Kildare Junior Football Championship

The Kildare Junior Football Championship is an annual Gaelic football competition contested by lower-tier Kildare GAA clubs. The winning club plays in the Kildare Intermediate Football Championship in the following year. As of the 2022 season there is an overall Junior Championship winner as well as a Junior A winner (competed for between the bottom four teams in the Junior Championship Round Robin Group 2). There have been various iterations of the competition, which started in 1906 as the secondary competition to the Kildare Senior Football Championship. In 1928 a Kildare Intermediate Football Championship was started for middle tier teams with the Junior Championship ranking below that. In 1947 the Junior Championship was split into A and B competitions with the winners competing for the overall Junior title. They played for a trophy called the Jack Higgins Cup, named after the former Kildare and Naas great. Reserve teams were allowed to enter the Junior Championship at various stages up until recent years but a Reserve Championship has since been instigated. The Jack Higgins Trophy has not been played since 2019 due to the covid pandemic. The Junior winners receive the Noel Moran Cup, named after the former Kilcock and Kildare player.

Qualification for subsequent competitions

Leinster Junior Club Football Championship

The Kildare JFC winners qualify for the Leinster Junior Club Football Championship. It is the only team from County Kildare to qualify for this competition. The Kildare JFC winners enter the Leinster Junior Club Football Championship at the __ stage.

All-Ireland Junior Club Football Championship

The Kildare JFC winners — by winning the Leinster Junior Club Football Championship — may qualify for the All-Ireland Junior Club Football Championship, at which they would enter at the __ stage, providing they haven't been drawn to face the British champions in the quarter-finals.

For example, Two Mile House, the 2013 winners, went on to win the All-Ireland Football Championship title at Croke Park.[1][2] In an unprecedented occurrence, Sunday Mass was moved to accommodate the game.[3]

Wins listed by club

# Team Wins Years won
1 Kilcullen 7 1914, 1943, 1953, 1971, 1997, 2016, 2021
2 Caragh 5 1917, 1949, 1993, 2010, 2020
Straffan 5 1946, 1964, 2009, 2014, 2022
4 Monasterevin 4 1906, 1910, 1935, 1954
Celbridge 4 1923, 1936, 1958, 1986
Robertstown 4 1934, 1939, 1989, 2011
Ardclough 4 1941, 1959, 1968, 2000
Milltown 4 1944, 2008, 2018, 2023
Ballymore Eustace 4 1951, 1985, 2017, 2019
Clogherinkoe 4 1963, 1984, 1998, 2012
10 Maddenstown 3 1908, 1918, 1925
Maynooth 3 1912, 1947, 1995
Naas 3 1913, 1919, 1981
Eadestown 3 1915, 1982, 1991
Rathangan 3 1920, 1938, 1970
Suncroft 3 1930, 1962, 1977
Moorefield 3 1932, 1948, 2002
Rheban 3 1940, 1969, 1996
Rathcoffey 3 1945, 1955, 1990
Castledermot 3 1957, 1979, 2004
Grangenolvin 3 1965, 1987, 2005
Sallins 3 1966, 1973, 2001
22 Ellistown 2 1922, 1999
Athgarvan 2 1927, 1956
Kilcock 2 1937, 1950
Leixlip 2 1952, 1980
Kill 2 1960, 1992
Johnstownbridge 2 1967, 1975
Ballyteague 2 1972, 1988
Ballykelly 2 1974, 2007
Castlemitchel 2 1983, 2015
Two Mile House 2 1994, 2013
32 Athy 1 1907
Round Towers 1 1911
Blacktrench 1 1916
Kildare 1 1921
Carbury 1 1926
Raheens 1 1928
Clane 1 1929
Newbridge 1 1931
Kildangan 1 1942
Allenwood 1 1961
St Kevins 1 1976
St Laurences 1 1978
Confey 1 2003
Nurney 1 2006

Junior and Jack Higgins Cup Finals listed by year

Note: Listed in the "JFC Winner" column is the team who won the primary Junior competition each year. Generally this was the "Junior A" competition when there were A,B,C etc competitions but in more recent years there was just one Junior grouping. In 2022 the Junior Championship was split between Groups 1 and 2 on a seeded basis with Group 2 consisting of weaker teams. The bottom four teams in that Group 2 played off for a new "Junior A" championship which was won by Rheban who beat Castlemitchell in the final by 2-7 to 0-9. A new, as yet unnamed trophy was presented to the winners.

Year JFC Winner Score Opponent Score Jack Higgins Winner Score Opponent Score
2023[4] Milltown 1-17 Robertstown 1-6
2022[5] Straffan 2-15 Kill 0-13
2021[6] Kilcullen 2-10 Rathcoffey 1-04
2020 *[7] Caragh 0-11 Robertstown 0-06
2019 Ballymore Eustace 3-12 Robertstown 0-08 Ballymore Eustace 3-20 Sarsfields 3-12
2018 Milltown 1-14 Rheban 1-10 Naas Milltown
2017 Ballymore Eustace 3-18 Caragh 1-04 Ballymore Eustace 2-13 Sarsfields 0-13
2016 Kilcullen 0-07, R 2-14 Milltown 0-07, R 0-13 Moorefield 2-10 Kilcullen 1-05
2015 Castlemitchell 1-11 Cappagh 0-07 Sarsfields Castlemitchell
2014 Straffan 2-12 Castlemitchell 0-06
2013 Two Mile House 0-15 Straffan 0-13
2012 Clogherinkoe 2-10 Two Mile House 2-08 Moorefield 1-10 Clogherinkoe 0-09
2011[additional citation(s) needed][8] Robertstown 2-10 Two Mile House 2-07
2010 Caragh 0-08 Robertstown 1-04
2009 Straffan 1-11 Two Mile House 0-13 Sarsfields 1-12 Straffan 0-09
2008[9] Milltown 0-14 Robertstown 1-10
2007 Ballykelly 2-10 Two Mile House 0-10
2006 Nurney 1-14 Straffan 1-13 Moorefield 2-06 Nurney 0-09
2005 Grangenolvin 1-12 Robertstown 3-05
2004 Castledermot 2-14 Robertstown 1-10 Castledermot Milltown
2003 Confey 1-13 Nurney 0-05 Confey Robertstown
2002 Moorefield 2-08 Leixlip 0-12 Nurney 1-11 Moorefield 0-11
2001 Sallins 2-16 Confey 2-08 Sallins 0-10 Straffan 0-06
2000 Ardclough 0-10 Milltown 0-06 Ardclough 3-10 Ballykelly 2-07
1999 Ellistown 4-03 Ardclough 0-09
1998 Clogherinkoe 1-10 Ardclough 0-08
1997 Kilcullen 0-14 Ellistown 1-05 Kilcullen 2-11 Moorefield 3-07
1996 Rheban 0-11 Kilcullen 1-06 Rheban 0-10 Carbury 0-03
1995 Maynooth 0-13 Kilcullen 0-10 Moorefield 2-08 Maynooth 1-07
1994 Two Mile House 2-08 Maynooth 0-08 Sarsfields 3-04 Two Mile House 0-07
1993 Caragh 2-11 Ellistown 1-08 Caragh 1-08 Moorefield 1-02
1992 Kill 0-11 Kilcullen 0-08 Kill 0-11 Allenwood 1-06
1991 Eadestown 1-09 Kilcullen 0-07 Eadestown 1-03 Sarsfields 0-04
1990 Rathcoffey 1-09 Eadestown 0-09 Naas 0-10 Rathcoffey 1-05
1989 Robertstown 0-06 1-08 (R) Rheban 0-06 0-09 (R) Robertstown 1-09 Naas 1-06
1988 Ballyteague 4-08 Kill 0-08 Ballyteague 0-06 Carbury 0-03
1987 Grangenolvin 2-04 Ballyteague 0-07 Grangenolvin 2-06 Round Towers 0-04
1986 Celbridge 0-15 Robertstown 0-05 Celbridge 0-13 Straffan 0-04
1985 Ballymore Eustace 1-11 Ballyteague 2-07 Sarsfields 1-11 (R) Grangenolvin 0-07 (R)
1984 Clogherinkoe 1-09 3-09 (R) Milltown 0-12 1-07 (R) Nurney 0-08 2-08 (R) Clogherinkoe 1-05 1-07 (R)
1983 Castlemitchel 3-08 Ardclough 1-08 Castlemitchel 0-08 Robertstown 0-06
1982 Eadestown 0-09 2-09 (R) Ballymore Eustace 1-12 1-07 (R) Eadestown 1-11 Celbridge 1-05
1981 Naas 5-06 Eadestown 1-12 Kilcock 2-07 Naas 2-06
1980 Leixlip 1-08 Kill 1-05 Leixlip 5-06 Eadestown 1-13
1979 Castledermot 1-06 Leixlip 0-08 Castledermot 2-06 Kill 2-04
1978 St. Laurence's 4-12 Ballymore Eustace 1-04 Clongorey 4-04 St. Laurence's 2-03
1977 Suncroft 1-08 St. Laurence's 0-07 Suncroft 3-08 Clogherinkoe 1-06
1976 St. Kevin's 1-08 0-11 (R) Leixlip 1-08 0-04 Maynooth 1-09 St. Kevin's 2-04
1975 Johnstownbridge 4-16 Suncroft 0-05 Johnstownbridge 2-08 St. Laurence's 1-04
1974 Ballykelly 1-09 Johnstownbridge 1-07 Raheens 1-05 Ballykelly 0-06
1973 Sallins 1-12 Castledermot 1-09 Sallins 1-12 Castledermot 1-09
1972 Ballyteague 2-10 Castlemitchel 0-06 Ballyteague 2-09 St. Kevin's 2-04
1971 Kilcullen 2-09 2-04 (R) Ballyteague 2-09 1-06 (R) Kilcullen 1-14 Sallins 0-04
1970 Rathangan 1-06 0-11 (R) Rathcoffey 1-06 0-09 (R) Rathangan 0-16 Kilcullen 1-07
1969 Rheban 2-14 Castledermot 2-02 Rheban 2-09 Kilcullen 1-07
1968 Ardclough 0-14 Ballyteague 1-09 Ardclough 0-14 Ballymore Eustace 1-09
1967 Johnstownbridge 2-09 Rheban 2-07 Milltown 5-07 Johnstownbridge 2-08
1966 Sallins 2-06 0-08 (R) Ardclough 0-12 0-05 (R) Sallins 1-10 Johnstownbridge 0-08
1965 Grangenolvin 1-05 2-08 (R) Rheban 0-08 1-03 (R) Grangenolvin 1-07 Sallins 0-05
1964 Straffan 3-11 Rheban 0-06 Straffan bt Grangenolvin
1963 Clogherinkoe 0-12 Straffan 0-10 Ellistown 0-08 Clogherinkoe 0-06
1962 Suncroft bt Ardclough Suncroft 1-06 2-03 (R) Ballyteague 1-06 1-02 (R)
1961 Allenwood 1-10 Rheban 1-05 Allenwood 2-04 Carbury 1-03
1960 Kill 2-09 Carbury 1-07 Eadestown 0-11 Kill 1-05
1959 Ardclough 0-05 3-06 (R) Rheban 1-02 0-06 (R) Ardclough 3-06 Straffan 1-04
1958 Celbridge **** 1-05 Moone 2-07 Celbridge 1-06 Clongorey 1-01
1957 Castledermot 2-07 Kill 0-07 Castledermot 5-09 Clogherinkoe 1-01
1956 Athgarvan bt Kill Athgarvan 2-05 Castledermot 0-08
1955 Rathcoffey bt Rheban Rathcoffey 1-07 Milltown 1-06
1954 Monasterevin 0-08 Ballykelly 0-07 Monasterevin 4-09 Rathcoffey 0-05
1953 Kilcullen 1-05 Moone 0-02 Kilcullen 1-07 Ballykelly 1-04
1952 Leixlip 4-04 Athgarvan 0-08 Naas 3-03 Leixlip 1-03
1951 Ballymore Eustace 4-09 Kilcullen 0-02 Ballymore Eustace 4-09 Kilcullen 0-02
1950 Kilcock 2-05 Monasterevan 1-02 Kilcock 1-02 Johnstownbridge 0-02
1949 Caragh 2-09 Athy 0-04 Caragh 4-09 Ballymore Eustace 2-07
1948 Moorefield 1-05 Caragh 1-03 Moorefield 1-04 2-06 (R) Athy 1-04 2-02 (R)
1947 Maynooth 0-01 0-06 (R) Robertstown 0-01 0-02 (R) Maynooth 7-09 Narraghmore 1-02
1946 Straffan 1-04 Kildangan 0-04
1945 Rathcoffey 3-07 Monasterevan 1-00
1944 Milltown 0-09 Carbury 0-01
1943 Kilcullen 1-04 Castlemitchel 0-03
1942 Kildangan 2-03 Cappagh 0-04
1941 Ardclough 1-05 Kildangan 2-01
1940 Rheban 0-04 0-08 (R) Ardclough 0-04 1-01 (R)
1939 Robertstown 6-02 Rheban 1-04
1938 Rathangan 2-02 Ardclough 2-01
1937 Kilcock 1-08 Rheban 0-03
1936 Celbridge 3-06 Kildangan 1-02
1935 Monasterevin bt Moorefield by 1 pt
1934 Robertstown 3-03 Maynooth 0-03
1933 Roseberry 1-03 5-10 (R) Robertstown 1-03 1-03 (R)
1932 Moorefield 1-09 Celbridge 2-04
1931 Newbridge 1-04 Monasterevin 0-02
1930 Suncroft 1-05 Celbridge 0-02
1929 Clane 2-05 Eleventh Batt. 2-02
1928 Raheens 1-08 Celbridge 0-03
1927 Athgarvan 1-03 2-02 (R) Newbridge 1-03 1-02 (R)
1926 Carbury 2-04 Roseberry 1-05
1925 Maddenstown 2-04 Carbury 0-02
1924 Roseberry 2-02 Leixlip 1-01
1923 Celbridge 3-05 Milltown 1-01
1922 Ellistown bt Celbridge
1921 Kildare 2-03 Naas 2-01
1920 Rathangan 2-04 Robertstown 0-04
1919 Naas 1-04 Rathangan 1-03
1918 Maddenstown 0-03 2-03 (R) Leixlip 0-03 2-01 (R)
1917 Caragh 1-02 1-02 (R) 2-03 (2R) Maddenstown 0-05 1-02 (R) 1-03 (2R)
1916 Blacktrench 1-06 Rathangan 1-05
1915 Eadestown 1-02 Castledermot 0-01
1914 Kilcullen 2-03 Ballymore Eustace 1-02
1913 Naas 3-01 Athy 1-03
1912 Maynooth 3-03 Castledermot 1-02
1911 Round Towers 0-06 Eyrefield 1-00
1910*** Monasterevin 3-02 Roseberry 0-02
1909 Cancelled
1908** Maddenstown 0-09 Rathmore 1-03
1907* Athy 1-04 Caragh 0-07
1906 Monasterevin 2-13 Carbury 0-02
  • 2020 final (played in July 2021 due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Gaelic games)
  • * No record of replay for the 1907 title. Original match played on Feb 14 '09 but neither team turned up for replay on March 14
  • ** Maddenstown and Rathmore played 5 times in all with the other four scorelines being 0-7 to 0-1, 0-6 to 0-5, 0-7 to 1-4 and 0-7 to 0-6. Three objections and the one draw caused the replays. Games were played July 11 '90, Aug 1 '09, Sep 2 '09, Oct 10 '09 and Oct 31 '09.
  • *** Objection led to a replay after Monasterevan won first game by a point
  • **** Celbridge won the 1958 JFC A Final on an objection after Moone fielded an ineligible player from nearby Barronstown, just over the Wicklow border

References

  1. ^ "All-Ireland club JFC final: Kildare men win goal fest". Hogan Stand. 9 February 2014.
  2. ^ Sweeney, Peter (9 February 2014). "Avalanche of goals sees Two Mile House claim All-Ireland Club Junior Championship". The42.ie.
  3. ^ Kelly, Liam (7 February 2014). "'The joke was that we were like the Mayo of Kildare club fooball[sic]'". Irish Independent.
  4. ^ https://www.leinsterleader.ie/news/sport/1319114/dominant-milltown-crowned-junior-champions.html
  5. ^ Callaghan, Tommy. "Kildare GAA: Straffan crowned junior champions". www.leinsterleader.ie. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
  6. ^ Lindsay, Ross (30 October 2021). "Kilcullen Crowned Tom Cross Transport Junior Football Champions".
  7. ^ Callaghan, Tommy (11 July 2021). "Caragh defeat Robertstown to lift Kildare Junior title".
  8. ^ "JFC final takes centre stage". Hogan Stand. 28 September 2011.
  9. ^ "Milltown sneak past Robertstown to take JFC title". 14 October 2008. Archived from the original on 17 February 2013. Retrieved 5 December 2021.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)