SFC Preview: Can Celbridge stop Naas making history?

While Sunday is undoubtedly a momentous day for Kildare GAA, its officials, its fans and its supporters with the re-opening of the famous auld stadium it is, of course, a huge day for two clubs — Naas and Celbridge — as they battle it out for the honour of becoming the 2024 Joe Mallon Senior Football champions and the first to win a title at the new stadium.

As far as senior titles go these two clubs could not be further apart. Naas not only going for an historic four-in-a-row but also attempting to bring their senior title count up to twelve.

Naas were, back in the day the strongest club in the county, with the All-Ireland winning Kildare sides backboned by Naas players such as Joe Curtis, Gus Fitzpatrick, Jack Higgins, Dan Ryan, to name just a few.

Naas won five titles the '20s, two in the '30s and then had to wait until 1990 to capture their next senior title.

They have of course now won the last three, 2021, 2022 and 2023 so are looking to make it four on the trot, unprecedented in the modern game.

Celbridge on the other hand have just a single title to their name that was back in 2008 with a team managed by the great Barney Rock of Dublin fame.

Ironically they were in last season's decider and would feel they were somewhat unlucky to be beaten by Naas by a mere two points.

That was a game that went right down to the wire and we can expect Sunday's clash to be another very close, very tense and hopefully very exciting game.

Prior to 2023 Celbridge appeared in the final back in 2017 when they came up against Moorefield.

That was a glorious period for Moorefield as between 2000 and 2020 they appeared in no less than 14 senior finals, winning eight while their great rivals Sarsfields were as ever there or thereabouts at that time also appearing in twelve finals lifting the cup on seven times.

It was an era dominated by the two Newbridge sides with Moorefield having the added bonus of winning the Leinster Club twice during that spell, the only Kildare Club to win two Leinsters with Raheens the only other Kildare club to capture that provincial title on one occasion.

But back to Celbridge and their last final appearance in 2017 going under to a Moorefield side that played the vast majority of the game with just 13 players but still held out to take that title.

Many say it was a final defeat that has held the boys from North Kildare back and that defeat will live with them until they finally get their hands on the famous Dermot Bourke Cup again.

Could that be this Sunday?

Of course it could.

Will it be though that is the question?

To finally be declared senior champions for the second time in their history they will have to play out of their collective skins but have no doubt they are more than capable of doing just that.

They came through a really tough semi-final when they needed extra time to get over Sarsfields but they have some top class, past, present and, no doubt, future senior county stars among their squad.

Well managed by Michael Mcdermott they will throw everything bar the kitchen sink at Naas Sunday and it is a game that could go right down to the wire once again.

What's the odds of extra time, or maybe even a replay?

Naas, well what we can say about the boys from the county town.

They have been superb over the past four years winning championships, league titles and coming ever so close in the Leinster Club.

An extraordinary bunch of players with, just like Celbridge packed with a host of former, present and players that will represent their county in the coming years.

Naas, again similar to Celbridge, had to go through extra-time before booking their place in the final but they showed in the second half of that extra-time just how lethal they can be and emphasising, not for the first time, just how strong they are when it comes to their bench.

So let the action begin on this historic day for Kildare GAA as we look forward to a cracking game between Naas and Celbridge.