Comment: Geezer's love affair with Kildare as strong as ever

There is something about Netwatch Cullen Park that is becoming very irritating.

It certainly cannot be the hospitality that the locals, known in times past as the 'Scallion Eaters', are showing to Kildare who have made it their 'home' for 2024.

Operations Manager there, Kildare's former great Peter McConnon, seems to have many roles in that position and while he doesn't actually pour the pre-match cup of tea, he certainly makes a good pot of it.

Chatting pre-match with Kildare Co. Board Chairman Mick Gorman and the Hon Treas Alan Dunney, the craic was mainly about an item on the programme, written by Richard Commins, as he reminisced about previous meetings between Kildare and Armagh.

One game in particular was the main item discussed over a bun, a bicky and a sambo and that was back in 1980 when Armagh were the visitors to St Conleth's Park.

The northerners won that day by a single point — 2-11 to 2-10 — and casting one's eye over the home team sheet on that day certainly made for some interesting reading.

Johnstownbridge provided a number of players, including the O'Donoghue boys Eamonn, Paddy and Barry, along with that whole hearted player Phelim Farrell.

Joe Giblin captain the team and the Clane man was joined by his fellow club player Mickser Condon. Naas man John O'Rourke manned the midfield along with John Kelly of Castledermot fame.

The great Larry Tompkins fired over two points, his club mate, David Headon manned the goal while Tom Shaw (Sarsfields) and Noel Byrne (Raheens) were also in the line-up.

But the name that caught the eye was wearing the no. 14 shirt.

Mick Gorman of St Laurence's fame and now of course county chairman.

“I remember that game well” Mick said, as he helped himself to another iced bun.

We were a bit unlucky to go under by just a point but such is life, he enthused.

However, looking through the scorers on the day I reminded him that he failed to score, not something any full forward should be proud of.

He laughed but not as much as Alan Dunney did as he went through Peter McConnon's pre-match offerings with some gusto.

Time was ticking down, we moved on as the teams were about to enter the pitch with the familiar face of The Geezer in the midst of his players.

McGeeney fell in love with Kildare during his seven season term here.

And make no mistake he still has a major soft spot for the county, for the players and for the fans.

However, that love does not stretch as far as offering up two points on the day, or even one as far as that goes.

No way.

Business is business as he went on to watch his side give Kildare a fair trimming with an early goal that settled his side down and a second before the break that all but put the contest beyond the reach of The Lilies.

It is a tough time for Kildare.

Three games; three losses and they now find themselves at the bottom of the table.

Relegation beckons unless something drastic happens.

But The Geezer was quick to praise the Kildare management, more so than I can ever recall any opposing manager doing, especially after giving the opposition a fourteen point hammering.

And he was quick to come to offer a bit of advice to manager Glenn Ryan and his backroom team.

“I've been on the receiving end of it and I've seen all the stories. There are always fellas with big ideas that aren't on the line” he says, adding “there's never a big queue for that particular job and I wouldn't know any bigger Kildare men than Johnny, Roli, Glenn and Rainbow” he said.

“I definitely wouldn't be knocking them” he says, adding “it's a tough run for anybody, another day they could easily beat you. There is plenty of talent there, Division 2 is a tough division, it always has been.”

Remarkable really, especially the way his 'affair' ended so controversially, after seven years, seven brilliant and enjoyable years when Kildare dined with the best and had the respect of the best.

There is little doubt The Geezer really enjoyed his first stint as a county manager when going practically directly from a top class player to a top class manager.

Never easy as we can testify to in The Shortgrass County.

It's a tough time where Kildare find themselves at the minute.

It's a tough time on the manager, on his management team, on the players, on the fans and on the supporters.

Things are looking bleak at the minute and that's for sure.

Yet we are continually being told that training is going well; that the players are doing everything that is being asked of them. But there is little doubt their confidence is not just down it is at rock bottom and you could see that soon after Conor Turbitt hit the Kildare net after some seven minutes on Sunday.

From that point on things just got worse and worse, the second half seemed like it was never ending and one can only wonder how the team management and the players felt throughout that half.

Another big one next week.

Meath and Colm O'Rourke as we travel to Pairc Tailteann to take on the team we beat in the last game last season before St Conleth's Park redevelopment got going.

There is still an awful lot to play for and while there is no shortage of doom and gloom around at the minute one can only wonder what a win on Sunday would do for the morale of the team, for the management and the fans.

One bright aspect of last Sunday, and they were few and far between, but for Eoin Doyle it marked a milestone as the Naas man lined out for Kildare for the 100th time.

A remarkable achievement by a remarkable player.