Exciting championships in store

Thu, 04 Sep, 2025 - 09:45

Ger McNally

In the relentless nature of the of the modern GAA world, in what is essentially a 12 month season, it was almost throwback to another era to have a weekend like the one just gone where there were no adult club or county games to focus on. It gave a chance to the younger cohort to celebrate the end of the summer in a field in Stradbally, while those at the opposite end of the age spectrum had the chance to draw breath and put the feet up for one weekend at least.

It is of course only a temporary respite and we are now facing into another very hectic period in the local GAA calendar. The helmets and hurls have been put away for another year, apart from the lucky few who have a Leinster campaign to worry about later in the year, and the focus now is very much on the big ball, and who will be lifting the Nationalist Cup in particular.

Three different winners of the Carlow Senior Football Championship in the last three years suggests a wide open championship and that indeed looks to be the case.

It’s certainly not beyond the realms of possibility that we could see a fourth different winner in successive seasons.

Tinryland became Carlow’s winning most club when they collected their 15th Senior title back in 1981 but it’s been a long wait for title number 16. They start this year’s Championship with as good a chance as any time since then.

This year they won five of their seven league games this year before going on to beat county champions Rathvilly in the final to lift their first SFL Division 1 title since 1968.

After reaching the county final in 2022 and 2023, they had a major setback last year when they ruthless nature of the Carlow Championship saw them end up in the relegation final but they will be expecting to fare much better this season.

They and Palatine will be strong favourites to emerge from Group 2 and the game between the pair will go a long way to deciding who finishes on top and goes straight to the semis, while the loser of the game will probably need to play an extra game if they are to reach the last four.

It’s been a season of struggle for the Bagenalstown Gaels club. At full strength, they are more than capable of challenging for a place in the knockout stages but down on numbers, they had to pull out of Division 1 of the SFL and had a torrid hurling season too. How many players they have returning to their set up will determine their season.

Fenagh can’t be discounted. They were relegated at the first attempt in senior after their 2022 Intermediate success and they will hope that they will be stronger for that experience and can maybe make more of a mark this time around and they will hope to brush off a disappointing league season and challenge for a place in the knockout stages.

Group 1 is difficult to call. It could be a tough football season for Mount Leinster Rangers after their hurling success, and one eye on an upcoming Leinster Championship, and there is no path to an easy win against Rathvilly, Éire Óg and Old Leighlin.

Rathvilly and Éire Óg have won six of the last eight Carlow Championships between them and every game between them is an occasion, while Old Leighlin have been threatening a major breakthrough for a number of seasons now.

It’s wide open as well in the Talbot Hotel Intermediate Football Championship, although the team relegated from Senior last year and the team who lost the Intermediate final appear to be the leading contenders.

Clonmore will look to emulate Fenagh and win a second Intermediate title in three years and book an immediate return to top flight football. Their solid displays in Division 1 suggest that is a strong possibility.

Kildavin/Clonegal will hope to prove the adage 'that you need to lose a final before you win it' true once again. They were excellent in last year’s Championship before failing to fire on final day and a good run to this year’s Division 2 proves they are likely to be or thereabouts once again.

Outside that pair, much will depend on Éire Óg attitude to their second team this year, although they did win Division 2, while the Tullow derby in Group 1 between 2023 runners up St Patricks and Grange will give a strong indication of both their chances this year.

The captains and club representatives at the Carlow GAA Club Football Championship Launch in the stand at Netwatch Cullen Park Photo: Pat Ahern

In the Junior Championship, Leighlinbridge will hope that this is finally their year, and they are sure to be there come the business end of things. With no hurling for the remainder of the year, St Mullins are another strong contender to win back the title they won in 2023.

As long as Darragh Foley is around, Kilbride are still in with a shout while Asca, Fighting Cocks and O’Hanrahans are capable of beating most on their day.

ROUND 1 FIXTURES

Friday 5th September

Netwatch Cullen Park

Talbot Hotel Intermediate Championship - Ballinabranna v Grange, 7pm

Michael Lyng Motors Senior Football Championship - Bagenalstown Gaels v Palatine, 8.30pm

Centre of Excellence, Fenagh

Talbot Hotel Intermediate Football Championship - Ballon v Clonmore, 7.30pm

Saturday 6th September

Netwatch Cullen Park

Michael Lyng Motors Senior Football Championship - Fenagh v Tinryland, 4pm

Michael Lyng Motors Senior Football Championship - Éire Óg v Old Leighlin, 5.45pm

JFC A First names team at home, 6pm