There's a Galway flag perched on one wall of the office, draped like a joke, a reminder from others of where he's really from. Behind him there's "a sham jacket" as he puts it himself, draped with pride, a reminder to others of where he's really from. It's an office in Leixlip GAA club where he's a full-time coach to the 40 or so sides the club fields on a weekly basis. John Divilly has little time to think about anything else in life but too much time to think about this game. He's done Galway and Kildare enough in the past for it to be just another day. The All Ireland final of '98. The All Ireland semi-final two years later. Victorious on both occasions, but today is different.

"It will be a little strange playing against Galway, there's no point in saying otherwise. No doubt there'll be a little bit of banter beforehand but once the ball is in, the mind will focus. Maybe in a way you are playing against what you were brought up following and what you gave it all to, for so many years, and a tradition and a part of you. But there's a competitive streak in me, there always has been whether it was in [St] Jarlath's or back home with the club or wherever. That competitive streak carries on to Kildare. I've been here quite a while now and that streak will take over once things start."

He wasn't expecting to be here today, be it bench or field. He'd never retired from Galway for a start, just hushed the boots under the bed for a little. A new arrival to the family and the long nights meant he could no longer give the commitment that he prided himself on.

Then the phone rang one evening. A local number.

"I had been here playing club football for quite a while with Leixlip and had accepted to work as a selector with the county [Kildare] minor panel. But the call came a bit out of the blue. John Crofton wasn't long in charge and asked me would I like to join up with the development squad. It was something that I never expected but I said I'd give it a go. For others it may seem a little strange but I knew all the guys, barring a few of the younger players, from all the club matches I have played here in the county. Five years of games now. I say it was a surprise, though, because of all the young players coming through. Kildare have been very successful at under-21 level for the last few years and a lot of good guys have come through that age level and I thought that they might be looked at. But when John asked I said I'd go along."

It didn't take long to start.

They were bench pressing in pairs one night when Anthony Rainbow turned to him and told him this was for '98.

The competitive streak came out again. Glenn Ryan and Dermot Earley were present that day too when Divilly kicked a long hopeful ball.

Seconds later it was in the net. Dreams made. Hearts broken.

"The guys, they've all been very supportive and made the transition very enjoyable for me. As I said, a lot of them would have known me from all those local games. As regards the fans, well I'm not sure, I can't really gauge what the opinion is in Kildare.

Maybe there is some feeling still lingering from the past, I'm not sure, but I'm here to give my absolute everything for Kildare. I'm very competitive and I won't hold anything back. I'll do my absolute best for whoever I'm playing with. I've always done that."

They are only too well aware of the total commitment in Kildare. The odd moment of hope that rose through decades of disappointment was met squareon by Divilly. In opposition he was as reliable as a woodburning stove. Twice when Kildare thought this might be it, they were halted with a shuddering thump. Memories last in times of pain.

"I guess all the talk was about Kildare in '98. They were the ones who'd beaten Meath. They were the ones that had edged out Kerry, so maybe deservedly all the hype surrounded them. And that suited us. We came in quietly, but we were confident. Of course we were. We had made our way to an All Ireland final so why wouldn't we be? And I don't think it got away from Kildare. We were just really good. There were times where we couldn't miss.

"Ja [Fallon] kicked some amazing points from way out the field and Sean O Domhnaill kicked one as well. But we got one just before the break which I still think was the crucial point that day. It was just before half-time and Dermot [Earley] had stuck one in the net, but we pulled one back that brought the deficit from five points to four.

To a lot of people that wouldn't have seemed a big thing but in the dressing room, to us, that made a massive difference."

Divilly can't be sure that playing for Kildare will draw a curtain on his Galway days.

He might return some day, might not. But for now he knows one of them will probably make the drop to Division Two and he knows which county he'd prefer to see fall through the trap door. He also knows today will tell a lot.

Either way he'll walk into the office tomorrow morning, glimpse at traces of his past and smile. He hopes it's a smile for the right reason.