CONWAY'S CREATIVE THINKING.

Byline: DARAGH O'CONCHUIR

WHEN Kildare's management sat down for an assessment after last year's All-Ireland quarter-final loss to Cork, a key decision was reached.

They had made progress through the Qualifiers but that could not mask the fact that they were struggling in the creativity stakes.

Kieran McGeeney, Paul Grimley and Niall Carew concluded that a play-maker was required, an equivalent of a quarter-back in American football. Someone who could stand deep in the pocket, survey everything that was going on around him, think on his feet, quickly decide what the next play was and then have the skill to execute it.

It didn't take long to come up with the likeliest candidate, even though it required some lateral thinking. Mikey Conway is a forward.

He always has been. He possesses the sweetest of left boots though and has long been considered a possessor of huge potential.

One switch to wing-back later and he is now one of the success stories of 2009 so far.

His counter-attacking and incisive passing range have ensured that Alan Smith, James Kavanagh, John Doyle and Eamonn Callaghan receive good quick ball.

He fobs off a question about whether or not he thought management had lost their senses when the switch was first put him.

"I don't know" he laughs. "I'd have been happy enough to play in any jersey for Kildare. If I had to play in goals, I'd play there.

"It's going well enough. You're getting more of the ball and you're running towards goals more than with your back to it and the corner-back stuck to you.

"I'm getting a good lot of breaks and I'm enjoying my football there."

CAPTION(S):

SCORING Alan Smith & Co have benefited from the move PLAY-MAKER Mikey Conway soars against Offaly