In the space of a year John Doyle's football fortunes have bounced back from the misery of a shock championship exit against Wexford to an eagerly anticipated Leinster semi-final against Laois and on a personal level, recognition for an excellent display in the defeat of reigning provincial champions Westmeath last month.

The Kildare captain was in Dublin to receive the Vodafone football award for May along with his Waterford hurling counterpart Eoin Kelly, who took the hurling award.

Doyle's scoring exploits, six points - all but one from play - in the Westmeath match were only one of the talking points in a bruising contest. He believes the physical edge to his side's play derives in part from last year's disappointment as well as the motivation of an uneasy opening win over Wicklow.

"The pride was hurt and a wounded animal is often more dangerous. We did a lot of physical training over the winter and I can see throughout the team that it's got that bit physically stronger, especially around the middle.

"Young Mick Foley's only 21 and he's becoming a man very quickly. You need that around the middle but in general we've brought an edge into our game and the thing is to keep that going.

"We got a lot of criticism after the Wicklow game but you've got to accept that. I don't know if we were any more physical than any other team against Westmeath but that's the perception. We just went about our business and we were hungry for it because they were Leinster champions. Maybe that was a factor."

Despite his award-winning performance in the last match, Doyle doesn't feel the captaincy has much impact on his game - he is neither burdened nor particularly inspired.

"I don't think the captaincy is anything much to do with it. It's a huge honour to be captain of your county but corner forward is an awful position to play sometimes. No matter what's going on around the field you can be the first man called ashore."

According to Doyle there was nothing special about the approach to this year, though the long lay-off that followed defeat in the first round allowed Kildare take stock.

The county's under-21s have been high-profile in Leinster over the past two years, winning the 2004 title and losing this April's final in a replay with Dublin. Their introduction to the senior panel has also helped.

"When you go out of the championship early you've plenty of time to contemplate the year ahead. You can do nothing about yesterday. Tomorrow's the day and that's what we've worked at. There's been a lot of younger players coming in off the under-21s and they're very fresh and mad to be a part of it."

The league started unpromisingly for Kildare and after two defeats they hit their stride, beating a hitherto-

undefeated Down and nearly slipping into the semi-finals on the last day.

"We knew we weren't that bad and after that we raised the bar. We were also doing a lot of weight training around that time. We'd be a lightish team in certain areas around the forwards so the winter football doesn't suit us that much."

On Sunday Kildare face for the second time in three years the man that did so much to resurrect football in the county. Mick O'Dwyer has continued his missionary work in Laois and helped them to the Leinster title in 2003 with a narrow win over Kildare.

"Micko adds a bit of spice," said Doyle. "He'd still be a hero around Kildare for bringing football in the county from the depths of depression. But there is spice to it, neighbouring counties, particularly down around Athy. Being from the other end of the county I didn't realise how big that rivalry was until I started playing. I think Tegral have to nearly close the factory after Laois and Kildare games because it's half-and-half divided there."

So a lively week beckons in the frontier town.