A really great team effort insists Kildare boss Herity
By Daire Walsh
It may have been in a different venue to last week, but Kildare manager David Herity was pleased that side were able to maintain their home form at Hawkfield on Sunday afternoon.
Having overcome Donegal on a scoreline of 4-29 to 0-14 in St Conleth’s Park eight days earlier, the Lilies had 15 points to spare against Derry at the nearby Kildare Centre of Excellence in Hawkfield. This consequently increased their unbeaten home record to six games – dating back to the start of last year’s league campaign.
“It is massive and we kind of made a point of this. Two years ago, in my first year, you had teams coming down into Conleth’s and just beating you. Heading off home again. Now I can’t remember the last time we were beaten here,” Herity acknowledged after Sunday’s game.
“It’s nice to make sure teams aren’t coming into Kildare and getting away easy wins. It’s something that was in the back of our heads the whole time as well.”
While Johnny Byrne will understandably claim the plaudits as a result of accumulating a personal haul of 3-4, Herity saw Sunday’s showing as a team effort. For him this was epitomised by the performance of substitute Shane Ryan, who was demoted to the Kildare bench at the 11th hour.
“He [Johnny Byrne] is getting better and better every single day. He brings a huge physicality to that half-forward line. Across the field.
“I thought our work-rate was very good all the way through. All the way back to Paddy [McKenna] in the goal,” Herity added.
““Shane Ryan showed brilliant attitude; dropped for the game today, came on and I thought he was exceptional. I thought he was probably our man of the match there today with the way that he played when he came on, outstanding.”