Who can step up to the grade at Intermediate level?
Local rivals Kilcullen and St Laurence's have been placed in the same group once again in the Intermediate Football Championship Photo: James Lawlor
This weekend sees the start of the National Electrical Wholesalers Intermediate Football Championship and with a new format in place for 2026 RICHARD COMMINS casts his eyes over the runners and riders across the four groups.
With the change in format this year, teams will have to get straight to the pitch of things at the weekend. As a reminder, the Preliminary Round is no more and only the top two teams in each group will progress into the knockout stages with teams finishing third and fourth competing for an Intermediate B title while trying to avoid relegation at the same time. Defeat this weekend would leave teams with an immediate risk of dropping into the B competition.
(Conneff Park, Clane, Saturday 5pm)
(Cedral St Conleth’s Park, Saturday 5.15pm)
When the draw was made, Leixlip looked roaring hot favourites to take top spot in this group, notwithstanding the presence of town rivals Confey, but the Division 2 decider with Allenwood last month did untold damage to their playing resources with Tommy Moolick, Jack Travers and Ronan Fitzsimons all suffering serious injury to join Jack Barrett on the sidelines. With the likes of Darren McDermott and the Lawler brothers in attack, Leixlip still look like favourites, however, and they showed great resilience to push Allenwood all the way in that decider.
On Saturday they face a Suncroft team who on league status alone should be among the favourites for the drop, the Croft having just missed out on promotion to Division 3. But Tommy Cleary’s side have earned a reputation as championship specialists in recent years and reached the Quarter-Finals last year. Still, it would be a shock if they overcame the men in maroon in the opening round.
Confey are in something of a downward spiral and having lost senior status last year they finished bottom of Division 2 in the league. Opponents Straffan have failed to get out of their group in the three years since coming up from Junior but had a decent Division 3 campaign, finishing fifth. A tight game in store which could go either way.
Manager: David Jordan
IFC Titles: 2 (Last in 1934)
SFL 2026: Div 2 Finalists (Promoted)
Five-Year Record - 2021 Semi-Final 2022 Quarter-Final 2023 Fourth in Group 2024 Runners-Up 2025 Quarter-Final
Manager: Tommy Cleary
IFC Titles: 4 (Last in 2007)
SFL 2026: 3rd Division 4
Five-Year Record - 2021 Third in Group 2022 Prelim Quarter-Final 2023 Third in Group 2024 Prelim Quarter-Final 2025 Quarter-Final
Manager: John Benton (new)
IFC Titles: 2 (Last in 2011)
SFL 2026: 12th Division 2 (Relegated)
Five-Year Record - 2021 Third in SFC Group 2022 Fourth in SFC Group 2023 Third in SFC Group 2024 Fourth in SFC Group 2025 Relegated from SFC
Manager: Christy Dempsey
IFC Titles: 1 (1966)
SFL 2026: 5th Division 3
Five-Year Record - 2021 Relegated 2022 JFC Winners 2023 Third in Group 2024 Fourth in Group 2025 Fourth in Group
(Cedral St Conleth’s Park, Saturday 3.30pm)
(Cedral St Conleth’s Park, Sunday 3.45pm)
St Laurence’s pushed Sallins hard in last year’s final having been relegated the year before and under the ever-astute management of Noel Mooney a young team managed to hold their own in Division 1 of the league this year. All of that points to a team who should challenge strongly to regain their place at senior level. They couldn’t have asked for a much harder start, though, than a Round Towers team who also have a good blend of youth and experience. Towers just missed out on promotion to Division 1 although they have flattered to deceive in the championship the last couple of years, falling by three points to Two Mile House at the Preliminary Quarter Final stage last year.
Kilcullen and Monasterevan look like the Intermediate B candidates from this group with both having struggled to make an impact on the championship lately. Kilcullen haven’t emerged from their group in the last two years while Monasterevan had to go through the pain of a relegation final before escaping the drop last year. Both are under new management with Niall Timmons and Gavin Holligan now at the helm.
Manager: Niall Timmons (new)
IFC Titles: 5 (last in 1998)
SFL 2026: 6th Division 3
Five-Year Record - 2021 JFC Winners 2022 Third in Group 2023 Prelim Quarter-Final 2024 Third in Group 2025 Third in Group
Manager: Gavin Holligan (new)
IFC Titles: 4 (last in 2019)
SFL 2026: Finalists Division 4 (Promoted)
Five-Year Record - 2021 Prelim Quarter-Final 2022 Quarter-Final 2023 Semi-Final 2024 Prelim Quarter-Final 2025 Relegation Final
Manager: Alan Cullagh (new)
IFC Titles: 2 (Last in 2016)
SFL 2026: 3rd Division 2
Five-Year Record - 2021 SFC Prelim Quarter-Final 2022 SFC Relegated 2023 Quarter-Final 2024 Quarter-Final 2025 Prelim Quarter-Final
Manager: Noel Mooney IFC Titles: 1 (1980)
SFL 2026: 9th Division 1
Five-Year Record - 2021 SFC Quarter-Final 2022 SFC Prelim Quarter-Final 2023 SFC Relegation Final 2024 SFC Relegated 2025 Finalists
(Cedral St Conleth’s Park, Friday 7.45pm)
(Manguard Park Pitch 1, Saturday 5pm)
This is a definite “Group of Death” candidate. Milltown are highly fancied along with St Laurence’s to challenge for the crown having reached the last two semi-finals. Although relegated from Division 1 the experience of playing at that level will stand to a team who have been highly consistent in terms of selection and performances over the last two to three years. Their game against local rivals Ballyteague, however, on Friday, is a real banana skin. Ballyteague, with Jimmy Hyland back available and in form, will fancy their own chances of a push for the title.
Grangenolvin will have to put last year’s Junior heroics to the back of their minds as they make their Intermediate bow against Nurney on Saturday. The latter had a brilliant Division 3 campaign, winning promotion, and look to be the strongest outfit to represent the club for a few years under new manager Alan Jordan. Whichever two teams emerge from this group will have fully deserved it while the two unfortunate enough to drop to the “B” competition will be among the favourites for that one.
Manager: Seán McLoughlin (new)
IFC Titles: 3 (last in 2022)
SFL 2026: 3rd Division 3
Five-Year Record - 2021 Quarter-Final 2022 Winners 2023 SFC Relegated 2024 Quarter-Final 2025 Fourth in Group
Manager: Johnny Donnelly
IFC Titles: 2 (last in 1972) SFL 2026: 11th Division 1 (Relegated)
Five-Year Record - 2021 Relegation Final 2022 Relegated 2023 JFC Winners 2024 Semi-Final 2025 Semi-Final
Manager: David Conway IFC Titles: None SFL 2026: 9th Division 2
Five-Year Record - 2021 JFC Quarter-Final 2022 JFC Semi-Final 2023 JFC Semi-Final 2024 JFC Semi-Final 2025 JFC Winners
Manager: Alan Jordan (new)
IFC Titles: None SFL 2026: Finalists Division 3 (Promoted)
Five-Year Record - 2021 Quarter-Final 2022 Third in Group 2023 Prelim Quarter-Final 2024 Third in Group 2025 Third in Group
(Manguard Park Pitch 1, Saturday 6.30pm)
(Cedral St Conleth’s Park, Sunday 2pm)
Another “Group of Death” candidate. We have a semi-finalist (Two Mile House), two quarter-finalists (Castledermot and Rathangan) and a preliminary quarter-finalist (Ellistown) from last year.
Two Mile House shocked Rathangan in last year’s last eight clash and with the sides both finishing in the top six of Division 2 they’ll fancy their chances of progressing, but Ellistown were only one place behind Two Mile House in the league and are going well under Niall Carew.
League-wise, Castledermot are the lowest ranked of the four teams having been relegated from Division 2 but anyone writing the hardy south county side off in this group would do so at their peril.
The favourites tag might go to Rathangan, who open up in a local derby against Ellistown on Sunday. Jim McHugh’s team played some marvellous, attacking football in last year’s group stages before Two Mile House caught them cold, but they’ll be hoping to put the lessons learned to good use this year.
Two Mile House have a habit of being inconsistent in the group stages and Castledermot will hope to put that poor league form behind them on Saturday. A tough one to call.
Manager: Liam Cosgrave (new)
IFC Titles: 5 (Last in 2015)
SFL 2026: 11th Division 2 (Relegated)
Five-Year Record- 2021 SFC Relegated 2022 Quarter-Final 2023 Runners-Up 2024 Fourth in Group 2025 Quarter-Final
Manager: Chris Carey
IFC Titles: 1 (2018)
SFL 2026: 6th Division 2
Five-Year Record - 2021 Third in Group 2022 Fourth in Group 2023 Semi-Final 2024 Relegation Final 2025 Semi-Final
Manager: Niall Carew (new)
IFC Titles: 4 (last in 2000)
SFL 2026: 7th Division 2
Five-Year Record - 2021 Prelim Quarter-Final 2022 Prelim Quarter-Final 2023 Relegated 2024 JFC Winners 2025 Prelim Quarter-Final
Manager: Jim McHugh (new)
IFC Titles: 4 (last in 2001)
SFL 2026: 4th Division 2
Five-Year Record - 2021 Fourth in Group 2022 Fourth in Group 2023 Fourth in Group 2024 Semi-Final 2025 Quarter-Final
For a further preview of this year's Tom Cross Junior Football Championship, check out this week's edition of The Short Grass Kildare Nationalist Sports Podcast
