Leinster championship openers and SFC final headline Kildare football weekend

Cathal White of Sarsfields turns outfield away from Darren Maguire of Maynooth in Kildare SFL Division 1 action | SEAN BRILLY

placeholder image — Cathal White of Sarsfields turns outfield away from Darren Maguire of Maynooth in Kildare SFL Division 1 action | SEAN BRILLY

IFC and JFC champs head into the provinces while Maynooth and Sarsfields decide who takes Kildare’s top prize

There is another thrilling weekend of Kildare football championship action on the agenda and it is Milltown and St Kevin’s first foray’s into Leinster in 2026 on Saturday before the 2026 Joe Mallon Motors SFC final plays out on Sunday.

There is also the not insignificant matter of SFC relegation with Allenwood and Kilcock contesting that final while Clane and Eadestown decide who lift the inaugural SFC ‘A’ title. You can see the full fixture list, which also includes the IHC final, below.

Milltown have a tight turnaround after their National Electrical Wholesalers IFC final replay victory over Suncroft on Saturday last. It was not clear who would face Longford champions, Moistrim, in this Leinster IFC opener until the very last kick of the Kildare final after two titanic battles between the competitions best sides this year. Milltown head into the provinces with The Short Grass County’s stellar recent record to uphold with Kildare clubs having won the last three Leinster IFC’s.

St Kevin’s will enjoy the familiar turf of Manguard Park for their JFC opener against Kilkenny champs Muckalee and Kildare have plenty of recent success at Leinster Junior level too with Grangenolvin and now IFC champs Milltown being two of the last three winners of the competition.

Little needs to be said on the weekend’s star attraction, Kildare football’s showpiece, the SFC final between Maynooth and Sarsfields. The former came from nowhere in the eyes of many and dumped out former champions Athy in a low-scoring but chaotic SFC quarter-final. Maynooth sent the game to extra-time with their only score of the second half (a Paddy Mahoney two-pointer) and won out well, but everyone took notice of their quality when they outclassed hot-favourites Naas in extra-time to reach their first SFC final since 1916.

Sarsfields have not had to wait quite as long but five years for the Newbridge giants has seemed like an eternity and now manager Vinnie Walsh has them back in the decider in search of their first Kildare SFC title since 2019’s success over Moorefield.