A Leader letter to Santa

Hope yourself and Mrs Claus are doing well since we were last in contact. It has been a few tough years but hopefully we have the worst of all that covid thing behind us at this stage.

I'm sure yourself and herself have taken all the vaccines, the boosters and anything else to ensure you get through what's ahead of you at the end of this week.

Much has changed over the last couple of years but having said that much has stayed the same, especially on the GAA front.

I hear you asking are the Newbridge clubs still the dominant teams in Kildare.

I keep forgetting it is over two years since we were last in contact but I can confirm that Naas have in that period become the dominant club in the county in both football and hurling.

Back-to-back senior football titles would you believe and the opportunity next season to complete that elusive three-in-a-row.

And from a hurling perspective the county town team continues to go from strength to strength with four senior titles in a row now; a Leinster Club Intermediate title followed by an All-Ireland title at that level last season.

This time around (2022) they moved up with the big boys and competed in the Senior Club and did so with a lot of promise and while well beaten in the quarter-

final they gave the mighty Ballyhale Shamrocks, one hell of a fright.

Elsewhere Ballyteague were crowned intermediate champs and will be completing in the senior ranks come 2023 — a mighty achievement for a small rural club by any standards.

I hear you were enquiring about the state of St Conleth's Park, no doubt expecting it to be completed by now.

Well I'm afraid I have some bad news for you here Santa.

Not alone has there been no budge on the start-up of the re-development but we are even still waiting for the auld wi-fi to make it to the 'stadium.'

But in fairness it has to be said it is not all bad news.

I suppose at this stage you heard that the finances of the Co. Board have gone through the roof — no not the floor, the roof — with a surplus of over a million this year to add to some €600,000 the previous year.

And to make it even better the fund for that re-development now stands at somewhere around €1.6 million.

Word is the 'job' might, could, maybe, hopefully commence in the second half of 2023 so fingers crossed.

How is the Kerryman I hear you say.

Well Jack The Lad got an offer he couldn't refused back at the end of 2021, returned to The Kingdom, where he won the League, the Munster title and the All-Ireland.

And what of The Lilies I hear you say.

Well a new regime came in to replace Jack Santa.

A quartet you would be well acquainted with from yesteryear.

Led by manager Glenn Ryan, you remember him? Along with Anthony Rainbow, Johnny Doyle and Dermot Earley.

“And how did they get on in their first season back in Division 1 of the League if memory serves me correct”?

Nothing wrong with the memory Santa I have to say.

Unfortunately, and not for the first time, our stay at the top table was another one year wonder.

We certainly threatened, defeating The Dubs early on but it was more or less all down hill after that but having said that it did go down to the wire, to the last round in fact, and even at that while Kildare lost to Mayo in their final game, it took a late, late point in time added on in another game (Monaghan v Dublin) that eventually sent us back to Division 2 for 2023.

Overall very disappointing I have to say.

“And what about the championship”?

No luck there either I'm afraid Santa.

Even though making it through to the Leinster final but this time The Dubs were prepared and to say they destroyed us would be a bit of an understatement.

And then a meeting with Mayo in the All-Ireland series looked so promising for a long time but eventually the boys from the West prevailed and ended the season for us.

So overall Santa, a huge disappointment was 2022.

“And how did the hurlers get on? Is that young Herity lad still there in charge.”

Be gob you're a great man Santa remembering all that but yes David Herity is still in charge and he and his side enjoyed a very good season, winning the Christy Ring; retaining their Division 2A status and will operate in the Joe McDonagh next season. Definitely a tough season ahead but as they say, that is where you want to be operating, at the highest level possible to really test one and all.

“And what” enquires Santa, “am I hearing about this split season, what is that all about”?

You are well tuned in Santa, no doubt about that.

But yes, the split season came into operation in 2022.

It means that inter-county scene is all done and dusted earlier and then the clubs take centre stage.

“And how has that worked out”?

Depends really where you are coming from.

The players seem to be happy with it which is very important.

But with the All-Ireland finals being played in late July it certainly leaves a major void come September. And next year there are even bigger changes with the round-robin, group stages being employed for the All-Ireland series, and when you add in the fact that the 16 counties that will participate with league placings determining some of those, it will be very interesting to see how that pans out.

If some of the 'traditional' sides are relegated to the Tailteann Cup you can bet your bottom dollar there will be some shouting and screaming.

But we will see.

Retaining our Division 2 status is paramount; it would be brilliant to get out of the division but we have to ensure that if we get out of it is at the top end of the table and not the basement end of affairs.

So another year done-and-dusted Santa, lots to look back on, much to admire but at the end of the day overall, especially from a footballing point of view, disappointing.

As for St Conleth's Park, if there is anything you can go do to give us a bit of a dig-out we would be very grateful here in Lilywhite Land.

It's dragging on and on and while we all acknowledge that with inflation, mainly due to Putin and his crew attempting to take over Ukraine; the covid pandemic prior to that but now is surely the time to not only lift the first sod, but to level the stand, build proper new dressing rooms and all the other necessary add-ons in a modern stadium (not forgetting wi-fi) so any help, any bit of pressure you can put on in the right quarters would all be greatly appreciated by the boys and girls of not just today but for future generations.

Best of luck at the end of the week Santa.

Stay safe.

An odd bottle of stout will suffice (with maybe a chaser).

And hopefully when, God willing, we are making contact with you next year, the news will be a lot more positive on all fronts.

See you Big Fella.

Your auld friend

Tommy C