Can anybody stop Naas' Drive for Five?

The Joe Mallon Motors Senior Football Championship gets underway this week and the question on everybody's lips is, can anybody stop Naas on their pursuit for a fifth successive Championship. With a Division 1 title already under their belts this year, it will something special to stop them. RICHARD COMMINS previews this week's preliminary round action

MOOREFIELD V NAAS 

WHERE & WHEN - Cedral St Conleth’s Park, Thursday 7.30pm 

MOOREFIELD:

Manager: Frank Hannify SFC Titles: 10 (last in 2018) SFC Odds: 20/1 

Five Year Record: 2020 Runners-Up 2021 Third in Group 2022 Prelim Quarter-Final 2023 Quarter-Final 2024 Quarter-Final 

NAAS:

Manager: Philly McMahon 

SFC Titles: 12 (holders) 

SFC Odds: 4/5 Favs 

Five Year Record: 2020 Third in Group 2021 Winners 2022 Winners 2023 Winners 2024 Winners

Having drawn neighbours Sarsfields in last year’s Preliminary Round, Moorefield drew the short straw again this time around and face a daunting challenge against Naas as the Senior Championship kicks off on Thursday evening. Moores eventually met Sarsfields again in the Quarter Final stage last year before bowing out by just a point. Under Frank Hannify they finished eighth in Division 1, two points clear of the drop zone, and although they shipped seven goals in their last game against Athy, they’ll take some comfort from running Naas to a point in late May.

Chasing their fifth title in a row, having recently clinched a fourth League title in succession, the only small question mark over Naas is whether the appointment of a relatively inexperienced manager in Philly McMahon mid-season might derail a slick machine. McMahon has plenty of big game experience on the field, though, and judging by their come-from-behind League final win over Sarsfields it is business as usual in the county town. Narrowing down his match-day panel and starting fifteen will be McMahon’s biggest immediate challenge.

VERDICT: NAAS 

ATHY v EADESTOWN 

WHERE & WHEN - Cedral St Conleth’s Park, Friday 7.30pm 

ATHY:

Managers: Ross Bell/Conor Ronan 

SFC Titles: 7 (last in 2020) 

SFC Odds: 15/2 

Five Year Record: 2020 Winners 2021 Quarter-Final 2022 Semi-Final 2023 Semi-Final 2024 Semi-Final 

EADESTOWN:

Manager: Emmet Bolton 

SFC Titles: 1 (1970) 

SFC Odds: 40/1 

Five Year Record: 2020 Fourth in Group 2021 Fourth in Group 2022 Quarter-Final 2023 Prelim Quarter-Final 2024 Prelim Quarter-Final 

A glance at that five-year record tells you Athy will be there or thereabouts once more. They have a fine blend of younger and older talent and the return from a successful Kildare campaign for David Hyland, James McGrath, Kevin Feely and Niall Kelly, not to mention late call up Pádraic Spillane, will be a huge energy boost. Do they have enough to challenge Naas? Let’s not forget they got closer than anyone to toppling them last year, bowing out only after extra time in the semi-final. They’ll be top four again you’d imagine.

Emmet Bolton continues to do a fine job with Eadestown, who shocked Clane at this stage last year before drawing with Sarsfields and beating Confey to get out of their Winners’ Group in third place. Clane gained revenge on them in the Preliminary Quarter-Final, but Eadestown will remain competitive at this level if they can keep their big players fit. Their Division 2 form will be a slight worry, having finished fourth from bottom. Athy will be wary of them and should have enough.

VERDICT: ATHY 

ALLENWOOD v CLOGHERINKOE

WHERE & WHEN – Manguard Park Pitch 1, Friday 7.45pm 

ALLENWOOD:

Manager: Mark Hogarty 

SFC Titles: 1 (2004) 

SFC Odds: 175/1 

Five Year Record: 2020 IFC Quarter-Final 2021 IFC Quarter-Final 2022 IFC Quarter-Final 2023 IFC Winners 2024 Fourth in Group 

CLOGHERINKOE:

Manager: Mark Murnaghan 

SFC Titles: None 

SFC Odds: 80/1 

Five Year Record: 2020 IFC Winners 2021 Fourth in Group 2022 Quarter-Final 2023 Prelim Quarter-Final 2024 Prelim Quarter-Final 

Naturally there have been rumours. The talk is that a certain Kildare legend may have the itch again and after retiring from first team football at 46 years young, it wouldn’t surprise anyone if he togs out in Manguard Park on Friday. Allenwood would appear to need him. With Eoin Bagnall and Darragh Malone away, they struggled badly in Division 1, losing all eleven games, and they appear to face a battle to hold on to the status they only earned two years ago.

Their opponents Clogherinkoe have remarkably survived four years at senior. Indeed, they have made the knock-out rounds in the last three years to confound most observers. But with Jack Robinson away and a few other absentees the wheels seem to have come off a little this year with a poor Division 2 campaign ending with relegation to Division 3. Unlike Allenwood they did manage one win, against Castledermot, but they too look likely to struggle this time around. A win for either side on Friday night keeps them Senior for another year. Allenwood may just shade it, with or without a certain JD.

VERDICT: ALLENWOOD

 KILCOCK v MAYNOOTH 

WHERE & WHEN – Cedral St Conleth’s Park, Saturday 3.30pm  

KILCOCK:

Manager: Declan Gibbons 

SFC Titles: 5 (last in 1958) 

SFC Odds: 150/1 

Five Year Record: 2020 IFC Runners-Up 2021 IFC Winners 2022 Third in Group 2023 Third in Group 2024 Relegation Play Off 

MAYNOOTH:

Manager: Ross Glavin 

SFC Titles: 2 (last in 1913) 

SFC Odds: 12/1 

Five Year Record:

2020 Fourth in Group 2021 Semi-Final 2022 Fourth in Group 2023 Fourth in Group 2024 Third in Group 

One of the more remarkable clashes in last year’s competition came in the final round of group games. Maynooth had fallen into the Losers’ Section thanks to a high-scoring loss to Athy in the Preliminary Round but a win in their final group game against Kilcock would have seen them through to the knockout stages.

Kilcock on the other hand were pointless after heavy defeats to Clane and Moorefield in a difficult group and with Shane Farrell injured, few gave them much hope that day. But, playing some wonderful direct football, and utilising Brendan Gibbons height to the fullest at full-forward, Kilcock shocked their neighbours, even if it wasn’t enough to avoid a Relegation Final, which they duly won.

Maynooth, now under former Moorefield manager Ross Glavin’s tutelage, tend to blow hot and cold as evidenced by that campaign, which saw them beat Clane but lose to Moorefield, and having romped through Division 1 this year they failed to really test an understrength Naas in a disappointing semi-final. The return of Neil Flynn should help them overcome Kilcock this time around, though much will depend on the fitness of Cathal McCabe and Niall O’Sullivan.

VERDICT: MAYNOOTH 

CELBRIDGE v CLANE 

WHERE & WHEN – Cedral St Conleth’s Park, Saturday 5.15pm 

CELBRIDGE:

Manager: Micheál McDermott 

SFC Titles: 1 (2008) 

SFC Odds: 7/2 

Five Year Record: 2020 Semi-Final 2021 Semi-Final 2022 Semi-Final 2023 Runners-Up 2024 Runners-Up 

CLANE:

Manager: Paul Kelly 

SFC Titles: 17 (Last in 1997) 

SFC Odds: 16/1 

Five Year Record: 2020 Quarter-Final 2021 Prelim Quarter-Final 2022 Runners-Up 2023 Semi-Final 2024 Quarter-Final

The equivalent of the bridesmaid’s dance with the best man. The team cruelly dubbed the “Mayo” of Kildare football by some, Celbridge, meet a Clane side who have struggled to fulfil their apparent potential after reaching the final in 2022.

The Celbridge story is well-known, and their five-year record is something of a horror show, as were their two final appearances against Naas in 2023 and 2024. Micheál McDermott remains in the hot seat, but it will take something special for the Cavan man to push them over the line this time around. Maybe the new rules will be to their advantage, though their League campaign was average enough (six wins, five defeats).

Clane’s record was flipped (five wins, six defeats) and that must have frustrated new manager Paul Kelly, the former Naas boss who took over from Tom Cribbin after they fell at the Quarter Final stage last year to Saturday’s opponents. They’ll hope the return of county stars Cian Burke, Harry O’Neill and Brian McLoughlin sees them hit form, but they’ll need to be a lot better than when Celbridge won that clash last year with eleven points to spare.

VERDICT: CELBRIDGE

CARAGH v RAHEENS

WHERE & WHEN – Cedral St Conleth’s Park, Sunday 2pm CARAGH:

Manager: Michael Browne 

SFC Titles: 3 (last in 1926) 

SFC Odds: 200/1 

Five Year Record: 2020 JFC Winners 2021 Fourth in Group 2022 IFC Semi-Final 2023 IFC Quarter-Final 2024 IFC Winners 

RAHEENS:

Manager: Alan Cullagh 

SFC Titles: 10 (last in 1981) 

SFC Odds: 33/1 

Five Year Record: 2020 Quarter-Final 2021 Quarter-Final 2022 Fourth in Group 2023 Quarter-Final 2024 Quarter-Final 

What a draw this was! Two neighbours whose histories are intertwined meeting for the first time at senior level for untold years.

Caragh’s rise from Junior Champions in 2020 to Intermediate Winners (not to mention a small matter of a Leinster title) last year is one of the great club stories of the last five years and there’s nothing to suggest, given the quality of player they have, that they won’t be competitive at senior level. It’s not just about Ryan Burke and Darragh Swords either. From one to fifteen Caragh look well set-up to compete. Winning Division 3 was another important step up the ladder for them.

Their more illustrious neighbours (at least in modern times), Raheens, who celebrate their Centenary this year, have been consistent in reaching the Quarter-Final four times in five years, but making the step to real contenders for honours has looked that bit beyond them, despite some good young talent. They held their own in Division 1 with eleven points from eleven games. This is liable to be a closely fought battle, though, and we have a sneaky feeling the Intermediate champions might cause a mild surprise.

VERDICT: CARAGH 

CONFEY v JOHNSTOWNBRIDGE 

WHERE & WHEN – Manguard Park Pitch 1, Sunday 2.45pm 

CONFEY:

Manager: Kieran O’Neill 

SFC Titles: None 

SFC Odds: 200/1 

Five Year Record: 2020 Fourth in Group 2021 Third in Group 2022 Fourth in Group 2023 Third in Group 2024 Fourth in Group 

JOHNSTOWNBRIDGE:

Manager: Aidan Dunne 

SFC Titles: 3 (last in 1989) 

SFC Odds: 50/1 Five Year Record: 2020 Quarter-Final 2021 Fourth in Group 2022 Quarter-Final 2023 Quarter-Final 2024 Quarter-Final 

First place against eighth place from Division 2. Quarter Finalists against a team beaten three times in their group last year with a minus 33 scoring difference. Surely Johnstownbridge win this one with something to spare?

But Confey have that knack, whether in football or hurling, of finding that one win a year that saves them from trouble. This time last year they had Carbury in their sights and that win allayed any relegation fears. Yet again. Even this year, they confounded the form guide by overcoming Sunday’s opponents by 2-12 to 0-14 in May’s League encounter.

Johnstownbridge, then, should take nothing for granted. They have pedigree in the Cribbins and Daniel Flynn but have never quite been able to pad out the team with enough talent to really make a telling impact on the competition when those players were at their peak. Still, on all known form they should be aiming for another last eight spot at least, assuming they get over Confey at the first hurdle.

VERDICT: JOHNSTOWNBRIDGE 

CARBURY v SARSFIELDS 

WHERE & WHEN – Cedral St Conleth’s Park, Sunday 3.45pm 

CARBURY:

Manager: Andrew Dermody 

SFC Titles: 11 (Last in 1985) 

SFC Odds: 50/1 

Five Year Record: 2020 Third in Group 2021 Quarter-Final 2022 Third in Group 2023 Fourth in Group 2024 Third in Group 

SARSFIELDS:

Manager: Vinny Walsh 

SFC Titles: 25 (last in 2019)* 

SFC Odds: 5/2 

Five Year Record: 2020 Semi-Final 2021 Runners-Up 2022 Quarter-Final 2023 Quarter-Final 2024 Semi-Final * including titles won as Roseberry 

Like their great rivals of old, Raheens, Carbury also celebrate their Centenary this year, and with eleven titles to their name, they also hold the proud record of never having been relegated to Intermediate. Their defeat to Confey last year put them into a loser’s group in which they had to overcome St Laurence’s in what was effectively a relegation semi-final, a turgid one at that, and their 0-9 to 0-6 win was a nervy and narrow escape they won’t want to repeat. They’ll look to Tommy Gill’s good form with the county and the development of Eoin Cully as positive signs, but they’ve been handed a tough preliminary round draw this time around.

Their opponents Sarsfields were going great guns in reaching the League final but the manner of their slaying by an understrength Naas casts serious doubt on their ability to go the distance, having last reached a final in 2019 when they beat Moorefield in a replay. Callum Bolton returned for that League final, but Ben McCormack’s fitness is a big concern. The emergence of Ben Loakman provides some consolation. They should prove too strong this weekend.

VERDICT: SARSFIELDS