Out of all of the teams set to compete in the Tailteann Cup in 2024, it's fair to say that Kildare are probably the least happy to be there.
The Leinster side have had a disastrous campaign so far this year, being relegated from Division 2 after losing all seven of their games in the league. While they would then scrape by Wicklow in a provincial quarter-final, Glenn Ryan's side would be beaten fairly handily by Louth in the next round last weekend.
Heading into that game, Kildare knew that a victory was needed in order to qualify for the Sam Maguire round robin this summer. However, they did not play like a team that were desperate to avoid the second tier competition.
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Lee Keegan gives damning summary of current mindset of Kildare team
Kildare is a county with impressive playing resources, but they have consistently underperformed over the last decade or so. Their problems have worsened further over the past couple of years and they have nobody but themselves to blame over their failure to reach the All-Ireland series this summer.
Speaking on RTÉ GAA Podcast, Lee Keegan game a grim summary of their current team and said he would have little faith in them to perform well in the Tailteann Cup.
Kildare look like a shell of a team, to be brutally honest. They deserve to be in the Tailteann Cup.
They've lost seven league games, they got out of jail against Wicklow. I'd worry about them, even in that. Will there be a fall off in players, will they lose interest?
The Tailteann Cup has been great but just looking at Kildare, I don't know if the players will want to (compete in it).
Look at them [against Louth]. Biggest game of the year, with a potential place in Sam Maguire there. And you go out and perform like that...
I don't know how you pick that team up. Meath were able to adapt to the Tailteann Cup, come out of it and now they're competing at a better level. I don't think Kildare could do that...
Looking at what Kildare have done this year? There's not a lot of positivity and all they're getting is slated week in, week out.
I'd question where the mentality of that group at the moment. I wouldn't even trust Kildare in the Tailteann Cup.
Kildare may be one of the more talented teams in the Tailteann Cup on paper, but very few people will have any belief that they are primed to make a deep run in the competition.
The problems in that county are now well engrained in the current setup. It will take quite an effort to turn things around in the near future.
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