Moorefield and Athy to clash for first time in Kildare SFC decider

Moorefield and Athy, two of the oldest clubs in the county, founded in 1884 and 1887 respectively, have never met in a senior final in the 130-year history of Kildare Senior Football Championships from 1888 to 2017. In total, 124 finals were played - there were no finals in 1893,’94, ’98, ’99 and 1900, and in 1938 Ellistown refused to play neighbours, St Patrick’s from Kildare Town, in the final as ‘They hadn’t the personnel to replace six key players missing through illness’.

Interestingly and coincidentally, Moorefield and Athy have each played in 14 finals, Moorefield winning nine and Athy taking six titles. Twenty-five of those 28 finals were played in Droichead Nua – the exceptions being 1902 in Roseberry, 1926 in Kildare and 1937 in Naas. Since 1958 all finals have been played in ‘Newbridge or Nowhere’ else. And from 1926 onwards, only four finals have not been in Droichead Nua, Naas providing the scene of the action in 1937, ’40, ’52 and ’57.

Due to the re-development of St Conleth’s Park, the 2019 final will not be in Newbridge, and the cry may go out for ‘Athy, and Nowhere else’.

Moorefield’s Record in 14 finals

1902: Clane 4-7 Moorefield 2-3 at Roseberry, 21 December 1902

1962: Moorefield 2-11 Kilcullen 0-2, 12 May 1963

1965: Carbury 3-12 Moorefield 1-9, 19 September 1965

2000: Moorefield 2-13 Kilcock 2-7, 22 October 2000

2001: Sarsfields 0-10 Moorefield 0-8, 16 September 2001

2002: Moorefield 1-8 Sarsfields 0-7, 13 October 2002

2006: Moorefield 0-10 St Laurence’s 0-9, 1 October 2006

2007: Moorefield 2-9 Sarsfields 0-11, 7 October 2007

2009: St Laurence’s 1-13 Moorefield 0-6, 18 October 2009

2010: Moorefield 0-13 Sarsfields 1-8, 17 October 2010

2013: Moorefield 2-14 Sarsfields 0-13, 13 October 2013

2014: Moorefield (0-16) 1-15 Sarsfields (1-13) 1-6, 26 October 2014

2016: Sarsfields 2-13 Moorefield 0-15, 16 October 2016

2017: Moorefield 0-11 Celbridge 0-9, 15 October 2017

Athy’s record in 14 finals

1923: Naas 2-5 Athy 0-0, 4 May 1924

1926: Caragh 3-4 Athy 3-3 @ Kildare, 27 March 1927

1927: Kildare 2-6 Athy 1-5, 16 October 1927

1933: Athy 2-6 Rathangan 1-4, 12 November 1933

1934: Athy (1-3) 2-6 Raheens (0-6) 1-4, 18 November 1934

1937: Athy 3-6 Sarsfields 1-6 @ Naas, 17 July 1938

1941: Carbury 1-9 Athy 1-6, 14 September 1941

1942: Athy (0-6) 1-6 Carbury (0-6) 0-6, 26 October 1942

1946: Carbury 0-11 Athy 0-7, 13 October 1946

1978: Raheens 3-14 Athy 2-6, 17 September 1978

1987: Athy 2-9 JTB 0-9, 27 September 1987

1995: Clane 3-17 Athy 1-8, 10 September 1995

2011: Athy 2-11 Carbury 2-7, 9 October 2011

2015: Sarsfields 0-17 Athy 1-12, 18 October 2015

The issue to be decided this year is whether the 2017 Leinster champions can make it 10 titles from 15 finals or if Athy can get their seventh from 15.

-With thanks to Lorcán O'Rourke