Preview: All to play for as Kildare Intermediate Football Championship gets under way

The Auld Shebeen Bar Athy IFC has always been a tough one to call and 2022 is no different.

Three games on Friday and five on Saturday makes it another jam-packed agenda.

Caragh and Nurney get proceedings under way, followed by Milltown and Ellistown, with Castledermot and St Kevin's making up the Friday trio.

Castledermot, the only intermediate team operating in SFL Division 1 and should advance against St Kevin's, while also fancied on Friday evening to make positive starts are Ellistown and Caragh.

Manguard Plus COE in Hawkfield will host the other five IFC games, all on Pitch 1 starting at 12 noon with final game throwing-in at 6 pm.

Leixlip and Ballyteague get the ball rolling and the maroon-clad boys, fresh from promotion and winning Division 2 will not only fancy getting off to a winning start but will expect to be there or thereabouts come the business end of affairs.

Suncroft and Allenwood are next up. The Croft were relegated to Division 3 while Allenwood return to Division 2 come 2023, and as champions, so The Blues should have enough for this one.

Kilcullen and Two Mile House is a local derby clash, both operated in Division 2 of the SFL, Kilcullen were flying at one stage but faded somewhat in latter stages while The House struggled throughout. As usual this will be tight but The Rags get the vote.

Game no. 4 at Hawkfield pits Sallins up against Ballymore Eustace.

Sallins have had a great league, although beaten in the final but gained promotion to Division 2 while Ballymore made no impact whatsoever, winning just one game in Division 2 and will be operating in Division 3 next year.

Sallins must fancy themselves big time for this one and it is difficult to see anything but a win for the boys in green and white.

The final game of the five game programme in Hawkfield on Saturday throws-in at 6 pm and sees Rathangan pitted against Monasterevin.

Monasterevin struggled throughout in Division 2 of the league and ended up being relegated along with Ballymore.

Rathangan, operating in Division 3, made the top half of that league when the league was split but were never in contention for promotion.

If Monasterevan can get it together they should have enough to win this one.