League campaign on the line as hurlers face Kildare on road

ALLIANZ NHL DIVISION 2A (ROUND 4)

THE Kingdom are still in this.

The odds, of course, remain stacked against them. Victory this weekend in Newbridge looks tricky, victory the week after in Portlaoise looks trickier still, and yet it’s not entirely beyond the realms of possibility that Kerry could force their way into a semi-final berth and with it a shot at promotion.

Remember you don’t need to win the division to secure promotion, just reach the final. Three wins from three games and Stephen Molumphy’s men will be looking forward to life in Division 1B next season.

We shouldn’t, of course, get too far out ahead of ourselves. It wasn’t so long ago we were simply hoping that the Kingdom would be able to avoid the wooden spoon.

Victory over Meath – a sloppy first-half followed by a much more clinical second half – however, gives renewed hope that something tangible can be salvaged from a league campaign that had transition (and little else) written all over it.

Kerry were genuinely quietly impressive against Meath last time out. The infusion of quality with the inclusion of Shane Conway for the first time this term made a huge difference, unquestionably.

Not only did he deliver the goods in front of the sticks, he just gives everyone else around him a nice little boost of confidence too. The Lixnaw man is a transformative sort of player.

His return couldn’t have been better timed with Brandon Barrett ruled out for the game through injury. Chances are the Causeway man won’t be fit in time for this weekend either unfortunately, but with Dan Goggin in seriously good form Kerry aren’t without options up top.

Even Michael Leane as a full-forward – a role we still don’t think is his best – is proving effective at times, as his goal against the Royals last time out hinted at. Bit-by-bit this new-look side under Molumphy’s leadership is beginning to come together.

Dr Crokes’ man Tom Doyle is beginning to make his mark, Ronan Walsh off the bench last time out showed his potential, while we wait to see Luke Crowley make his league debut, which could come as soon as this weekend.

Of course, Kerry are still suffering for the level of experience they’ve lost over the winter months, but they’re in a much

Carlow Laois Down Kerry Meath Kildare more positive place now than they were just a handful of weeks ago after the defeat to Carlow first day out.

To be fair, some of our optimism for Kerry’s prospects for a place in the semi-finals – first in the table goes straight through to the final, with second and third playing off to join them – is unquestionably down to Kildare’s disappointing start to the campaign.

The Lilywhites hurlers haven’t had as disastrous a start to the campaign as their football counterparts, but considering the high hopes people – ourselves included – had for their prospect this season they have underperformed.

A first day defeat to Meath – a side no more than solid on the basis of what we saw in Stack Park the other week – is hard to wrap your head around, while defeat to Laois is a bit more understandable.

Brian Dowling’s men were much improved last time out – earning a draw with Down in Ballycran, a better result than the Kingdom managed against the Mourne men – even so Kerry are travelling up the M7 with more hope than one would have imagined just a few weeks ago.

The Lilywhites still have, we think it’s fair to say, a higher ceiling than Kerry do right now, but it’s a question of whether or not they can access it in time for the visit of the Kingdom their the Hawkfield centre of excellence.

On paper Kildare still look close enough to the side that bested Kerry in last year’s league in Newbridge – Paddy McKenna, the Borans, Rian, Conan and Cian, Simon Lacey, Cian Shanahan, Paul Dolan and James Burke all still in place alongside the likes of Seán Christiansen and Jack Sheridan – but it’s also the case that they’ve not been firing on all cylinders since about this time last year.

If they hit those heights they should be winning this game. The book-makers, though, have Kerry installed as marginal favourites for the game (as of mid-week) for a reason. Strange as it might seem the green and gold are the team in form.

Still when push comes to shove we do think there will be a response from Kildare to their poor start to the campaign. Their desire and sheer necessity for a result should be enough for them to rally sufficiently here.

That said Kerry’s need is just as great. If they’re unable to win this weekend, they can kiss those slim chances of promotion to the new-look Division 1B goodbye.

Probably, then, there won’t be a whole pile in this one. A win by a couple of points either way seems the safest best. Kildare to win, just about.

Verdict: Kildare

ALLIANZ NHL DIVISION 2A

P WD L+/-Pts 3 3 0 0 29 6 3 2 0 1 10 4 3111 03 3 1 0 2 -12 2 3 1 0 2 -16 2 3 0 1 2 -11 1

ROUND 4 FIXTURES Saturday, March 9

Kildare v Kerry, Hawkfield, Kildare 2pm Sunday, March 10

Carlow v Down, Carlow 1pm Meath v Laois, Navan 2pm