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Emmet Bolton | "This is th...

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Emmet Bolton | "This is the game that Kildare can get Mayo"

98FM
98FM

04:42 29 Jun 2018


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Now that the venue issue has been put to bed for now, let's talk football.

Mayo and Kildare will go head to head in the All Ireland football third round qualifier at Newbridge this weekend after changing circumstances in regards to where the match would be held.

And to preview the match in question, former Kildare footballer Emmet Bolton and ex-Mayo manager James Horan joined Ger Gilroy on the show.

But starting with the GAA's reversal of an original decision to stage the game in Croke Park, Bolton spoke of the reaction in the county.  

Emmet Bolton | "This is the game that Kildare can get Mayo"

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"Obviously, it was a fantastic result for the county. I didn't think it would gain much traction in and around the county as it did in terms of the amount of people talking around the town, around the county, the traction it got on social media," he said.

"But the way people are talking about it now in the last couple of days, it's like winning an All Ireland final or something. It's a fantastic result and I have to say the credit has to go to the Kildare county board, Cian O'Neill and the management team and to the players for sticking to their guns."

St Conleth Park | INPHO

He added that the most "impressive thing" was the way the county was unified by the issue in a way that hadn't happened for some time.

On the match itself, Horan believes the atmosphere will help "focus the Mayo players" as they enter Kildare's home cauldron.

But Bolton has got some confidence that the Lilywhites can threaten Mayo adequately, especially given the latter have suffered some significant injuries during the Championship so far particularly in midfield.

"This game now as opposed to the game before or the next game, I think this is the game if Kildare are going to beat Mayo. This is the perfect time for it. You've Seamie O'Shea injured and I'm not sure if certain guys are at full fitness on the Mayo panel," he said.

"I just think this is the game that Kildare can get them. I think everything is kind of moving towards Kildare at the minute, in my opinion, with the result over the last couple of days to physically get [the game] in Newbridge which would have been a lot more of a tougher task for Kildare if it was up in Croke Park." 


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