Knockout stages to be decided in SFC
Sarsfields take on Maynooth in a clash that will decide who tops Group B in the Joe Mallon Motors Senior Football Championship Photo: Sean Brilly
We’re down to the final round of group games in the Joe Mallon Motors Senior Football Championship and with only the top two in each group progressing to the quarter-finals and the other eight teams going into the ‘A’ Championship and the battle against relegation, RICHARD COMMINS looks ahead to the weekend’s action.
So far so good for the top four seeds in the championship with Athy, Naas, Celbridge and Sarsfields all on maximum points in their groups.
Champions Athy, who stuttered against Kilcock and almost stumbled against Sallins, are the only one of those whose progress is not mathematically confirmed though it would take a heavy defeat to Raheens and a big win for Kilcock over Sallins for them to be denied.
So, most of the interest will be in the battle for second in each group.
In Group A, Celbridge’s are through on four points with Clane a point further back but meeting the group leaders on Friday night.
Johnstownbridge, after two of the tightest games of the competition, the last-gasp draw with Clane followed by that one-point reversal to Celbridge, still have line of sight to second place, knowing that a big win over Allenwood could see them pip Clane on score difference.
With Allenwood, after shipping defeats to Celbridge and Clane by a combined 33 points, and Celbridge only playing for position and favourable draws in the quarter-finals and ‘A’ quarter-finals, their attitude to these final round games may go some way to determining which of the other two teams progresses in second place. That’s one of the flaws of a system that has generally been more competitive than the previous one.
That shuffling for position is the only issue at stake in Group B where Maynooth and Sarsfields top the group on maximum points ahead of their meeting on Saturday. Consistency has been the big issue for Maynooth over the last few years, often flattering to deceive, so they’ll be looking to lay down a marker with a third successive win, particularly against one of the title favourites.
Sarsfields, though, are motoring nicely, and will be fancied to round off the group with a one-hundred percent record.
Caragh, after a quarter-final appearance last year, meet Carbury in the “wooden-spoon” encounter in that group. Michael Browne’s team had some good spells against Sarsfields without ever really looking like reeling them in after a poor start, but they’ll be one team with an eye on an ‘A’ championship at senior level to add to the Intermediate title from two years ago.
Carbury themselves, with Eoin Cully in flying form, are a team who may also rise to that ‘A’ championship challenge, and they’ll be keen to get the win this weekend to secure third place and, theoretically, an easier quarter-final against one of the bottom-placed teams.
Groups C and D are full of intrigue. Intermediate Champions Sallins looked down and out when Colm Dalton’s last gasp chance to equalise sailed wide two weeks ago but later that day Kilcock’s brilliant win over Raheens not only put the Meath border side in the mix for progression but kept Sallins’ interest alive as well.
Athy, having stuttered before half-time in both games, will be looking to put a full sixty-minute performance in against Raheens, and they’ll be favoured to come out on top. Raheens will be kicking themselves for allowing Kilcock to reel them in the last day, a result that leaves their progress hanging by a thread. They’ll need Paddy Woodgate kicking two-pointers for fun, something he’s shown himself well capable of.
Assuming champions Athy do prevail on Sunday, the clash of Kilcock is the crunch one and here’s where the maths will come into play if Sallins can get their first win on the board.
That scenario would see them level on two points with Raheens and Kilcock and the mini-league will come into play. Each team would have won one game against each other so it will boil down to points difference in those games.
Currently, Raheens and Kilcock are on +1 with Sallins on -2 so a four-point win for Sallins would see them into second place.
Kilcock of course, will hope to avoid that scenario with a win over Sallins, a result that they’re certainly capable of on the evidence to date.
Group D is no less interesting. Naas are home and hosed and play Clogherinkoe in round three, the latter needing a win to retain any interest. The matchups of Jack Robinson and Jimmy Lynch against some of Naas’ tight markers will be fascinating but Naas’ greater overall strength is likely to prevail.
That would leave a straight shootout between Moorefield and Eadestown for second place with the former needing a win, a draw would suffice for Eadestown. The smart money will be on the experienced Moorefield men but Eadestown showed resilience to overcome Clogherinkoe and you wouldn’t rule out a surprise.
