Preview: Naas and Sarsfields top fancies for Kildare Senior Football Championship

We may be not quiet into the middle of the month of July but this weekend sees the start of the 2022 Joe Mallon (Renault) Senior Football Championship, all due to the new split season.

And if that feels somewhat strange how about the All-Ireland SFC final down for decision in just two weeks time and its hurling equivalent next weekend.

Strange times get even stranger in the world of GAA and that's for sure.
And so it is on to the Preliminary Round of the Senior Football Championship — once again with Joe Mallon (Renault) Motors on board as sponsors — this weekend and with no games on Sunday due to the All-Ireland Hurling decider, we certainly have a packed Friday and Saturday in all grades — senior, intermediate and junior.

THE ODDS
In the SFC, defending champions, Naas who reached the Leinster Club final last January, are installed by the layers as favourites to make it back-to-back titles.

Odds of 5/2 are on offer with Sarsfields next at 3/1, Celbridge 5/1, Moorefield 11/2, Athy 6/1 with Johnstownbridge, Maynooth, Clane, Raheens all at 16s; Carbury are quoted 33/1 along with St Laurence's with the rest at 50/1 and better.
A quick perusal of the Preliminary Round games which will see the winners heading into Group A (winners group) and the losers into Group B (losers group).

CELBRIDGE V KILCOCK
First up on Friday in Raheens are Celbridge v Kilcock.
Kilcock will be happy to be back in the senior championship following their win in the intermediate last season but it is difficult to see anything but a convincing win for Celbridge.

Celbridge finished mid-table in Division 1, played 11, won 5 and lost 6 finishing up with 10 points.
Kilcock, operated in Division 2, ended up in third spot, winning seven, losing 5 and drawing 1, with 15 points.
It would be major shock if Celbridge did not win this one.

ATHY V CARBURY
St Conleth's Park is the venue on Friday for the Athy v Carbury clash.

Athy had an excellent SFL Division 1 campaign, getting to the final having defeated Sarsfields in the semi but losing out to Naas in the decider. Carbury struggled for long parts of the League before pulling themselves clear in the final couple of games. They won just four games, lost 7. Athy finished second in the league, winning 8, losing 2 and drawing one and despite coming out second best in the final are playing well. Athy to take this one.

EADESTOWN V JTB
Hawkfield is the venue for this one, also on Friday 15 and while The Bridge gained promotion to Division 1, their display in the league Division 2 final was very poor indeed.

Eadestown struggled throughout their Division 1 campaign, were relegated after gaining just one point from their 11 games.
Ideal opportunity for JTB to get back to winning ways and they should do that with a bit to spare.

RAHEENS V ST LAURENCE'S
On a packed day of championship action, Raheens take on The Larries in St Conleth's in the early game (12 noon) the first of a four game programme.

Raheens had a decent league campaign making it to the semi-final and while they were well beaten by Naas at that stage, their earlier form was impressive.

The Larries struggled throughout the league and ended up with just a single win, along with four draws which was not good enough to avoid relegation.

Good opportunity for the Caragh boys to get back to winning ways and they should do that providing they can regain their early season form.

CLOGHERINKOE V SARSFIELDS
Not the draw that The Cloghs wanted in this their second season at SFC level and while Sarsfields were beaten in the SFL semi-final by Athy, they will have too much pace and power for Clogherinkoe.
The Cloghs operated in Division 2 of the SFL and finished top of bottom section after the split. They won six and lost seven of their 13 game programme and it is difficult to seen anything other than a big win for Davy Burke's charges.

MOOREFIELD V NAAS
Favourites and champions, Naas, take on The Moores in game 3 in Conleth's Park and will go into this one as firm favourites.
They have enjoyed a great league run, defeated Raheens in the semi-final with ease before clinching the title in some style.

Moorefield, under former Dublin centre back, Ger Brennan, had a very mixed league with a lot of changes to a young and inexperienced side but in fairness they finished that campaign very well, defeating Raheens in the final game and are definitely on the right road.
However, Naas look a step too far for them at this stage, the champs get the vote to make it to Group A.

MAYNOOTH V ROUND TOWERS
Interesting game this one with both operating in Division 2 of the SFL.
Maynooth made it to the top section when the split came, and in the end finished fourth place, winning seven and losing six.

Towers on the other hand had a difficult league, when the divide came they ended up in the bottom half finishing with 12 points (along with three others) just one point ahead of Monasterevan who were relegated along with Ballymore.
Could be tight but Maynooth get the vote to start this campaign on a positive note.

CLANE V CONFEY
Operating in Division 1, these sides finished just two points apart with Confey showing the better form.
Confey are one of the surprise teams in the SFL this season, having had a poor season last year when at times struggled to put a team out, they were certainly very competitive this time around and came close to making it to the last four.

Clane, somewhat erratic at times but if they can get their top players to perform might just have enough to record a win but on league form Confey will not be too far away. Don't rule out a draw in this one though.