Kildare hurling face acid test amid years of growth

There was a period in the early to mid 1970s when Kildare reached four national hurling league quarter-finals.

They met Tipperary between 1971 and 1975 and only lost by six points to a Francie Loughnane-inspired Tipp, with the second game by seven points.

Around that time Kildare also competed in the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship and held Offaly to a draw in the '75 season.

A year later they beat Dublin in the province and later that season Ardclough beat Buffers Alley in the Leinster club championship.

Half a century has passed but the signs are that the county is making further strides to try to get back to compete on that level on a consistent basis.

There have been notable steps in recent times. A win over Wexford in the 2021 Under-20 Leinster Championship was further proof of the rising tide as were the Christy Ring Cup wins in 2020 and 2022.

Early this year the senior team, under David Herity for a fifth season, claimed pre-season honours in the Kehoe Cup, with wins over Carlow, Meath, Down and Wicklow by a combined 41 points.

Now they are facing two difficult games in Division 2A of the Allianz Hurling league – this Saturday at home to Kerry and the next time away to Offaly to see if they can secure a league final spot and promotion to top-flight hurling for the first time in their history.

Despite the fact that they are unbeaten in three games thus far in their division, it remains a big ask.

Ask Kildare hurling followers what they would like most this year and it could simply be to establish themselves in the Joe McDonagh tier, after failing to remain at the level in 2021.

As for the senior camp itself, they have not yet hit peak form, but have had a very productive four matches in January, they gave game time to