Rathvilly look to be favourites for Senior Football Championship
Old Leighlin players admire the Nationalist Cup after winning last year's final, but who will be lifting it this year? Photo: Pat Ahern
There has been four different winners of the Michael Lyng Motors Senior Football Championship in the last four years, which suggests a wide open Championship.
Rathvilly, with the hurt of a late defeat to Old Leighlin in last year’s final driving them on, have shown good form so far this year and they could be the ones to beat this year under the Championship’s new structures.
There is just one group of eight teams this year, teams will play five games and the top two then progress to the semi-finals, the next four teams will contest two quarter-finals and that leaves the bottom two in the relegation final.
Shane Clarke.
John Miley
“It was ok. We were missing players because of the hurling. We were in the intermediate relegation final against Eire Og,” says Shane Clarke.
Same panel as last year.
Looking to get to the semi-finals at least.
“Rathvilly would be favourites.” Views on New Structure: “It will be good. More games and something different.’ First Game: Éire Óg on Thursday in Netwatch Cullen Park.
Bagenalstown have been knocking at the door for many seasons now and while they might catch any given side on a given day, they still haven’t pushed on. It is hard to see them doing so this year.
Eoghan Ruth.
Cormac Mullins and Richie Mahon
Lost to Rathvilly in league final.
The same panel as last year.
“Avoid relegation and get to the knock-out stages.” If you don’t win it, who will? Rathvilly Views on New Structure: “I like it. Starting in July is good compared to last year. The break in the matches is good and I am happy with the format,” says Eoghan Ruth.
Bagenalstown Gaels in The Training Centre on Thursday.
In the pecking order Rathvilly and Palatine have definitely past out Éire Óg whose assembly line of talent is not as plentiful. Lucky not to be relegated last year, a semi-final place is still not beyond them this season.
Cormac Lomax
Padraig Kearney from St Laurences in Kildare.
“Not great but we progressed as we went on,” says Cormac Lomax.
The Bradley brothers Keegan and Dylan are not available. After that the panel is more or less the same as last year.”
“Stay senior for the year and re-evaluate when we hit that target.”
Rathvilly Views on New Championship Structure: “ I don’t know. New waters. Let us see what happens.”
Old Leighlin on Thursday at Netwatch Cullen Park.
It is hard not to see them being in one of the relegation spots.
Paddy Hickey
Peter Cleere League Form: League semi-final but beaten by Ballon
“Roughly the same panel.”
“Compete against the big teams and see where we are,” says Cathal Bailey.
“Rathvilly I would say.”
“It will be interesting to see how it goes.” First Game: Rathvilly in Netwatch Cullen Park on Friday.
Disregard Grange at your peril but it will be huge if they could get into fifth or sixth position. It is difficult to see this happening though.
Fiachra Fitzpatrick.
Manager: Chris Conway.
They lost the Division 3 final to The Fighting Cocks.
Kyle Nolan is coming through. No-one else in but lost nobody.
“We are hoping to make the top four,” says Sean Joyce.
“It is hard to look past Rathvilly and Old Leighlin.”
“It is very competitive. You would be looking to get points on the board early which would take the pressure off.”
Palatine in Netwatch Cullen Park on Saturday.
The mixed season where the football and hurling championships are in a stop go situation will not help Rangers. Hurling comes first and while they will be able to concentrate on football, one cannot help but feel they will be looking over their shoulders at the small ball when the football championship games are on. The Maths suggest they just have to have to avoid defeats to Fenagh and Grange and win another game to make the knock-out stages.
Aaron Amond
Brian Lonergan
“We were down a number of players. For what we had we put in some strong performances but it didn’t really go the way we would have hoped,” says Tadgh Roche.
A serious injury to Jordan Kelly sees him step away from football but he has taken a role with the management team. Up to eight young players have come into the squad including Daniel Brennan and Ciaran Bambrick.
: “Only one goal and that is to win it.”
“You have to look at Rathvilly. They are strong.”
“I am pleased with it. Possibly for dual players it is tough but it is a nice change for sure.” First Game: Fenagh in Netwatch Cullen Park on Thursday.
They got the most out of themselves last year winning a dramatic final against Rathvilly. It will be difficult to match what they did in 2025 but they should get to a semi-final and the team that beats them could end up as champions.
Ciaran Moran
Eddie McGarry and Paud O’Dwyer are joint managers.
Beaten by Éire Óg in the division 1 semi-final.
The team is fairly settled. No major injuries. Eoin Ryan and Sam McHugh are some of the young talent coming through.
“We have big ambitions but we will take it one day at a time,” says Finbarr Kavanagh.
“We don’t want to look past Mount Leinster Rangers in the first round. We saw the upset they served to Éire Óg last year.”
“Prior to this we were playing football starting in September nearly. It is a gamble on what the weather is at that time of year. I am excited. It means you will play less friendlies.”
Mount Leinster Rangers in Netwatch Cullen Park on Sunday.
They are more than a sleeping giant now. Their underage teams are excelling and the entire focus in the club is on development and feeding teams through either their underage structure or their other adult teams. Could make the final. Probably against Rathvilly.
Colin Byrne
Kevin Byrne and Alan Kelly
They beat Éire Óg in league final
A good few young fellas in. Kenneth Bello impressed a lot in the league.
“Same as every year we want to get to a final and win it,” says Colin Byrne.
“You can’t look past Éire Óg. Old Leighlin won it last year and Palatine will be there.”
“It is more games earlier in the season at the height of the summer.” First Game: Grange in Netwatch Cullen Park on Friday.
They are the team to beat. The manner of their defeat to Old Leighlin with Cathal Coughlan’s late point has surely haunted them over the year. Have to be favourites to atone this year.
ROUND 1 FIXTURES
Bagenalstown Gaels v Éire Óg, Netwatch Cullen Park, 7pm
Old Leighlin v Fenagh, Netwatch Cullen Park, 8.30pm
Rathvilly v Grange, Netwatch Cullen Park, 8.30pm
Palatine v Mount Leinster Rangers, Netwatch Cullen Park, 6pm
