Calculators at the ready for final group games in Kildare IFC

We are down to the last round of group matches in the National Electrical Wholesalers Intermediate Football Championship and with almost every team still having something to play for, RICHARD COMMINS runs through the permutations and combinations in his preview of the week’s action. His abacus came in handy.

THE Kildare championship structure isn’t universally liked but giving out about the GAA is a sport in itself and one thing it does do is keep the season alive for most teams right up until the last round of group games.

This week for example, of the sixteen teams in action, only one, Straffan, have nothing riding on the outcome. Every other side is either playing to move directly into the Quarter Finals, top their group to secure the best possible last eight draw, nail down a place in the Preliminary Quarter Finals or, last but not least, avoid the dreaded relegation final.

Staffan’s fate was sealed when they lost to Ellistown last time out in Group A, together with a draw between Rathangan and Milltown taking those two out of their reach. Even if Straffan beat Rathangan and Ellistown lose to Milltown the Junior Champions from last year would still prevail on the head-to-head rule.

With three teams coming out of Group A the smart money will be on Rathangan and Milltown winning to finish in the top two and nailing down a last eight berth. Both were beaten semi-finalists last year and look to be well in the mix for this year’s crown. They couldn’t be separated in their clash in the last round of games, but Rathangan have a considerably better scoring difference going into the final round of games (+17 to Milltown’s +3).

Group B offers a fascinating pair of final day fixtures. Sallins have not only been the outstanding team in the group, but in many eyes are red-hot favourites to take the crown in October, putting the disappointments of the last few years behind them.

They are safely through to the knockout stages having beaten Castledermot and Ballyteague by 22 and 20 points respectively. On known form, not just in the Championship but remembering that they reached the Division 1 semi-final in the League, Sallins will be expected to continue their winning ways against Towers.

Sallins could still be caught for top spot, however, by Thursday night’s opponents if the Kildare Town side overturn the formbook in Cedral St Conleth’s Park and Castledermot beat Ballyteague in Manguard Park.

That scenario would see Towers top the group on the head-to-head over Sallins with Castledermot clinching third place and a Preliminary Quarter Final spot, also on the head-to-head with Ballyteague.

If Towers and Ballyteague win there will be a three-way tie on four points which will see scoring difference in games between the three tied teams being used to separate them. In that scenario, Sallins would top the group unless Towers beat them by twelve points while it would take an eighteen-point defeat for them to drop to third. Ballyteague cannot top the group.

Even if Towers lose, they are guaranteed a knock-out spot, but you’ll need the abacus and a strong whiskey for the next paragraph.

If Castledermot beat Ballyteague, which looks a 50/50 game, the three teams beneath Sallins will be separated by the “mini league” scenario with scoring difference in games between the trio determining positions. The three teams concerned go into the final round of games with Towers on +5, which cannot change, Ballyteague on +3 and Castledermot on -8. So Ballyteague’s defeat would see their scoring difference worsen and keep them behind Towers. As regards the third qualifying spot that would boil down to the winning margin for Castledermot over Ballyteague with the Larks needing to avoid anything higher than a five-point reversal. A Castledermot win by fourteen points would see them overhaul Towers in second place.

In Group C and D only two teams progress with St Laurence’s and Leixlip currently in the box seat in each group with maximum points. Larries face a local derby against Kilcullen and will be fancied to secure a win that would take them straight to the Quarter Finals.

A win for Kilcullen, who beat St Kevin’s but lost to Two Mile House, puts them level on points with the Narraghmore side and they’d pip Larries on head-to-head if Two Mile House (currently also on 2 points) lost to St Kevin’s (who have no points so far).

St Kevin’s of course will be fighting for their survival in Intermediate with the bottom teams in Group C and D dropping into the relegation decider. Kevin’s have been a little unlucky not to pick up points so far and they can still rescue things with a win over Two Mile House.

The scenarios are complicated here. If Kilcullen beat Larries and Two Mile House beat St Kevin’s the top three will be tied on four points and the mini league comes into play with Larries currently on +8, Kilcullen on -11 and Two Mile House on +3 (they will stay on that).

Equally there could be a mini league for places two, three and four between Kilcullen, Two Mile House and St Kevin’s if Kevin’s beat Two Mile House and Larries beat Kilcullen. Kilcullen will be on -7 in that scenario; Two Mile House are currently on +11 and St Kevin’s on -4, putting the Rags almost certainly into the relegation final.

As for Group D, yes the dreaded mini league comes into it again potentially, though Suncroft will hope they at least draw with Monasterevan and Leixlip beat Nurney. That would see The Croft finish second and go into the Preliminary Round with Leixlip through to the last eight and Monasterevan contest a relegation final five years after dropping from senior.

If Monasterevan win and Nurney lose, yes, it’s a mini-league again and Suncroft go into that on +4, Nurney will finish on -3 and Monasterevan are on -1 so Nurney look in peril in that scenario. They would need Monasterevan to beat Suncroft by eight points to avoid the relegation final.