Huge weekend of Championship action in store
Athy's Niall Kelly is sent tumbling by Sallins' Sean O'Domhnaill during their Division 1 clash earlier this year. The teams meet again in Championship action this weekend. Photo: James Lawlor.
It’s sure to be an emotional evening for Mikey Browne when he leads his adopted club Caragh into battle against his own club, Sarsfields. As a player and selector, Browne enjoyed incredible success with THE Newbridge giants and he has carried that winning momentum into the early part of his management career.
Caragh were Kildare and Leinster Intermediate champions in 2024 and then more than held their own in their first year back at senior level last year when they went all the way to a quarter-final, where they put up a very good show against eventual champions Athy.
This looks to be a huge test for them, though. They were off-colour and well beaten in the opening round by Maynooth. Darragh Swords was not long back in the country at that stage and the county man is somebody that Caragh will certainly look to.
Sarsfields, on the other hand, hit the ground running and demolished Carbury in the opening round. It was a real statement of intent by Vinny Walsh’s team and they will expect to pick up where they left off in Round 2.
Sarsfields
As with Friday evening’s game in this group, this is a game between two teams who enjoyed contrasting emotions in Round 1.
Ross Glavin will very much have enjoyed his team’s display against Caragh, even without Neil Flynn, and it puts them in a strong position in the group. Paddy Mahoney and Sean Hever had fine games in that win and they will hope to continue that form.
Carbury would have always been underdogs going into Round 1 against Sarsfields and while they would have liked to have performed better, in reality, their championship starts here. Matters are still in their own hands and they will be thinking they can still make the quarter-finals if they win their remaining two games. Even in a big defeat, Eoin Cully still managed ten points against Sarsfields and anyone carrying that threat in attack is a danger, even if Carbury do miss Cully’s brothers, Mark and Jack. Aaron O’Neill is another who can trouble any team on any given day, and they would dearly love Tommy Gill to be available to them for this game.
Carbury definitely have the players to produce big moments, but Maynooth might just be the more rounded outfit.
Maynooth
A theme of Round 2 in the Joe Mallon Motors Senior Football Championship is that it really is must-win territory for any team who lost their opening game. Here, two of them collide and this is a knockout tie in all but name.
Any team that can boast Jack Robinson, Jimmy Lynch and Cein McMonagle in their attack is going to pose problems for their opposition and Moorefield will need to get their match-ups right if they are to prevail.
The midfield battle between giants Aaron Masterson and Daniel Grehan may well be worth the price of admission on its own, but it was another giant, Dan O’Callaghan, who almost swung Moorefield's Round 1 game against Naas in their favour in spectacular fashion. He was only introduced in the last five minutes but was a key figure as Moorefield scored the last 1-3 of the game and it will be interesting to see how Frank Hanniffy deploys him for this game.
It’s hard to back against Moorefield when it comes to the crunch but this could be a tight affair and they will need to ensure that Evan O’Brien gets the supply, and support, he needs in the forward line.
Moorefield
After beating Clogherinkoe in the opening round, this is something of a free hit for Eadestown as they line up against championship favourites Naas.
It will be a strange feeling for the Borans and Carrolls as they line up against the club that they hurl for with such distinction but they have gone through this before. Rian Boran is likely to miss out through suspension after being sent off in that win over Clogherinkoe.
It was hard to know what to make of Naas in that opening round game against Moorefield. For almost an hour they were cruising and as comfortable as you would wish to be in a championship game, but there was a real sense of panic in the closing minutes as Moorefield threw the kitchen sink at them.
The strength in depth on offer to manager Jimmy Higgins could be seen on the sideline during that game and their hand will be strengthened if any of Ryan Sinkey, Eoin Doyle, Sean Hanafin and Neil Aherne, among others, are available to play.
Naas
Clane were left kicking themselves after letting a win slip from their grasp in the opening round when conceding a late goal to Johnstownbridge, but equally relieved not to lose it when there was an even later winning opportunity for Sam Doran.
Outside of the top four seeded teams, there aren’t many teams in the county who possess the kind of talent that Clane have. Shane O’Sullivan scored 1-4 in that draw against Johnstownbridge and looked back to his potent best, and he is joined by Brian McLoughlin and Adam Fitzpatrick in attack. They have an abundance of athleticism around the middle in players like Sam McCormack, Daniel Colbert, Cian O’Donoghue and Cian Shanahan and they have to be favourites for this local derby.
Allenwood were well beaten by Celbridge in Round 1 but Celbridge can do that to most teams on their day and Allenwood will quickly look to shrug that off. Eoin Bagnall showed glimpses of his quality in that game but there was no fortune once again for the luckless Joey Cunningham, who was forced off early through injury.
Clane
Celbridge will be bouncing into this game on the back of that big win against Allenwood but they won’t take anything for granted against Johnstownbridge.
Celbridge have certainly felt the benefit of having no county players this year and they have gelled as a team over the course of the season as a result. Man for man, they are as good a team as any in the county and when they pull it all together they are a top-class outfit.
The Browne brothers, Aaron and Killian, were in excellent form against Allenwood and while players like Mick O’Grady and Fergal Conway are now in the veteran stages of their careers, they remain influential figures. Kevin O’Callaghan still has a point to prove after being left off the county panel in recent years and they also sprung Kevin Flynn from the bench last day out.
Johnstownbridge are always something of an up-and-down team but have shown in the past that they can match the best. Their draw against Clane means the possibility of score difference being important further down the line, so every point here will be vital. The inter-county careers of Daniel and Luke Flynn, Paul and Keith Cribbin and Cathal McNally may be in the past but they have been around the block and possess huge experience. Shane Flynn caught the eye with four points from wing back against Clane and the likes of Sam Doran and Darragh Sloane can chip in too.
Celbridge
Athy were pushed harder than their ten-point winning margin over Kilcock in Round 1 would suggest but the extra bit of quality they possess will prove too much for most teams. They aren’t county champions for nothing.
They have the leadership of Kevin Feely, Cathal McCarron, David Hyland and Niall Kelly, backed up by the youthful exuberance of Calum and Cian Keaveny and Ronan Kelly, along with intercounty players such as Padraic and Mick Spillane and James McGrath.
We are still learning what kind of a manager Sean Gannon is and we’ll get another look as Athy take on last year’s Intermediate champions, Sallins. After such a long wait to get back to senior level, the manner of their defeat to Raheens in the opening round was gut-wrenching, but Colm Dalton certainly proved he belongs at this level with a Rolls-Royce display.
They have the pressure of knowing that unless they produce a stunning upset win here they will be relying on results elsewhere to keep their interests in the Senior Championship alive. They did beat Athy in Division 1 this season so they are not without hope, but they will need to be at their absolute best.
Athy
What a difference one swing of a boot can make. Paddy Woodgate’s huge winning two-pointer in Round 1 puts Raheens in a very strong position but Anthony Rainbow’s team need to back that up now.
They performed well in the league and showed a good bit of fight to get over the line against Sallins. That’s what Rainbow was brought in for and he will have been delighted to see it pay off so early.
Kilcock didn’t lose much in defeat to Athy. Not much is expected of them in a really tough group but they showed in Round 1 that they will be no pushovers, and they would be strengthened further if Shane Farrell is available. But it still looks a big ask for them here.
Raheens
With Leixlip, Confey, Suncroft and Straffan all on two points after one win each, as long as there are winners, the Round 3 fixtures become two knockout ties. Leixlip and Straffan both enjoyed morale-boosting wins in Round 2, while Confey and Suncroft failed to build on their encouraging starts.
Leixlip and Suncroft might just about have enough.
St Laurences have impressed in their two games to date but will face a stiff test against a Monasterevan side that is arguably the most improved team in this championship over the last 12 months.
They suffered an agonising defeat to Round Towers last time out and know that only a surprise win over the Larries will do, with Round Towers expected to have too much for a Kilcullen side that has disappointed so far.
Milltown have done as expected of them so far, and they will be favourites to do so again against Nurney, but nothing is ever won easily against Nurney, especially this season when new manager Alan Jordan has them playing so well.
Barring a shock win there, Grangenolvin would be in pole position to take second place in the group, but don’t rule out a Jimmy Hyland-inspired Ballyteague landing a win that would then leave things open to score difference to determine who progresses to the quarter-finals.
Rathangan have looked a cut above the rest in Group D so far and they will have revenge on their minds against a Two Mile House side that ended their championship hopes last year.
If Rathangan justify favouritism there, Ellistown have the chance to book a quarter-final place. On the back of their excellent display against Two Mile House, they would be expected to have too much for Castledermot.
The Group A clash between St Kevins and Rathcoffey is the tie of the round here, a game worthy of being a final. The winner will give themselves a chance of a semi-final place, while the loser will be in a quarter-final. Robertstown v Rheban is the other game in the group.
In Group B, Castlemitchell should beat Ballykelly to wrap up top spot, while the game between Cappagh and Kildangan is another potential humdinger, albeit one where Cappagh should have the slight edge.
In Group C, it’s do or die for Athgarvan as they must beat one of the championship favourites, Ballymore Eustace, to have a chance of progressing, while Kill take on Ardclough in a local derby.
Venue: Manguard Park Pitch 2, Ardclough V Kill, 8pm
Venue: Manguard Park Pitch 1, Athgarvan V Ballymore Eustace, 8pm
Venue: Cedral St. Conleths Park, Caragh V Sarsfields, 7.45pm
Group A Venue: Manguard Park Pitch 2, Leixlip V Straffan, 8pm
Venue: Manguard Park Pitch 1, Confey V Suncroft, 8pm
Venue: Cedral St. Conleths Park, Carbury V Maynooth, 5.15pm
Venue: Manguard Park Pitch 1, Clogherinkoe V Moorefield, 3pm
Venue: Cedral St. Conleths Park, Eadestown V Naas, 3.30pm
Venue: Manguard Park Pitch 1, Kilcullen V Round Towers, 6pm
Venue: Raheens, Monasterevan V St. Laurence’s, 6pm
Venue: Clane, Rathcoffey V St. Kevins, 4.30pm
Venue: Manguard Park Pitch 1, Rheban V Robertstown, 4.30pm
Venue: Round Towers, Ballykelly V Castlemitchell, 3pm
Venue: Clane, Cappagh V Kildangan, 3pm
Venue: Cedral St. Conleths Park, Allenwood V Clane, 3.45pm
Venue: Manguard Park Pitch 1, Celbridge V Johnstownbridge, 5pm
Venue: Cedral St. Conleths Park, Athy V Sallins, 2pm
Venue: Manguard Park Pitch 1, Kilcock V Raheens, 3.30pm
Venue: Kilcullen, Ballyteague V Grangenolvin, 2pm
Venue: Manguard Park Pitch 1, Milltown V Nurney, 2pm
Venue: St. Laurence’s, Ellistown V Castledermot, 3.30pm
Venue: Round Towers, Rathangan V Two Mile House, 3.30pm
