Former Kildare player Johnny Doyle says there is excitement around the county ahead of the re-start of the club championships this week following the lifting of restrictions.
Doyle, who still plays for intermediate side Allenwood, says the excitement is heightened by the fact that players weren't sure whether a Kildare club championship would be played this year.
On Monday, the government announced the lifting of specific Covid-19 restrictions in Kildare with immediate effect
The GAA authorities within the county moved swiftly to re-start their season but Doyle, speaking on the RTÉ Six One News, acknowledges the time-frame for completing the club championships has narrowed significantly.
"We are back and there's an air of excitement around the county to be back playing," he said.
"Crowds will have to stay away but from a playing point of view, it's great to be back and everybody is looking forward to the championship.
After moving out of lockdown this week, @ciaranmullooly reports from @MoorefieldGaa on the return to action, while @johnnydoyle78 talks about potential headaches for Kildare GAA #RTEGAA pic.twitter.com/8WsElbYeDI
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) September 1, 2020
"The season, in a normal year, is very congested. That's taken up the airwaves for years. So this year is going to be really challenging for the board.
"The fixtures start tomorrow night. You've minor championship starting tomorrow night, you've the first round of the hurling championship on Thursday and then you've senior football championship at the weekend.
"There's certainly a lot of pressure, particularly on dual clubs. Maybe pick up an injury or two and your season could be over.
"It is going to be challenging. But the general feeling is that we're back and we didn't think we would be back. So it's happy days all around."
The inter-county season is due to start in the second half of October. The squashed nature of the club campaign may prove an irritant for the county bosses as they prepare for the season, admits Doyle.
"It is a headache for Jack O'Connor and his management team and David Herity with the hurlers. They're going to have fingers crossed that all their players get through it and are fit for inter-county. Nobody knows what's ahead, we just have to feel our way in the dark.
"Hopefully, we can keep the numbers low and get on with the inter-county season. We all want to sit at home and watch the stars of the game playing and hopefully we'll be able to."
