There was a view that Kildare fans could suffer no more. Having endured torture over the last two decades, the homespun truths of winters in isolation suggested that anything would be a bonus. Sure nothing could surpass '98 when the fans lost the game not-the-team, and wasn't glory unedifying anyway.
That was wrong. The manner of Kildare's defeat to Down makes it even harder to endure not easier. The story goes that there must be some succour in the square-ball, the penalty decision bottled and the point not-awarded. It's bollox of course. That Kildare didn't perform as well as they could, that they kicked wides in the last five minutes when coolness would have seen them through, that Down needed the square-ball, no penalty and wide-that-wasn't despite playing brilliant chin-up football for 75 minutes makes it worse not better.
Unlike 1998, we have Kieran McGeeney. For that we are indeed grateful. Only he hasn't said he'll stay yet. For that we must fret and fret and fret. Because after the first death there are many more until there is the last one. McGeeney leaving would be the last one.
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Ps My thanks to Xavier, Hal and Alfredo for asking me to clamber aboard. If they'll take my stuff though they'll obviously take anything. I'll be back, Kildare will be back and you can join us by emailing [email protected]
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Ger Gilroy is Newstalk's sports editor. He'll be blogging about sports and whatever else on Balls.ie whenever he finds the time.
