Ciarán Whelan concurs with Glenn Ryan on Dublin's home comforts

Ciarán Whelan feels that Kildare manager Glenn Ryan has a valid point when saying that teams don't get "a fair crack of the whip" when they have to face Dublin in Croke Park.

The Lilies again travelled to Jones' Road to take on the Dubs in Sunday's Leinster SFC semi-final. In contrast to previous years, Kildare pushed Dessie Farrell's side all the way, only losing by two points after leading for the majority of the 70 minutes.

Speaking to GAAGO afterwards, Ryan was forthright in his views, when saying: "It's frustrating from the point of view that - I suppose everyone gives out about the Croke Park thing - but you come up here and you don't get a fair crack of the whip."

He continued: "Well, there's fellas walking up and down one side of the official and nobody can do anything down the other end. Fellas standing in my so-called box and my own officials being told to get out of it and there's somebody from the other side [in it].

"It sounds like sour grapes but I know I'm reflecting the views of most teams around the country that everything is laid out here [for Dublin], number one, from a familiarity perspective, from a games perspective and, you know, everything else seems to go their way as well.

"Sure we'll play anywhere, but you want to play anywhere when it's fair. And there wasn't anything glaring, nothing glaring.

"There were calls went either way, but when you look at stuff that goes on on the sideline and the dressing-rooms and all that, you know, it's all wrapped up in it."

Reacting to Ryan's comments, Ciarán Whelan was in general agreement, adding that playing the Leinster semis away from Croker would be worthwhile.

"I think he has a valid point," said Whelan on The Sunday Game.

"Both of those games today in provincial