KILDARE’S LATEST UNDERAGE football triumph over Dublin was confirmed on Tuesday night.
The Lilywhites were crowned back-to-back Leinster U20 champions after an extra-time epic at Carlow’s Netwatch Cullen Park. Brian Flanagan’s side overcame Dublin in the decider for the second year running, the final scoreline 0-16 to 0-13.
Two days earlier, Glenn Ryan’s senior outfit saw off Wicklow at the same venue to advance to the Leinster semi-final against the Dubs.
The 13 in-a-row chasers are heavy favourites for today’s Croke Park last four battle [throw-in 4pm, GAA Go], as they have been at senior level for as long as most remember, but it’s fascinating to assess the counties’ fortunes in the underage ranks.
Kildare are rivalling them, and might even have a slight edge at the moment, but when — if ever — will that translate into senior results?
In the last 11 years, they have contested six Leinster U20/21 finals and won four: 2013, 2018, 2022 and 2023. They also won the All-Ireland in ’18, with Davy Burke as manager.
Four players involved against Wicklow last Sunday were part of Kieran McGeeney’s 2013 team — Daniel Flynn, Paul Cribbin, Mark Donnellan and David Hyland. A decade later, the county are still waiting for senior glory.
Just two from the ’18 All-Ireland final side — Paddy Woodgate and Aaron Masterson — graduated to start last weekend, though sharpshooter Jimmy Hyland and Tony Archbold are among those heavily involved.
In contrast, Dublin have brought through countless players, having contested the past 10 Leinster U20/21 finals and won six. They lifted All-Ireland titles in 2014 and 2017, also reaching the final in 2019 and 2020.
In that same timeframe at minor level, Kildare have been in seven Leinster finals, winning four: 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2019. Dublin have won three, their latest coming after an eight-point win over the Lillies last year. Since 2010, it’s 5-4 Dublin, and one needs little reminding of their remarkable exploits at senior level.
On the schools’ scene, Naas CBS have won one (2022) and lost one (2019) Hogan Cup final in recent years.
There’s no shortage of raw materials there, but it seems difficult to bring players through and bridge that gap at senior level. How and why can Dublin appear to develop players better than Kildare — and others — in their early 20s? Is it a case of resources and finances, or is there something else stopping that underage success filtering through?
In the capital, Dessie Farrell reckons it’s the power of good coaching through the ranks.
“I know there’s a lot of talk about resources and everything else, but for me that narrative is a little bit lost,” the Dublin manager told Brendan Devenney on Highland Radio’s DL Debate in December 2020, as quoted by The Sun.
“It’s actually about getting good people involved at the earliest age to work with players and develop them. I was just one of many who had their hand and their fingerprints on this great Dublin team over the last 10 years or whatever and getting good coaches in.”
Farrell guided the Dubs to U21 All-Ireland glory in ’14, and from the starting team for that final against Roscommon, David Byrne, John Small, Jack McCaffrey, Brian Fenton, Niall Scully, Paul Mannion and Cormac Costello are all in today’s squad. (Ciaran Kilkenny missed out with a cruciate injury.)
“For me it was more about the players and getting to reunite with some of those lads that I’d coached, some of them actually from U12 to U13 development squads right through to U21,” Farrell added in conversation with Devenney.
Ryan was appointed Kildare senior manager in October 2021, and there was huge local expectation at the prospect of a heroic playing figure taking the reins. Other legendary former players like Johnny Doyle, Dermot Earley and Anthony Rainbow were also involved, anticipation was building.
The 2022 Allianz football league ended in relegation from Division 1. They finished one point ahead of Dublin after two wins, one draw and four defeats. An opening-day draw against Kerry was followed by losses to Donegal, Tyrone and then a big win over the Dubs in Newbridge. There was a win over Monaghan sandwiched between defeats to Armagh and Mayo, and they were consigned to the the drop alongside their neighbours.
The pair met in the Leinster championship final after Kildare saw off Louth and Westmeath, but the Sky Blues reigned supreme once more after a 5-17 to 1-15 demolition job.
The previous provincial decider finished in a 0-20 to 1-9 defeat, Kildare turning in a spirited display but ultimately falling short once more. Former manager Jack O’Connor took a defensive approach, but nine months on, Ryan and co. were torn to shreds after opting to try a more open, expansive style.
Their All-Ireland involvement came to a disappointing end two weeks later after a 0-14 to 2-13 to defeat to Mayo in the qualifiers.
Kildare finished mid-table in Division 2 this year after three wins and four defeats. They opened with a one-point loss to Dublin in Croke Park, before Cork put them to the sword in Newbridge. A one-point win over Clare followed, they fell to another heavy loss to Derry, lost to Louth and then beat Limerick and Meath to finish fifth.
While it’s hard to look past Dublin today, Kildare must win to guarantee their place in the top-tier, Sam Maguire championship. They will drop into the Tailteann Cup if they lose AND either Offaly or Down win their respective fixtures.
Farrell’s Sky Blues powered to a 27-point win over Laois last weekend, with Con O’Callaghan personifying their ruthlessness with 1-7. Their dominance and outrageous winning margins in the province are well documented at this stage, it’s just a pity the playing field hasn’t been levelled out.
Particularly by a county like Kildare, who have established themselves as a big force at underage level.
It’s hard to shake the feeling that minor and U20 success is further away than ever from translating at senior level.
