Kildare Junior Football Championship Group B 2026

The Tom Cross Junior Football Championship is one of the most keenly contested competitions in the Kildare GAA calendar. Group B this year brings together four clubs - Cappagh, Castlemitchell, Ballykelly, and Kildangan - across three rounds of fixtures running from August into early September. For anyone who enjoys grassroots Gaelic football at its most honest, these matches offer real intensity without the theatre of senior county games. The prize on offer is promotion to the Intermediate Championship the following year, so there is plenty at stake for all four sides.

What to expect

Each team in Group B plays three matches over the group stage, with a round-robin format deciding who advances. Round 1 gets under way on the weekend of 8 - 9 August, with Cappagh meeting Castlemitchell at Manguard Park on Saturday at 3:30pm, and Ballykelly taking on Kildangan at the same venue on Sunday at 3pm. Round 2 takes place on 23 August: Ballykelly face Cappagh at Conneff Park in Clane at 2pm, while Castlemitchell and Kildangan meet at Kilcullen at the same time. A final round of fixtures follows on 5 September to determine the group standings.

Manguard Park at Hawkfield is Kildare GAA’s main training and development campus, with several well-maintained pitches and good facilities for spectators. Conneff Park in Clane - named after the Irish athlete Tommy Conneff - is a proper club ground with a traditional GAA atmosphere.

Junior club football draws a tight community crowd. Expect small, passionate sidelines, vocal support from family and neighbours, and a standard of play that is competitive and physical. No tickets, no fuss - just turn up.

Getting there

County Kildare is straightforward to reach from Dublin and the Midlands. The M7 motorway runs through the county and gives easy road access to most match venues. Hawkfield (Manguard Park) is signposted from the N7/M7 near Newbridge. Conneff Park is in Clane village, about 30 minutes from Dublin via the M7 and R407. Kilcullen is a small town on the R448, south of Newbridge.

Bus Eireann and Dublin Bus routes serve Newbridge, Naas, and Clane from Dublin, though for match days a car is the most practical option given that venues can be spread across the county. Parking is generally available on the grass around club grounds at no charge.

While you’re in Kildare

Co. Kildare has the Japanese Gardens and Irish National Stud at Tully, the Curragh racecourse, and the heritage town of Kildare itself just a short drive from most match venues. There is more to see in Kildare and across Co. Kildare.

Good to know

• Dates: Round 1 - 8 - 9 August 2026; Round 2 - 23 August 2026; Round 3 - 5 September 2026
• Times: Saturday fixtures at 3:30pm; Sunday fixtures at 2pm - 3pm (check kildaregaa.ie for each round)
• Price: Entry fee applies at the gate; prices vary by venue (typically a few euro for club championship matches)
• Venues: Manguard Park, Hawkfield (Rounds 1 and 2); Conneff Park, Clane; Kilcullen GAA ground
• Fixture updates: Check kildaregaa.ie for any last-minute venue or time changes
• Groups: Cappagh, Castlemitchell, Ballykelly, Kildangan