2020 Kildare Senior Football Championship Explained

Competition:Kildare S.F.C.
Season:2020
Winners:Athy (7th S.F.C. Title)
Relegated:Monasterevan
Continentalcup5:Leinster SCFC
Continentalcup5 Qualifiers:None
Continentalcup1:All Ireland SCFC
Continentalcup2:Winning Captain
Continentalcup2 Qualifiers:David Hyland
Continentalcup3:Man Of The Match
Continentalcup3 Qualifiers:Mick Foley
Continentalcup4:Winning Manager
Continentalcup4 Qualifiers:Vinnie Walsh
Prevseason:2019
Nextseason:2021

The 2020 Kildare Senior Football Championship was the 127th edition of the Kildare GAA's premier club Gaelic football tournament for senior graded teams in County Kildare, Ireland. The tournament consists of 16 teams with the winner not going on to represent Kildare in the Leinster Senior Club Football Championship, due to the latter competition's cancellation. Due to the emergence of and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Gaelic games, the championship had a different format this year, beginning with a group-stage followed by a knock-out stage. Championship activity was postponed temporarily between Friday 7th and Sunday 23 August, when Co. Kildare was placed into lockdown alongside Laois and Offaly.

Sarsfields were the defending champions this year after they defeated Moorefield in the previous years final.[1]

This was Monasterevan's return to the senior grade after a three year exodus when claiming the 2019 Kildare I.F.C. (they were relegated from senior back in 2016).[2]

On 3 October 2020, Athy won their 7th Kildare Senior Football title and first since 2011 after beating Moorefield 1-11 to 0-12 in the final.[3]

Team Changes

[4] [5]

The following teams have changed division since the 2019 championship season.

To S.F.C.

Promoted from 2019 I.F.C.

From S.F.C.

Relegated to 2020 I.F.C.

Group stage

All 16 teams play in the group stage, drawn into four groups of four. The top two teams in each group qualify into the quarter-finals, while the bottom team in each group enter the Relegation Playoffs.

Group A

Team
Athy33005840+186
Clane32105632+244
Castledermot31205048+22
Monasterevan30302068-440

Round 1:

Round 2:

Round 3:

Group B

Team
Moorefield32105736+214
Raheens32104737+104
Carbury32104357-144
Maynooth00303754-170

Round 1:

Round 2:

Round 3:

Group C

Team
Sarsfields33006935+346
Johnstownbridge32106953+164
St. Laurence's31204663-172
Eadestown30303568-330

Round 1:

Round 2:

Round 3:

Group D

Team
Celbridge33006436+286
Round Towers32104436+84
Naas31204844+42
Confey30303676-400

Round 1:

Round 2:

Round 3:

Relegation play-offs

Relegation Semi-Finals

The four teams who finished bottom of their respective groups entered the Relegation Semi-Finals. The two winners from these Semi-Finals will secure their Senor status for 2021, while the two losers will proceed to the Relegation Final.

Relegation Final

The loser of the Relegation final will be relegated to the 2021 Kildare I.F.C. The winner will maintain their Senior status into 2021.

Finals

Final

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2019 S.F.C. Final: Sarsfields -vs- Moorefield. 27 October 2019. Rte.ie. 27 October 2019.
  2. Web site: 2019 I.F.C. Final: Monasterevan -vs- Leixlip. 13 October 2019. Leinsterleader.ie. 13 October 2019.
  3. Web site: Kildare SFC final: O'Keeffe fires Athy to glory . hoganstand.com . 8 October 2020.
  4. Web site: Leinster Leader. 16 January 2019. Irishnewsarchive.com. 16 January 2019.
  5. Web site: 2020 Kildare S.F.C. Draw. 3 July 2020. Hoganstand.com. 3 July 2020.
  6. Web site: Raheens Survive as House Fall Through Senior Championship Trapdoor. 27 September 2019. Irishnewsarchive.com. 27 September 2019.