Kildare boss Brian Flanagan: 'We can grow massively from here'
The Lilywhites just about had enough to hold off a gutsy Limerick at Croke Park on Saturday, coming through a thrilling finale to win 1-24 to 2-19.
Kildare have endured some wobbles this year, exiting Leinster at the semi-final stage after they were turned over by Louth. However they dusted themselves down after that to go all the way in the Tailteann Cup, which has been added to the Allianz Football League Division 3 title.
Now, Flanagan says they're harbouring grander long-term ambitions as the county aims to get closer to the big boys.
"We always knew there was a possibility (of winning the Tailteann Cup)," he told RTÉ Sport.
"We didn't necessarily set out with the intention, or we didn't talk a huge amount about the Tailteann in the first couple of months of the year, but we knew it was a possibility, to be fair we did, and the players would have known that as well.
"When Louth beat us, and we were disappointed on the day, we gave ourselves a couple of weeks. The (Tailteann) draw came out, we felt we would manage through the three or four weeks until the real knockout stages came into it. Then we sat down as a group to be honest after the Tipperary game and we said, 'right lads, let's draw a line, no more feeling sorry for ourselves, no more looking back, no more talking about Leinster or Sam or any of that stuff', that just had to be parked.
"There was a very clear focus, very clear four-step plan to get to this point, and to win. We said, whatever about previous games, we would accept nothing bar winning from here on in. The players bought into it massively. They came together in a way that I probably hadn't seen previously."
"The effort in everything we did - team sessions, video sessions, camps, the whole lot - from that point on I felt there was an energy, and there was a want, a proper focus. There was no more talk of anything else."
"You have to build" - Kildare boss Brian Flanagan reflects on his team's Tailteann Cup success, and immediately looks ahead to the future #RTEgaa pic.twitter.com/gtXvaNc5uk
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) July 12, 2025
Kildare now return to the Sam Maguire Cup race in 2026 after a three-year absence.
They really had to go to the well against Limerick, but always seemed to have an extra gear to reach for, with the classy Darragh Kirwan chipping in with a healthy haul of 0-08.
Flanagan insisted their triumph was the culmination of weeks of hard graft.
"I thought they showed an awful lot of character, drive, want to get here," he added.
"I'm delighted they took care of business today.
"I think you have to build. The (RTÉ panel) referenced Down and Meath and what they've done since winning it. We fully intend doing that as well. We feel like this is the start of a journey.
"We came in with a four-year plan. Year one was absolutely to create a winning culture and for lads to feel that. We knew how important this step was today.
"I don't think we played our best stuff. We were a little bit edgy at times and passive... we didn't really throw the shackles off, certainly not quick enough, but we did enough to win. We've been criticised for not doing that in the past, not winning tight games, or maybe not seeing matches like that out.
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