Kildare are as well placed as they’ve been in a long time to face Dublin, when they take on the All-Ireland champions in the Leinster final on Sunday.
Cian O’Neill’s men enjoyed an impressive league campaign, in which they only fell at the final hurdle against Galway, and this early season form has extended into the Leinster Championship so far with facile victories over Laois and Meath respectively.
The Lilywhites appear re-energised, reinvigorated and truly motivated to finally make the giant strides in the football Championship that they have been threatening to make for so long.
An injection of fast, fit and well-conditioned players has enabled O’Neill to employ the fast-paced tactics that he has introduced this year.
The pace of half forward Dave Slattery and the sheer strength of full forward Daniel Flynn are a testament to the peak physically conditioned nature of the team.
O’Neill, who hails from the Moorefield club in Kildare is well known for his modern, scientific approach to the game, as the fiercely debated occlusion goggles that his side use in training has shown.
O’Neill has adapted to developments in technology and in the science of human performance like no other manager in the GAA, it is fair to say.
It’s no surprise then, that he has his side well informed on the benefits that a nutritional diet can give to a player.
The Kildare men were fuelling themselves with all the right foods on Saturday, to help them tackle the almighty Dubs on Sunday.
Their half-forward, Dave Slattery, just like he was doing earlier in the week with his Championship haircut, was leading by example.
Dave knows the score, he was ready to eat like a horse to ensure energy will be at its optimum come 4:00 on Sunday.
The Confey man lived up to his promise as he took in healthy foods only on Saturday.
For breakfast, the most important meal of the day, he got the protein-rich oats in, as well as some essential nutrients in the strawberries and bananas.
Slattery is all about the protein, as his lunch suggested.
Get those eggs into you.
Slattery’s dinner was just what you’d expect from an inter-county player, with protein to the fore again.
You can’t go wrong with a good old chicken curry.
And to finish the day off, some more protein.
If all the Kildare lads prepare similarly there’ll be no stopping them in Croke Park.
