking a place in the League final.

ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE

If Sunday is a big game for the Kildare hurlers then Sunday is nothing short of a massive day for their football counterparts.

Struggling to make any kind of impression the Allianz Football League Division 2, they are in a precarious place just three from the bottom, with neither relegation or being demoted to the Tailteann ruled out at this stage.

Just the one win over Clare who are place below them in the Division 2 table, a hard earned win against The Banner lads, a game that saw The Lilies fight back from what looked like a hopeless position as the game moved into time added on, but playing possibly their best ten minutes of the entire season, managed to take the two vital points on offer that day.

A home game against Derry showed no signs of Kildare getting a hoped-for bounce as they lost heavily 2-15 to 0-7 a week later.

A week later again and it was up to Louth to take on Mickey Harte's side in the beautiful surrounds of Ardee. A setting that brought many of those present back to the days of the grass banks, just a smallish stand but a game played on an extremely well manicured playing surface.

However the boys in white showing once again they are so out of sorts that even the basics of the game deserted them on the day, and unfortunately, that was not the first time we have seen that in this campaign.

And so to Sunday and Limerick, a side that are also going through a bit of a crisis at the minute.

Following a training session last Thursday week, it was announced their manager, Ray Dempsey, was resigning with immediate effect, that after being in charge for just five games in what was intended to be a two year appointment.

So all is certainly not well in the Treaty County.

How will that change of management effect those players?

Will it give them a bounce, it certainly should as there can be little doubt that it was the players who were responsible for the change of manager, so one would certainly expect a much improved performance from Limerick. They have just one point, a draw with Meath just four days before their manager walked.

Kildare are fully aware a win over Limerick would probably guaranteed them Division 2 status, as Derry play Clare and they (Derry) should have too much for them, which would automatically see The Lilies retain Division 2 status, even if there is still one more game remaining, against Meath in St Conleth's Park (last game before the redevelopment begins).

Kildare are reported to have had a spate of injuries that curtailed somewhat their preparations over the last week or so.

Kevin Feely came off injured against Louth; Ryan Houlihan pulled his hamstring in the warm-up; Jimmy Hyland missed that one due to a similar injury; Darragh Malone missed the last game , again a hamstring problem; the list seems to go on and on.

Regardless it is a vital game; a must-win game for Kildare; defeat could spell disaster and have huge consequences but having said that good players do not become poor players over night, or even in a season.

Despite everything, a win is what is needed, and despite all the set-backs a win can be delivered!