PREVIEW: Who can reach the semi-finals of this year's Kildare IFC?

After three rounds of action, the National Electrical Wholesalers IFC has reached the quarter-finals stage with the usual suspects circling one another alongside a couple of surprise faces looking to upset them as we reach the time for last eight action in Kildare.

St Laurence’s vs Grangenolvin

St Laurence’s are probably sick of being referred to as ‘last year’s finalists’ but they will carry that title until the end of this campaign where it will turn to champions or revert to contenders once again.

They face a Grangenolvin side who have already tackled one of the championship favourites in Milltown. Grange trumped Nurney and Ballyteague either side of their battle with Milltown which ended 3-11 to 0-11 with the eventual winners’ eye for goal being the difference.

Six goals in their other two games might not seem like there is a problem up front for Grange but it could be much more given what they have created. It is mightily impressive how many scoring opportunities the Junior champs can craft in any game that they play and they will need to be at their most clinical to get past Larries who have gone about their business well to this point.

Grange are so industrious and always give themselves a chance in every contest through their mix of creativity and hard work, their squad and management deserve huge credit for where they have gotten themselves too in terms of how they operate on and off the field.

With all that said, that requirement of being perfect in front of the posts might be a bridge too far against a side who are very comfortable putting up big scores. Milltown had moments of inspiration, particularly an outstanding one from Joe Dunne, to break Grange but Larries have the firepower to rack up scores that Grange will struggle to match.

Young exciting forwards like Dylan O'Dwyer and Felix Lawler with Ruaidhrí Lawlor driving from deeper will cause any team at this level of football problems. Further back the pitch, Oisin Grufferty and Senan Gallagher have also impressed in their defensive duties to this point in the campaign.

Ultimately I think that firepower will get St Laurence's into the next round but I am yet to see any team cruise past David Conway’s men.

PREDICTION : ST LAURENCE’S

Leixlip vs Milltown

A Milltown and Leixlip meeting has become a staple of the IFC knock-outs in recent years with cracking contests in 2024 and ‘25. This pair are 1-1 headed into this enticing third instalment but signs point to the team who went into that aforementioned first battle as Leinster Junior champions, Milltown, to finish on top in the trilogy scrap.

Much to their immense credit, Leixlip have found their feet in this championship after a glut of injuries to key men right before the IFC got under way. Opening day defeat to Suncroft was put to the back of their collective mind as they toppled local rivals Confey and Straffan.

It is at this stage of the competition where the absence of Tommy Moolick, Jack Barrett and Jack Travers could catch up with them, but could the underdog moniker suit The Lip headed into their latest tussle with their recent rivals? Setbacks can embolden the resilient and it will have to be all hands on deck to handle Milltown in this knock-out clash.

Milltown went about their business in the group stages quietly. They totted up three wins with little fuss in games where they made to work but in the end won with relative comfort. They have shown an improvement in their ability to control games at this level and I think their quality will be too much for a depleted Leixlip when it matters most.

PREDICTION: MILLTOWN

Rathangan vs Round Towers

Rathangan and Round Towers represents a fascinating test for both sides with nobody certain the exact quality of either. Rathangan took off at a gallop with two high-scoring wins that raised eyebrows about their credentials before being beaten by Two Mile House in a wide-laden (13 in all) performance where they amassed just 11 points. They had put up a combined 5-38 against Castledermot and Ellistown, who were unlucky not to progress having won their other two games.

Towers kept pace (to an extent) with Larries, scraped past a much-improved Monasterevan before thumping Kilcullen. The Kildare Town men look superb in moments but perhaps are not at the requisite quality across the board.

With Ben Ryan and Sean Gleeson bombing up and down from wing-back, Jay O’Brien belting over scores and plenty of consistent performers, Towers have a chance to knit it all together at the right time. Their defensive output remains to be tested by another top side after Larries got in at goal far too easily and often on the opening day.

This game is about as predictable as a sugar-addled toddler but Rathangan, in spite of their last outing, gets the nod to raise their game and outgun Towers over 60 minutes.

PREDICTION: RATHANGAN

Two Mile House vs Suncroft

Both Suncroft and Two Mile House managed two wins from three in their group stage endeavours. The House were beaten in the battle of the orange flags by the right boot of Harry Donnelly while The Croft slumped to a defeat against a reasonably-limited Straffan team after failing to mark an on-form John Tracey (ill-advised).

Those aside, Two Mile House have not blown anybody away but have ground out two really good results to get where they are. The House have a couple of steady scorers in Declan Kirwan and Adam Conneely with a set-piece threat from outside the arc from goalkeeper and set-piece specialist Didier Cordonnier. Avoiding the concession of frees from anywhere between the midfielder and that two-point marking will massively aid Suncroft in this game against a team that are not consistently big scorers.

The potential absence of Tom Martin is a major concern for Suncroft after he went off injured late in their game against Confey. He is a strong ball-carrier and another key presence in midfield alongside Conn Kehoe, who gave a towering performance against Confey.

Eoghan Lawless and Fionn Dowling again did the business up top with Hugh Martin picking up 0-3 in another bright showing from a promising but still very young forward.

The standout part of the pitch for The Croft against Confey however was their wing-back line of Conor Kiely, Chris Phillips and Mikey Troy all of whom impressed heading in both directions. A replication of that standard in that key area of the field, particularly where their quarter-final opponents are concerned, could decide this game.

PREDICTION: SUNCROFT