The 2024 Kildare Senior Football Championship was the 131st 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 going on to represent Kildare in the Leinster Senior Club Football Championship. The championship started with a preliminary round sorted by a random draw, followed by a group stage and finally a knockout stage.
Naas were the defending champions this year after they defeated Celbridge in the previous years final. This was Naas' 3rd Senior Football Championship in a row.
Allenwood returned to the senior grade for the first time since 2001 after defeating Castledermot in the 2024 Kildare Intermediate Football Championship by 0-11 to 1-7.
On 27 October, Naas defeated Celbridge in a replay of last years final 1-7 to 1-6. This was Naas' 12th championship and their 4th in a row.
St. Laurence's were defeated by Kilcock in the Relegation Play-off 0-15 to 1-6, meaning that they would play in the 2025 Kildare Intermediate Football Championship for the first time since 1980.
Championship structure The 2024 Senior Football Championship consisted of 16 teams drawn against each other in the preliminary round. The winners of the games were drawn into a 'winners' group, while the losers were drawn into a 'losers' group. These groups consist of 4 teams each. In the winners groups, the top two teams head straight into the quarter-finals while the 3rd placed team plays in a preliminary quarter-final. In the losers groups, the top placed team heads straight into the quarter-final, the 2nd placed team heads into a preliminary quarter-final, and the last placed team heads into a relegation play-off to retain their senior status.
Team changes The following teams have changed division since the 2024 championship season.
To S.F.C. Promoted from 2023 I.F.C. Allenwood - (Intermediate Champions)
From S.F.C. Relegated to 2024 I.F.C. Ballyteague
Participating teams ClubLocation2023 Championship Position2024 Championship Position AllenwoodAllenwood2023 I.F.C ChampionsNon-Qualifier AthyAthySemi-FinalistSemi-Finalist CarburyCarburyNon-QualifierNon-Qualifier CelbridgeCelbridgeRunners-UpRunners-Up ClaneClaneSemi-FinalistQuarter-Finalist ClogherinkoeClogherinkoePreliminary Quarter-FinalistPreliminary Quarter-Finalist ConfeyLeixlipNon-QualifierNon-Qualifier EadestownEadestownPreliminary Quarter-FinalistPreliminary Quarter-Finalist JohnstownbridgeJohnstownbridgeQuarter-FinalistQuarter-Finalist KilcockKilcockNon-QualifierRelegation Finalist MaynoothMaynoothNon-QualifierNon-Qualifier MoorefieldNewbridgeQuarter-FinalistQuarter-Finalist NaasNaasChampionsChampions SarsfieldNewbridgeQuarter-FinalistSemi-Finalist St. LaurencesNarraghmore & BallitoreRelegation FinalistRelegated to 2025 I.F.C RaheensCaraghQuarter-FinalistQuarter-Finalist
Preliminary round All 16 teams were randomly drawn to play one of the other 16. The winners of these games headed into the 'winners' groups (Group A and B) while the losers were placed into the 'losers' group (Group C and D).
The draw for the preliminary round of the championship was made on 10 May 2024. Group stage They were four groups called Group A, B, C and D. These groups were defined by the winners and losers of the preliminary round, with the winners being in Group A and B, and the losers being in Group C and D. In Group A and B, the top two teams headed straight into the quarter-finals while the 3rd placed team played in a preliminary quarter-final. In Group C and D, the 1st placed team headed straight into the quarter-finals with the second placed team playing a preliminary quarter-final. The last placed teams in Group C and D went to play a relegation play-off to determine which team got relegated.
The draw for the group stages of the championship was made on 12 August 2024.
Group A
TeamMatchesScorePtsPldWDLForAgainstDiff Naas33005827 +316 Sarsfield31114240 +23 Eadestown31114141 03 Confey30032962 -330
Round 1
Round 2
Round 3
Group B
TeamMatchesScorePtsPldWDLForAgainstDiff Celbridge33006539 +266 Athy32015545 +104 Clogherinkoe31024747 02 Allenwood30034076 -360
Round 1
Round 2
Round 3
Group C
TeamMatchesScorePtsPldWDLForAgainstDiff Raheens32106332 +315 Johnstownbridge32103627 +95 Carbury31022935 -63 St. Laurence's30032357 -340
Round 1
Round 2
Round 3
Group D
TeamMatchesScorePtsPldWDLForAgainstDiff Moorefield33005835 +236 Clane 31024144 -32 Maynooth31024847 12 Kilcock31023960 -212
Round 1
Round 2
Round 3
Knockout-stages
The 1st and 2nd placed teams in Group A and B and the 1st placed teams in Group C and D qualified for the quarter-finals. The 3rd placed teams in Group A and B and the 2nd placed teams in Group C and D qualified for the preliminary quarter-finals. Quarter-final pairings were drawn with the winners of Group A and B playing the winners of the preliminary-quarter-finals, while the 2nd placed teams of Group A and B played the winners of Group C and D.
Preliminary quarter-finals
Quarter-finals
Semi-finals
Final
Relegation play-off The relegation play-off consisted of the 4th placed teams in Group C and D. The winners of the playoff retained their status as a senior level club, while the loser would be relegated to the Kildare Intermediate Football Championship.
References