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County Kildare History and Heritage

1928 All-Ireland Football Championship

Preview of the All-Ireland Final

Leinster Leader, September 29, 1928, page 4

All-Ireland Final.
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SUNDAY'S BIG MATCH
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KILDARE TEAM CONFIDENT
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All roads will lead to the metropolis next Sunday to witness at Croke Park another of the epic encounters which has made Kildare famous in football throughout the length and breadth of the land.

This year the home team will be called upon to face a combination not of Munster men, but of Ulster men, and it remains to be seen what effect the change will have on the final result. Will Cavan make as stern a stand as the men from Kerry?

So far as training goes, the Kildare team is in a very healthy position. Under Sergeant-Major O'Reilly, they have undergone a very rigorous course, so that from the physical standpoint their prospects are extremely rosy.

There is only one change this year in the personnel of the team. We are informed that owing to a regrettable accident to Joe Curtis he will be unable to be in his accustomed place in the playing pitch next Sunday. This is an unfortunate circumstance, as Curtis has certainly been one of the standard-bearers for Kildare, but the Co. Board have gone a long way towards neutralising the loss by substituting George Pringle, and all Gaels will heartily endorse his selection.

The remainder of the team is composed entirely of the men who won the All-Ireland honours in 1927, all stalwart veterans, who may be relied upon to repeat last year's success.

There is an air of quiet confidence about the team which augurs well towards this end, and assuming the team lives up to its high reputation, the result is not in doubt for a moment.

Over forty special trains will converge upon Dublin on Sunday, freighted with a surging stream of humanity that will be representative of all Ireland. As is only to be expected, there will be a general exodus from Kildare, and from an early hour the main road to Dublin will present an animated scene. It is only fitting that Kildare should be largely represented as there is nothing so heartening to a team as to know the county fans are with them. Every follower of the team should take an especial pride in our representatives, and by their good conduct during the game aim at keeping the fine example set by our players on its present pinnacle.

A correspondent writes:---So far as the Chairman, Mr. T. Lawler, and the Secretary, Mr. T.P. Clarke, have been concerned, the arrangements for training the County Team this year were as perfect as possible. Both were present on all occasions at the New Hall, Newbridge, when, under Sergeant-Major O'Reilly, the members of the team went through a special course of gymnastic exercise, and again at the practice matches on the barrack field adjoining. The representatives of the Short Grass are in magnificent condition, and it is scarcely necessary to say that their prospects in the coming match with Cavan are extremely rosy.

At a special meeting of the County Kildare Selection Committee held on Monday evening in the New Hall, Newbridge, Mr. T. Lawler, Chairman, County Committee presided. The following team were selected to represent the Short Grass County against Cavan:---

Messrs. M. BUCKLEY, M. GOUGH, GUS FITZPATRICK, JACK HIGGINS, FRANK MALONE, JACK HAYES, PAUL DOYLE, W. GANNON, JOE LOUGHLIN, P. MARTIN, T. PRINGLE, W. MANGAN, P. LOUGHLIN, TOM KEOGH, AND MICHAEL WALSH (goal).
The only change in the team is that owing to the regrettable accident to JOE CURTIS, he will be unable to play, and George Pringle is selected to act in his place.

Leinster Leader, September 29, 1928, page 4.

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Preparations for All-Ireland Final.