It’s a knockout for LGFA Championships as Senior Manager position remains vacant
Balyna's Ellen Morgan in action against Eadestown. Photo: Aisling Hyland.
There has been plenty of drama on the field as the Kildare LGFA Championships reach the knock out stages but there is a distinct lack of drama when it comes to the appointment of a senior manager to replace Pat O’Sullivan.
There was surprise when it was announced that O’Sullivan would not be completing the third year of his term when he was available to do so. He has since been appointed as Cork senior manager. Kildare advertised for a senior manager, among other positions, with a closing date of 12 August.
The county championships commenced and continued without players being watched by a manager. Word reaching us last week had it that a manager, who had recently stepped down from another county, was to be appointed and a backroom team was being assembled, however, it is understood that for various unknown reasons the County Board decided to readvertise the senior position.
Such advertisement appeared on the Kildare LGFA social media channels on Sunday with a closing date of Monday 14 September. The County Finals are scheduled for the first weekend in October so the chances of appointing a manager before the conclusion of the 2026 championships look extremely slim at this stage.
Such a scenario is a terrible shame as he or she is missing some outstanding performances from established players as well as from a few players who look ready to step up to intercounty football.
Division 1 League champions, Sarsfields and last year’s beaten finalists, Eadestown, negotiated a safe passage to the semi-finals of the senior championship with perfect records.
Defending Champions, St Laurence’s, might have hoped to have been the ones taking that route but they came a cropper in Round 2 losing 4-8 to 1-11 to Sarsfields. In fairness, the Larries bounced back in Round 3 and had a comfortable victory over bottom club, Maynooth, who only lost out to Sarsfields by two points, 5-11 to 5-9, in Round 1.
Larries will face surprise package, Balyna, last year’s Intermediate Champions.
After a convincing 4-15 to 2-10 victory over Suncroft in Round 1 Balyna lost out to Kill in Round 2 but they had Eadestown on the rack in Round 3 before a sin binning turned the game the way of the former five in a row champions. Kill just squeezed past Suncroft by a point in their final Group game.
St Laurence’s GAA, 8pm,
Brian Foley
St Laurence’s
Kill GAA, 8.15pm,
Eoghan O’Neill
Kilcullen
Rd 1: St Laurence’s 5-11 Kilcullen 2-8
Rd 2: St Laurence’s 1-11 Sarsfields 4-8
Rd 3: St Laurence’s 4-8 Maynooth 1-6
For: 10-30 / Against: 7-22
Rd 1 Balyna 4-15 Suncroft 2-10
Rd 2 Balyna 2-8 Kill 3-9
Rd 3 Balyna 2-7 Eadestown 3-10
For: 8-30 / Against: 8-29
Rd 1 Kill 2-3 4-23 Eadestown
Rd 2 Kill 3-9 2-8 Balyna
Rd 3 Kill 1-7 2-3 Suncroft
For: 6-19 / Against: 8-34
Rd 1 Kilcullen 2-8 5-11 St Laurence’s
Rd 2 Kilcullen 2-17 0-11 Maynooth
Rd 3 Kilcullen 1-9 2-16 Sarsfields
For: 5-34 / Against: 7-38
The quarter finals of the IFC have thrown up two intriguing contests with Raheens hosting Kilcock and Leixlip hosting Confey in a battle of the north Kildare town. It’s not so long ago that Kilcock were Intermediate champions while Raheens looked like they might top their Group until they surprisingly lost to Cappagh in Round 3. Confey looked destined for a Relegation Final until they had a big victory over Carbury two weeks ago.
Raheens GAA, 8pm,
Paul Donnelly
Raheens
Leixlip GAA, 7pm,
Alan La Grue
Leixlip
Rd 1 Raheens 1-13 Carbury 2-9
Rd 2 Raheens 1-11 Confey 0-12
Rd 3 Raheens 1-7 Cappagh 1-17
For: 3-31 / Against: 3-38
Rd 1 Kilcock 0-9 4-10 Naas
Rd 2 Kilcock 3-5 1-6 Na Fianna
Rd 3 Kilcock 0-9 3-9 Leixlip
For: 3-23 / Against: 8-25
Rd 1 Leixlip 1-11 1-6 Na Fianna
Rd 2 Leixlip 1-5 3-17 Naas
Rd 3 Leixlip 3-9 0-9 Kilcock
For: 5-25 / Against: 4-32
Rd 1 Confey 1-7 1-20 Cappagh
Rd 2 Confey 0-12 1-11 Raheens
Rd 3 Confey 4-11 2-10 Carbury
For: 5-30 / Against: 4-51
With one defeat and a draw in the Group stages, Celbridge will be confident of victory over Sallins in the Junior “A” Championship while it will be a tight affair between Rathangan and Two Mile House.
Celbridge GAA, 8.15pm
Paul Fahey
Celbridge
Two-Mile House GAA, 8pm,
Caroline Sexton
Rathangan
Rd1 Celbridge 4-8 Milltown 4-8
Rd 2 Celbridge 2-13 Rathangan 2-15
Rd 3 Celbridge 8-15 Moorefield 0-2
For: 14-36 / Against: 6-25
Rd 1 Sallins 2-10 Athy 6-11
Rd 2 Sallins 2-9 Two Mile House 6-5
Rd 3 Sallins 3-11 Clane 1-10
For: 7-30 / Against: 13-26
Rd 1 Two Mile House 1-18 Clane 5-10
Rd 2 Two Mile House 6-5 Sallins 2-9
Rd 3 Two Mile House 2-11 Athy 3-8
For: 9-34 / Against: 10-27
Rd 1 Rathangan 8-6 Moorefield 0-9
Rd 2 Rathangan 2-5 Celbridge 2-13
Rd 3 Rathangan 2-3 Milltown 4-14
For: 12-14 / Against: 6-36
