Straffan, County Kildare
Straffan AFC
Straffan AFC has played football in north Kildare since 1978. The club runs academy, underage and adult football from Lodge Park. Its longest documented provincial cup run came in 2019, when Straffan reached the Leinster FA Junior Shield final after winning six rounds.
Club history
Part of Straffan since 1978
Founded 1978 County Kildare
Straffan AFC was founded in 1978 and has carried the village name through more than four decades of Kildare football.
The club’s own website carries that 1978 foundation date. More than four decades later, Straffan fields teams in Kildare underage and adult football while retaining the village name across every age group.
Provincial football
Six wins on the road to a Leinster final
2019 Junior Shield finalists
Straffan beat Gorey Rangers, Ballinahown, Derry Rovers, Kildare Town, Iveagh Celtic and Schreen Tara to reach the 2019 Leinster FA Junior Shield final.
At the MDL Grounds, Mid Sutton Sportslink scored in the 86th minute to win 1-0. The final report records Straffan’s attacking display and a side that came within minutes of bringing the trophy back to Kildare.
Senior football
League and cup teams
KDFL Senior Masters
Straffan’s adult sides compete in the Kildare & District Football League. The club has taken part in senior, reserve and Masters football, giving players a way to remain involved beyond the underage leagues.
The senior side reached another final in October 2024, facing Newbridge Hotspurs in the Casey Division 2 Cup final at Doctor’s Road.
Underage football
From academy sessions to cup finals
Academy KDUL Underage teams
Young players can begin in the academy and move into weekly KDUL matches. The 2025 registration list included the academy, Under 7 to Under 11 teams, senior football and Masters football. Older underage teams were registered on a different playing calendar.
In May 2025, Straffan’s Under 14 and Under 15 teams both reached KDUL finals, contesting the Under 14 Shield and Under 15 Plate.
Home ground
Match days at Lodge Park
Lodge Park Straffan
Lodge Park is Straffan AFC’s home ground. The club’s own fixture and results record shows several underage sides sharing the ground across a Saturday.
Visiting teams should check the match notice before leaving home. Start times can be close together, while cup finals and some home fixtures may be assigned to another ground.
Joining and club life
Registration, coaching and welfare
Membership Volunteers Safeguarding
The club handles membership through its website and ClubZap. Parents can ask about the right team for a child’s year of birth, training times, registration and available places.
Straffan also publishes codes for parents, players and spectators, along with safeguarding, volunteer recruitment, pitch etiquette and complaints policies. The team list below may not yet include every current squad.
For visitors
Find Lodge Park
For matches at Lodge Park, use the venue named on the fixture and allow time for several teams arriving around the same period. An Eircode and parking directions are not currently available, so ask the match contact if you need either before travelling.
