McGeeney salutes Kildare's 'big step'

Kildare manager Kieran McGeeney hailed his side's qualification for this year's football semi-finals as a 'big step'.

Kildare overcame Meath by 2-17 to 1-12 to book a semi-final date with Down.

'We've come here twice before and didn't get it, but this is an older, wiser team. It's a big step,' said the Lilywhites boss.

'The boys showed good character, and they used the ball well. They took some good shot options which they weren't doing in the first half. And everybody stepped up to the mark.'

McGeeney said his team didn't deserve the criticism that came their way after their Leinster Championship defeat by Louth, but did admit that the qualifier route had been a good lesson for his side.

'Everybody says we got hammered by Louth. We got beat, but I didn't think we got hammered. Sometimes in defeat you learn more about yourself, and in fairness a lot of these boys have shown that. That's the thing about sport: you have to keep bouncing back.'

On his team’s tendency to lift their performance in the second half of games, McGeeney said: 'Games are not won in the first five or ten minutes. I'd rather finish this year winning, than start it winning.'