Sallins boss 'massively' concerned over lack of stern tests for Kildare champs so far

“It’s hard to get your head around, when we were coming up on the bus today we thought we were coming for a stern task. Coming to Navan, playing the Meath champions, conditions have been difficult over the last couple of days but we can just prepare best for ourselves and to deliver our performance,” said Sallins manager Jonathan Daniels after his side's 3-18 to 0-6 win over Kilbride in their Leinster IFC Semi-Final.

“The first half was a challenge, I thought we started really well and we adapted to the conditions. We won more breaks in that sort of 10,15 minutes, which gave us a platform and we got ahead on the scoreboard. That is what it has been for us all year and we have been comfortable in those positions. We thought in the second half Kilbride would throw a little bit more at us, which they did, but we seemed to be able to adapt to what they were doing and build on the scoreboard. The scoreline probably didn’t reflect the type of game (it was) and the conditions. We are delighted with coming down here, getting a win, and getting out of here.”

No team has got within 10 points of Sallins in either a Kildare or Leinster Championship game this year with Kilbride posing little threat to changing that throughout this fixture. Sallins took off at a flying pace in this game but most impressively dominated proceedings from first whistle to last and never took their foot off the gas, despite their significant lead.

“We said at half-time that we’d be happy to get five points and get to 16 points and make them stretch to 17. It just got a little bit sort of slow and cagey and once we got to 10 minutes after the restart and the scoreboard hadn’t been moving for them. I thought once we got a couple that you could see the lads grew in confidence. They all wanted the ball a little bit more and we were able to push on,” Daniels said.

When questioned about Sallins not being tested in Championship games this year, the manager said: “Massively (a concern). That is the one thing we speak about on a nightly basis, the what-ifs, what if we are two behind down the stretch? What if some team scores 1-3 on the spin and puts us under pressure? That is what we have been training on, that is the message that we have been giving lads and then it is whether the players are ultimately able to make really good decisions in those situations. Time will only tell on that.”

FULL MATCH REPORT: Kildare IFC champs Sallins into Leinster Semi-Final after dominant 21-point win