Fresh-faced Kildare are young at heart

With some new faces and much of the old expectation, Kildare start their Leinster football championship campaign in Croke Park this Sunday. Two veterans make way for two debutants and, with Wexford providing the opposition, there's no prize for guessing who'll start as favourites.

The injection of youth comes from 20-year-old Michael Foley, preferred at centre back to the long-serving Glenn Ryan. And also 23-year-old Morgan O'Sullivan, now ready to mix it with Kildare's more established forwards.

Anthony Rainbow also loses out to the rising Eamonn Callaghan at wing back and joins Ryan on the substitutes' bench.

Behind those decisions lies manager Pauric Nolan, now in his second season with Kildare and gradually reinforcing the neat planning and slow-burning motivation that have become his trademarks. He confirms that all 15were picked on merit alone, and that injuries, for once,had no say.

"No, we had a full squad to pick from. And we're delighted to be able to put out a strong team like that, and that we had a few younger players pushing for places."

Clearing the likes of Ryan and Rainbow into the background was not a deliberate ploy. And plenty of the old guard remain, like captain Dermot Earley at midfield and Brian Lacey at corner back.

Kildare, though, have been uncovering fresh talent at a faster rate, emphasised by the Leinster under-21 title taken from the hands of champions Dublin earlier this year. Nolan knows he's fortunate to have them.

"This team does reflect the strength of the panel now, and the competition for places. We're certainly making a little bit of progress all the time.

"And even though it's still quite a young team, there's a fair level of experience there too. A lot of lads would have played in the Leinster final last year (11, in fact, nine as starters, two as substitutes). And that should stand to us."

Yet, some of the hype that surrounded Kildare football in recent years has diminished, partly because of indifferent league campaigns, and partly because of Mick O'Dwyer's departure.

An unbeaten run through Division Two this season secured the desired promotion, but the semi-final play-off against Offaly didn't go nearly as smoothly, and ended in an eight-point defeat.

"We were very disappointed with that performance," adds Nolan, "knowing we could play so much better. Having said that, we've worked very hard in training for the past five weeks, and the Wexford match has been the most important target all along.

"And we know too that we're coming up against a team that has benefited greatly from playing Division One football for the first time, and taken the scalps of teams like Galway along the way."

Outside of the county borders, it seems the Kildare fanfare has also been a little muted compared to other seasons. The great expectations of the O'Dwyer era haven't quite landed at Nolan's feet just yet - despite him taking Kildare to a Leinster final last year, and losing out to Laois by a goal.

"I'd say it's actually quite similar to last year, when we didn't have good league campaign at all, and there were plenty of question marks hanging over us going into the championship."

For the long-term development of the under-21s, the promotion back to Division One was essential, and, no matter what happens this summer, Nolan feels the county will be well placed for the next few years.

For now, though, only Sunday fills the mind of the Naas schoolteacher. Wexford's first-round win over Louth was their first championship success of any sort in three years and they won't fear Kildare's higher rank. All Nolan can do is send his players out as well tuned as possible.

"It's like preparing for any sport, or say running a marathon. You do everything you can, but you don't know how it's going to come together until you go out on the day. I do feel this is a more settled team than last year, and I'm happy with the progress we've made so far.

"And I can't ask any more from the players now than what they've given already. We're all just looking forward to it, and glad really that the wait is over. Championship football always brings you on to that edge."

KILDARE (SF v Wexford): E Murphy; B Lacey,

D Hendy, A McLoughlin; E Callaghan, M Foley,

K Ennis; K Brennan, D Earley; D McCormack,

J Doyle, R Sweeney; P Brennan, M O'Sullivan,

T Fennin.