Can one man make the difference and provide the missing ingredient needed to transform a team from nearly men to champions?

This is the question surrounding Niall Buckley and Kildare's championship challenge this year. So often in the past a big display from Buckley was the difference between success and failure. Few people doubt that his stay in Chicago last summer cost Kildare an extra ingredient. Now there is the belief that his return can help open the final door.

Anthony Rainbow, who is heading into his 10th championship season with Kildare, feels Buckley's return is important for Kildare: "Sure, I think one man can be a difference," he says, "although it still comes down to a team effort, and once you get the whole team working together then you can achieve anything."

"But it is a massive boost to have Niall back, and it would be to any team, whether it's Dublin or Galway or whoever. He trained two nights the same week he returned and his fitness is quite good. All he needed was a bit more football to get all his sharpness back but I think he should be fine."

With word from Croke Park on Monday that Buckley was cleared to play for both club and county, manager Mick O'Dwyer could start finalising the role that Buckley will play in the team. Having missed last summer's run to the All-Ireland semi-final, it's now been over two years since Buckley wore the Kildare jersey in the championship.

"I don't think any county would overlook him for long," said Rainbow, "not with his ability. And the return of Martin Lynch is a great addition to the team as well. The two of them are in great shape and all they need is a bit of football. It's good to see them both back and you can feel the lift and the buzz it's given the county."

Rainbow is convinced that the Kildare panel is a lot stronger than last year and at least on a par with the one that reached the All-Ireland final in 1998. The preparations have gone well since the end of the National League and the game against Carlow on Sunday can't come quickly enough.

But he knows as well that it is a hard road ahead. Dublin have already shown a few of their strong cards and, though Meath have been quiet, they certainly can't be dismissed.

"In order to win an All-Ireland you have to go through the hard route. There is no easy passage to the final these days. Galway had a lot of hard games last year and so did Kerry and Armagh. And we have a lot of contenders to our crown. Dublin, Offaly or Meath. You can put Westmeath in there as well."

The drive within the team is still as strong, and for the moment Rainbow has no fear that the many years on the road will catch up. "It wasn't particularly hard to pick up after Galway last year, especially considering we had done so well in the last three of four years. Kildare hadn't had a Leinster title since 1956 and we've brought two in the last three years. Of course it's hard to get over the loss but not as hard as it would if you hadn't won Leinster in a long time."

The immediate task is Carlow, and their meeting in the league last February was close before Kildare eventually came through by a few points.

"I know Pat Roe has done a lot of good work with them and they are a good side and they are up and coming. A lot of people think it will be easy but there aren't any easy championship games this year."

Adding some side interest to Sunday's game is that former Carlow player Garvan Ware is in the Kildare panel and made a couple of starts in the latter stages of the league.

The three new faces last year - Tadhg Fennin (although ruled out for Sunday's match), Padraig Brennan and John Doyle - are set for equally pivotal roles this year, and Rainbow expects to see more of Ronan Sweeney in the team's run this year as well. Younger still is Killian Brennan, who plays at midfield, and who was also brought into the panel to add further strength.

O'Dwyer, it seems, has never had as many options.