Kildare 1-11 Limerick 0-11: IT'S FASCINATING to watch an inspirational leader endeavour to evolve into a successful manager. Many have failed in this task, but for Kieran McGeeney the balance sheet is at least back to zero.
We initially feared McGeeney's transfer from player to the sideline would end prematurely. He seemed lost in a television interview just moments after Wicklow humiliated Kildare in Croke Park on May 18th.
It seemed like the 2002 All-Ireland-winning captain could be out of his depth. In fact, he was just being honest. On his first championship outing as an intercounty manager, mere months after retiring, McGeeney was outwitted by the wily Mick O'Dwyer.
Kildare survived last week against Cavan to pit McGeeney against one of O'Dwyer's most famed lieutenants from the Kingdom's golden era, Mickey Ned O'Sullivan, who has breathed life into Limerick football this year.
McGeeney's intercounty management career was in ruins by half-time. But he is made of stern stuff and is, as it turns out, a decent tactician.
He reacted to the 0-8 to 0-5 deficit by pulling off midfielder Killian Brennan, who was being devoured by John Galvin. Thankfully for Kildare, Dermot Early sprang to life in the second half.
He reacted to the forwards malaise by replacing Pádraig O'Neill and Alan Smyth with Michael Conway and Gary White - who both went on to post crucial late points.
The Lilywhites' one gem, John Doyle, delivered a stirring second-half performance, finishing with 1-6, including the game's definitive score after 58 minutes.
It came just five minutes after Jim Donovan put Limerick two points clear with a point that never was. The umpires angled view led them to confirm the white flag to referee Syl Doyle after two consultations. It looked a good three yards wide from the press seats.
Conway pulled it back to the minimum soon after.
With the game poised on a knife edge, Donovan fumbled possession about 40 yards from goal. James Kavanagh transferred possession to Conway who found the overlapping Doyle who planted a daisy-cutter into the left corner.
Limerick had completely drifted off the pace they set in the opening 35 minutes. That Seanie Buckley and teenager Ian Ryan spurned two goal chances in the opening half will haunt them.
Young prospect Ryan scored 3-7 to sink Meath last week. He added 0-5 from frees along with five wides here, but this mixed bag was prompted by Kildare corner-back Andrew McLoughlin doing a fine man-marking job.
Still, on 61 minutes Ryan threw Limerick a lifeline with a fine point from out by the touchline.
McGeeney reacted by bringing a ravenous Anthony Rainbow back from Siberia.
The excellent Doyle, who spent much of the 70 minutes creating space for others, landed a beauty off his left before a White point made it a three-point game.
Limerick poured forward entering injury-time but lacked the collective composure to force matters into extra-time.
"The first day against Cork we were playing for respect," said O'Sullivan. "The second day against Meath we were playing to beat the first football power that Limerick had beaten. Today, we were playing to take a Limerick team where they had never been before - into the third round of the qualifiers. We came up short."
Kildare look like the weakest team left in the All-Ireland series but it will take more ruthless opponents to quieten the first rumblings of a promising managerial tenure.
KILDARE: 1 E Murphy; 2 M O'Flaherty, 7 K O'Neill, 4 A McLoughlin; 5 E Bolton, 6 M Foley, 26 M Scanlon; 8 K Brennan, 9 D Earley; 10 J Kavanagh (0-1), 11 P O'Neill (0-1), 12 E Callaghan; 13 A Smyth, 14 K Donnelly (0-1), 15 J Doyle (1-6, four frees, sideline). Subs: 17 D Flynn for K Brennan (half-time), 28 G Whyte (0-1) for P O'Neill (42 mins), 18 M Conway (0-1) for A Smyth (44 mins), 24 A Rainbow for E Bolton (62 mins), 27 D Lyons for K Donnelly (72 mins). Att: 8,500
LIMERICK: 1 S Kiely; 2 D Carroll, 3 J McCarthy, 4 S Gallagher; 5 P Browne, 6 S Lavin (0-1), 7 P Ranahan; 8 J Donovan (0-1), 9 J Galvin (0-1, capt); 10 S Kelly, 11 J Ryan (0-1), 12 S Buckley (0-2); 13 G Collins, 14 M Crowley, 15 I Ryan (0-5, all frees). Subs: 20 L O'Dwyer for P Browne, 24 G Noonan for S Kelly (both 53 mins), 17 J Cooke for G Noonan (67 mins).
Referee: S Doyle (Wexford).
