Newbridge or… no, it doesn’t matter anymore.
If Kildare make it through a tough tie with Fermanagh, they’re in the promised land.
Cian O’Neill brought the county this far last year too after losing a provincial decider to Dublin but then came up short against Armagh in a period that sparked a hideous losing run for the Lilywhites, culminating in a Leinster exit to Carlow this summer.
But then Derry, Longford and Mayo were toppled as Kildare found their groove again and, somehow, found their way to make it 70 minutes from the All-Ireland quarter-finals once more.
Round 4 qualifier draw
Roscommon v Armagh
Fermanagh v Kildare
Cork v Tyrone
Laois v Monaghan
Monday morning’s draw means that the Super 8 groups are potentially cracking and, if Kildare can overcome Fermanagh, they’ll be in Group One with Kerry, Galway and Laois or Monaghan.
As per the rules, every team has a home game, an away game and a match at Croke Park.
Kildare or Fermanagh would play their first match in Croker, their second at home and their last game away.
Kildare/Fermanagh Super 8s
- The Croke Park match would be against Laois/Monaghan.
- The home game would be against Galway.
- The away trip is to Kerry.
The big question being posed this week though was that, if the GAA initially had concerns about Newbridge and St. Conleth’s Park as a venue for a Round 3 game, how would they feel about it as a Super 8 match?
If Kildare make it through, they play their home quarter-final on the weekend of July 21/22 and, with Galway season ticket holders, with Kildare interest intensifying, with this being a last-eight game with national intrigue and herds of media looking for entry, would an 8,000-seater venue be allowed?
The answer is yes, apparently.
GAA president John Horan confirmed on Morning Ireland on RTÉ Radio on Monday morning that Kildare would play a home game in Newbridge – whoever they got.
“Yes I do [think they can play in Newbridge], no matter who the opposition are,” Horan said.
“It is important that every team gets a home game. That will be stood over.”
He made these comments before the draw was made too with potential for Dublin to be travelling to Kildare for an away game.
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