As Wexford manager when the GAA introduced the winter training ban in 2010, Jason Ryan was one of the initiative's loudest critics.
The rules regarding the commencement of pre-season training were amended subsequently to a staggered system based on how teams fared in the championship.
Ryan is now in his second season as Kildare manager. Though Kildare's summer aspirations ended in round four of the qualifiers, their December 8th resumption date for collective training means they have less work done than the other teams in their Bord na Móna O'Byrne Cup group – Louth, Carlow and Sigerson Cup fancies UCD.
However, it proved no issue as the hosts trounced Louth by 12 points in Newbridge on Sunday, and with two more home games – in Athy against Carlow Wednesday night and back at St Conleth’s Park against UCD on Sunday – Ryan is glad of the opportunity to see his players in some sort of competitive action.
Kildare have won the pre-season competition 11 times and are three clear of Meath in the roll of honour, having won three out of the last four renewals.
Ready to roll
And Ryan is more than happy to go as far as he can again this year in a bid to be ready for a challenging Division Two Allianz League campaign, which begins with the visit to Down in Newbridge on February 1st.
“You don’t know what you’re against at this stage of the year,” says the Waterford native. “A number of the teams we’re going to be playing, they’ve had more time on the pitch in preparation for the games. Collectively, we weren’t able to go on the pitch until after December 8th, so we’re a little a bit off.
“We’ve a big enough squad to be able to change an awful lot of the players for Wednesday night, and after that we’ll be able to assess where we stand for the UCD game next weekend.
“Players like playing, not necessarily training, and they’ll be delighted that there’s games coming thick and fast at this stage of the year. Our aim is to be in a position to be playing the following week in the semi-final.
“We want competitive games in January, which is the best possible preparation we can have for Down and Meath, the first two National League games.”
Pushing Tomás
Throughout Sunday’s game, Ryan could be heard encouraging supreme ball-winner Tomás O’Connor to take on his direct marker more often than he is accustomed to.
The Clane full-forward showed the potential with a brilliant solo goal, closely followed by a rare kicked point from play.
That pleased management, as did scoring 1-16 and not offering up any goalscoring chances. But it was the easing of a dire injury situation that has the Kildare supremo feeling optimistic.
"To see Fionn Dowling, who has had a real misfortunate number of years with injuries, finishing the game and looking dangerous every time he got on the ball – he made some outstanding runs. Eamonn Callaghan. I think it's the first time he has played in January in three or four years.
"The same with Hugh Lynch starting a game in January. Hugh's been plagued with injuries for a number of years, so it's terrific having those guys."
Peter Kelly has been "really excited over the last few weeks. All his injuries are behind him. Ciarán Fitzpatrick missed all the National League last year with injury as well. So there's guys who haven't been able to play for a number of years and missed huge chunks of preparation, training and pre-season. They're back now and able to do it.
"And thankfully, Cathal McNally, Keith Cribbin, Paul Cribbin, Alan Smith and Fergal Conway aren't a million miles away either from being back in action."
