PREVIEW: Larries in command and Kilcullen in trouble? All at stake in Kildare IFC Group C finale
St Laurence's are all but through but both promotion and relegation are on the table for Kilcullen, Two Mile House, and St Kevin's in National Electrical Wholesalers IFC Group C
Another Championship group with plenty in flux is Kildare IFC Group C. St Laurence’s are almost certain to progress but not guaranteed it. St Kevin’s have the simple MO of needing a win to try and avoid a relegation final.
The fixtures take place on Sunday, September 7 at 3:15pm with Two Mile House facing St Kevin's in Clane and Kilcullen facing St Laurence's in Manguard Park, Hawkfield.
If Kevin’s (facing Two Mile House) and Larries (facing Kilcullen) were to achieve their respective wins, then the bottom three teams would arrive at a three-way point shown to dictate the rest of the table and who is heading on and who is heading the dread drop decider. In that scenario, Two Mile House still look strong with an +11 points differential needing to be overturned compared to Kilcullen (-7) and St Kevin’s (-4) in their final game. Everything is still on the table for second through fourth.
With Kilcullen facing the team with two wins from two, Two Mile House have a real chance of reaching the knockouts if they can beat a winless St Kevin’s, who will be buoyed by a desire to avoid the deathly decider. Two Mile House and Kevin’s will be the game to watch here because of the jeopardy for all concerned and uncertainty in what version of either side will show up.
The Rags and Larries will likely only go one way but Kilcullen were superb against Kevin’s for stretches of that game and if they start with a bit more gusto they might cause some more hassle than they are expected to. Kilcullen fans watching the other game will have a quandary on their hands, a win for local rivals Two Mile House assures their safety but sends them out. A St Kevin’s win creates a three-way points showdown to potentially progress, but also one that could easily send them into a relegation final based on points difference after their heavy defeat to The House.
Larries can only exit if Two Mile House and Kilcullen register considerable wins on the final day and force a points showdown at the top.