Dermot Earley insists that Kildare are not looking beyond Laois in Saturday week's Leinster SFC semi-final. Following their comfortable victories over Offaly and Wexford, expectations are growing in the Short Grass County of a first Leinster title success since 2000. But their in-form midfielder is keen to dampen down the hype. "You have to distance yourself from all that," said Earley after receiving the Vodafone Player of the Month award for May. "If you allow yourself get caught up in it, you are not focused. Let the supporters talk all they want but we are staying focused on Laois. "I was young in 1998 (when Kildare last reached the All-Ireland final). After two years, I had played in an All-Ireland final and won two Leinsters. I thought 'this is the way it's going to be every year in Kildare'. But, we haven't won since 2000 and not played in a final since 2003 - when Laois beat us. Good times don't last. Maybe that's why Kildare fans are passionate and get carried away. "We won't be worried about that. We'll just be worried by ourselves." He added: "The idea is to stay winning. "Obviously every team wants to win its provincial title and for Kildare that would be a huge achievement. But you can't look that far and I would reiterate that. We are just taking it one step at a time and Laois in two weeks is going to be our toughest game this year." The Lilywhites enjoyed a marvellous run in last year's All-Ireland qualifiers, but Earley still feels the best route to Croke Park is through the front door. "You're looking at five matches in four weeks to try and get to an All-Ireland quarter-final and that is not the way any team wants to go." Tweet

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