Knockbridge went into the 2010 season bidding for a sixth successive county SHC triumph. The villagers got back to the final but, alas, came up second best on this occasion as Naomh Moninne claimed the Paddy Kelly Cup. While it was obviously disappointing to relinquish the silverware, Knockbridge deserve great credit for their phenomenal five-in-a-row of 2005-09. 

Having won the previous five titles, Knockbridge went into the 2010 Louth SHC final as favourites. They were aiming for a sixth win in a row, but had lost to their opponents Naomh Moninne in the round-robin stage of the competition, so an evenly-contested decider was in prospect. At The Grove on Sunday September 26th, it was the town side who took the spoils with a 1-11 to 0-11 victory.
Former Knockbridge captain Dermot Plunkett struck the decisive goal nine minutes into the second half as Knockbridge's attempt to win the Kelly Cup for a ninth time in eleven years came up just marginally short. The defending champions had bossed much of the first half and held their opponents scoreless from play for the opening 29 minutes, but a mere three-point interval lead was less than their efforts deserved and the more-experienced side were left ruing some poor finishing. Gerry McKeown and Peter Brennan got early points from play before Paul Dunne and David Kettle both saw goalbound shots saved. A brace of Kevin McNally frees and a long-range free from centre back Ronan Byrne (his second of the game) left the holders with a 0-7 to 0-4 interval lead.
When dead-ball specialist McNally floated over two more frees shortly after the restart, it looked like Gerry Dunnes charges were on their way, but Plunkett - victorious Knockbridge captain in 2006 - changed the game in the 39th minute. The Knockbridge team that contested the 2010 Louth SHC final was: Brendan McNally; Mark Wallace, Tony Teefy, Niall Byrne; Conor Kerrigan, Ronan Byrne (0-2), Adrian Wallace; Peter Brennan (0-1), Kevin McNally (0-7); Gerry McKeown (0-1), David Kettle, Shane Darcy; Gavin Kerrigan, Paul Dunne, Sean Byrne. Subs: Shane Kerrigan, Paudie Kierans.
Perhaps the writing had been on the wall when - in Round Three - Knockbridge lost to Moninne in the championship for the first time since 1999 - a 2-12 to 0-9 defeat at Clan na Gael Park on Friday, July 23rd. Knockbridge were within a point at the break thanks to a run of four unanswered points from Sean Byrne (3) and Padraig Kierans, and they moved ahead within five minutes of the restart (0-8 to 1-4) when Kierans and Ronan Byrne found the range, but Moninne went on to get the better of the following XV: Brendan McNally; Mark Wallace, Tony Teefy, Niall Byrne; Brian Dunne, Ronan Byrne (0-1), Stephen Kettle; Shane Kerrigan, Kevin McNally; Gavin Kane, Shane Darcy, Sean Byrne (0-5); Noel Callan (0-1), Paul Callan, Padraig Kierans.
It had been an altogether different story when the same two clubs met in the third round of the senior hurling league at The Marist Grounds on Thursday May 13th. On this occasion, with six Louth players on show, Knockbridge dominated for the hour to record a comprehensive 6-12 to 1-4 win. Paul Dunne bagged a hat-trick of goals from full forward as the village club led by 6-9 to 1-4 at the interval. At this stage in the season, all was looking well for the defending champions, who were hotly-fancied to rule the roost once more. At the time of writing, the villagers were still very much in contention but the SHL had yet to be completed…
In the early stages of the league back in April, Knockbridge were narrowly beaten by Pearse Og, 0-15 to 2-8, but they were going strong by autumn time, thumping St Fechins (10-21 to 2-6) and Mattock (8-13 to 0-7) in September and October respectively as the season dragged on and on.
Knockbridge opened their SHC in style when beating Pearse Og by 3-12 to 0-16 in a repeat of the finals of the last five years and, despite the loss to Moninne, they qualified for the 2010 final with routine wins over Wolfe Tones, Mattock Rangers and St Fechins (3-21 to 0-8)
The competitive season had commenced in mid-March with the special hurling league where Knockbridge's hopes went up in smoke when they lost to St Fechins by 4-10 to 4-8. But Gerry Dunne's team looked much more impressive when beating Navan O'Mahonys by 0-13 to 1-6 in the first round of the Leinster hurling league - another competition used to sharpen the team in preparation for the SHC. The team that recorded that encouraging victory over the Meath men was: Brendan McNally; Mark Wallace, Tony Teefy, David Deane; Philip McGovern, Ronan Byrne (0-6), Diarmuid Duffy; Kevin McNally (0-3), Adrian Wallace; Paddy Mone Shane Darcy (0-1), Conor Deane; Gavin Kerrigan (0-1), Paudie Kieran, Conor Kerrigan (0-2). Subs: Peter Brennan, Gerard McKeown, Paul Dunne, Barry Piper.
Knockbridge did claim some important silverware when winning the special hurling league championship, beating Pearse Og by 3-13 to 0-6 in the final at Darver on Friday, November 5th. It was an excellent performances from the villagers, who had goals in the decider from Conor Deane (2) and Paudie Kierans. This was the team that won the Maurice Murphy Cup: Brendan McNally; Diarmuid Duffy, Tony Teefy, Niall Byrne; Stephen Kettle, Conor Kerrigan (0-4), David Deane; Gerry McKeown, Peter Brennan; Gavin Kane (0-3), Shane Kerrigan, Conor Deane (2-1); Mick Lundon, Paul Dunne (0-2), Paudie Kierans (1-1). Subs: Paddy Mone, Cathal McKenna (0-1), Richie Halpenny.
They qualified for the decider by topping Group A, thanks mainly to a 2-14 to 1-12 defeat of Naomh Moninne at Pairc an Chuinnigh on Sunday, August 22nd. Paddy Mone got the opening goal on 23 minutes and the winners led by 1-9 to 0-6 at the short whistle. Paudie Kierans registered the killer goal eight minutes after the resumption. Earlier in the year, in one of the mis-matches that characterises Louth hurling, Knockbridge beat Glen Emmets by 7-19 to 0-1. Their section was completed by Wolfe Tones.
In U14 hurling, Knockbridge got to the Feile na Gael final but were beaten by Naomh Moninne in Darver on Thursday night, May 6th, 2-5 to 1-2. Ronan Bailey got the goal in the second half and the following was the team on duty: Donal O'Leary; Shane Murphy, Ronan Molley, Dara McGee; Sean Brennan, Alan Dunne, Philip Tynan; Paul Tynan, Neil Mulholland; Shane McGaughey, Conor Kirk (0-1), Conor Belton; Liam Molloy, Ronan Bailey (1-0), Ciaran Dunne (0-1).
However, the U14s proved that they were a resilient bunch when they bounced back brilliantly to win the Louth U14 hurling championship, beating St Fechins by 7-8 to 2-4 in the final at Darver on Thursday, October 7th.
Knockbridge also qualified for the MHC final against Naomh Moninne, but it has not been played at the time of writing.
The club reached the final of the U16 hurling championship and were unlucky to lose out to St Fechins after a replay. In the drawn game at Darver on Saturday afternoon, October 16th, Knockbridge netted four goals in the first half and led by 14 points at the break, but the sides finished level: 5-7 to 4-10. The five Knockbridge goals came from Liam O'Leary (2), Mark Dempsey (2) and Neil Mulholland.
The replay was on Sunday, October 31st and this time Termonfeckin held the upper hand throughout to claim Corn Bhriain Uí Bhroin. The Knockbridge side that contested the 2010 Louth U16 HC final replay was: D O'Leary; A Dunne, E McEneaney, S Brennan; M Kearns, R Mullholland (1-0), P Synott; A Smyth, L O'Leary (1-3); J Mackin, P Halpenny, R Wallace; D Cleery N Mullholland, S Cassidy. Tweet

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