It's down to the business end of Senior, Intermediate, Junior championships in Kildare

Tommy Callaghan looks at the action ahead now that the group stages have been wrapped up

The preliminary rounds have been completed, the group rounds are done and dusted so it is down to the business end of this season's football and hurling champioships, starting this weekend with the pre-liminary rouns of the Joe Mallon Senior and The Auld Shebeen Athy Intermediate football competitions.

SENIOR FOOTBALL
The two pre-quarter finals of the Joe Mallon Motors Senior Championship are down for decision on Sunday with a real local derby clash between Clogherinkoe and Johnstownbridge at Hawkfield.

The Bridge lost out on an scoring different to Raheens in Group C while Clogherinkoe finsihed in third spot in Group B.
Always difficult to predict a local derby and this one is no different.

It is a game that could certainly go either way but Johnstownbridge just might have enough to prelong their season.
The second senior pre-quarter final is certainly one to look forward to.

Eadestown have enjoyed a great season showing mighty improvement under manager Emmet Bolton.
Clane, unbelievably won just one of their three group games and just scraped into the pre-quarters.

Clane are going through a poor patch at the minute and one would expect Eadestown to be more up for this one and they get the vote to make it to the last eight of the senior.

INTERMEDIATE FOOTBALL
The Auld Shebeen Athy Intermediate Football Championship pre-quarter final sees Ballyteague and Monasterevan going in search for a quarter-final spot.

The Larks finished third in Group B, won by Round Towers with St Kevin's in second spot while Monasterevan finished second in Group C, a group win by Milltown.

Could be a tight affair but Monasterevan get the slight preference to book a place in the last eight.
In the second pre-quarter final of the JFC Rathangan and Suncroft go head-to-head.

Suncroft caused a major upset last weekend defeating Two Mile House, while Rathangan finished third in Group A, won by Leixlip.

Another tight one expected here but Rathangan should be just about strong enough to advance.

JUNIOR FOOTBALL
The first quarter-final of the Tom Cross Junior Football Championship is down for decision on Saturday at Manguard Park with Robertstown taking on Kill.

Kill lost their last group game to Athgarvan and may struggle to get the better of Robertstown, who got a walk-over in their final game from Rheban.

In the second pre-quarter final game, this one on Sunday in Hawkfield, it is the battle of the two sides from the south of the county go head-to-head with Castlemitchell taking on Ballykelly.

The Mitchell had a fine win last week over Rathcoffey, and while Ballykelly can be more than happy with their progress this season, they may just come up short in this one but it could to right down to the wire.

JFC 'A'
Meanwhile the Tom Cross Transport Junior 'A' Championship gets under-way on Wednesday (19 September) with Ardclough and Cappagh in action.
Poor seasons for both but Cappagh should have too much for Ardclough who have been struggling to field a team at times this season.

SENIOR HURLING
The first quarter-final of the UPMC Senior Hurling Championship and it is Ardclough taking on Confey at Celbridge on Sunday at 3.30.

Ardclough lost an early lead and in the process conceded four goals against Maynooth in their Round 3 clash while Confey were always going to struggle against championship favourites Naas.

There won't be a lot between those sides but has to be a worry if Confey can recover after conceding 7-23 in their last game.
Tentative vote to Ardclough.