PREVIEW: Kildare champions Athy heading to Aughrim for Leinster opener with Baltinglass

While the celebrations, no doubt, went on for a couple of days, such is the tight fixture list at the moment, players have to return to the training field in the same week they had been crowned champions, mostly at any rate.

No doubt Kildare champs Athy did as they return to action on Sunday, November 2 when they take on Wicklow champions, Baltinglass, in Echelon Park, Aughrim, a game with a 1.30 throw-in.

Baltinglass made it champions for the 24 time a few weeks ago, getting the better of Carnew Emmets (1-20 to 0-15) having lost out in the final the previous year to Tinahely and it was Tinahely who Baltinglass defeated the last time they won the senior, back in 2020.

Baltinglass are never too far away and out of the last six finals, they played in five of them winning just two.

Goalkeeper Mark Johnson hit six points for the winners in this season's decider while the goal came from the boot of the experienced John McGrath. Baltinglass led at the break 1-13 to 0-9 and in the end had 00 points to spare winning on a score line of 1-20 to 0-15.

So what of Athy?
No doubt they are still on Cloud Nine following their impressive win over Naas last than two weeks ago.

That was a game the boys in red really rose to the occasion, played probably the best football of the season, and while they did go six ahead in the second half they were more than happy to hear the final whistle after some six minutes of time added on by referee Brendan Cawley.

However, they are now entering into a different environment and while Athy will go into this game as warm favourites they nevertheless will be fully aware of fancied teams coming a cropper, both club and county, at Echelon Park, Aughrim.

Never an easy place to go to, however joint managers Ross Bell and Conor Roan will, no doubt, have done their home work on the Baltinglass and will be fully aware of their strengths and weaknesses.

The first game in the provincial club championship can often be a sticky one and this one will be absolutely no different.

Conditions will play a part in this game with wet, greasy pitches and the possibility of a murky day.

Taking all that into account would one expect Athy, installed as third favs to win this out behind Ballyboden (8/13) and The Downs (4/1) with Baltinglass quoted at the generous odds of 66/1 to go all the way.

However, no one will be aware that those odds stand for nothing once the players step over the while line and provided Athy are in the right frame of mind, they should advance to the next round.

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