Kildare manager Cian O'Neill believes that last Saturday's SFC qualifier win over Derry was step in the right direction.

O'Neill was not getting carried away with the result even though a defeat against the Ulster side would have put his job under serious threat.

The Lilywhites went about their task in a professional manner and played some outstanding football, showing their true class on the day.

Nonetheless, O'Neill stressed to the Leinster Leader that it was just one step on the road to redemption following their shock defeat to Carlow in the Leinster SFC.

"It is a first step," claimed O'Neill. If there wasn't a win against Derry there would be no step so it's a starting point for the players but there is a lot of positivity to be taken from this win and the fact that we have two weeks before the next game is also a big help and gives us the time to work on things that will hopefully take us to the next step, but this is more than about football, it's about pride in Kildare football and not just the lads on the pitch; we let, I let the county down as manager of this team that lost the last day when so much was expected of us and that is not what I, or the team, want to be so the lads took that out in a great leadership performance."

Kildare now face a tricky away tie against Longford in the qualifiers with the game being pencilled in for Glennon Brothers Pearse Park on Saturday, June 23rd.

Tweet

Most Read Stories