The Brides will be back
December 30, 2010St Brides have been among the top clubs in the county over the past ten years since moving up from the senior ranks.
They came agonisingly close to landing the Joe Ward title in 2002 when losing out narrowly to Mattock Rangers in the final at Ardee, and over the years were always knocking on the door at Senior Championship and Division 1 level without ever making the breakthrough.
While it was a great time for all at the Knockbridge club, the only concern was that the success relied heavily on the same group of players and without a steady injection of new blood, this talented team was growing old together.
It wasn't something that had gone unnoticed at the club and the warning signs were obvious from the fact that the Brides found themselves narrowly avoiding relegation through the play-offs at the end of 2009. Division 1 status was under threat and they only secured their place in the top flights thanks to a victory over Sean O'Mahonys in the final game of the year.
As a result, the committee were aware that the 2010 campaign would be challenging and despite bringing in one of the country's best known managers, they suffered the disappointment of relegation from the Senior Championship. Many observers will consider the Brides very unlucky to go down after a marathon three games against Naomh Malachi in the play-off semi-final.
It was a bitter pill to swallow for the Knockbridge men, particularly as they were desperately unlucky to find themselves in the play-off given that they played well enough to make it through to the knock-out stages.
Club PRO, Enda Marry, acknowledges that failing to capitalise on winning positions in the two group stages was the most disappointing aspects of the year.
"After the struggle to stay up in 2009 we knew that this year would be a challenge. Many of the players have given a lot of great years of service and we are an ageing team as there weren't that many young lads coming through from the underage set-up over the years.
"However, we now have a talented Minor squad and a successful U-16 side so we believed that it was important to stay senior for the next few years until they came through. As a result we felt we needed a strong character to keep the lads together and we were very impressed with Ross Carr and he agreed to come on board," explained Enda.
The plan seemed to be progressing well with some good performances in the Paddy Sheelan Cup and the Division 1 League sending the team into the championship in optimistic mood.
"We felt that we got a reasonable draw in the championship with Kilkerley and Naomh Mairtin and that we had a chance of going through to the quarter-finals. "Our opening game was against Kilkerley in Haggardstown and we were unbelievable in the first half and were well ahead at half time. In hindsight I think an injury to Ciaran Drumm before half time affected us and in the second half we just collapsed. We were going that well when he went off that it didn't appear his absence would be a factor, but he was sorely missed around the middle in the second half. When Kilkerley came back at us our heads seemed to drop and in the end the better team won," added the PRO.
Despite that setback, there were positives to be taken from the performance as they faced a crucial game against Naomh Mairtin. However, once again they failed to hang on to a winning position and found themselves facing the dreaded play-off.
"It was a game that we needed to win by two points to go through and again we played quite well. With four minutes left, we were four points up and looking good for victory when they came back with a goal and point to level the game and put us into the relegation play-off.
"That was very disappointing and hard to take because we had played very well for a half in one game and 58 minutes in another, and all we had to show for our efforts was a single point. The way we performed we certainly would have expected a greater reward," continued Enda.
However, there was little time for St Brides to feel sorry for themselves as they faced Naomh Malachi in
the relegation play-off semi-final. Most people expected a close contest and so it proved as it took three games to separate the teams.
"We knew it was going to be difficult against the Malachis as they are a strong team and I think the first game in the Clans was our best chance, but once again we just couldn't finish the game off. The second game against Roche also ended in a draw before they won out in the third match."
That left St Brides facing another tough game against St Mary's in the play-off final, and this time they just couldn't raise their game and the Ardee men came out on top.
"Three tough games like the ones we had against Naomh Malachi can wear you down and against St Marys we knew it would be difficult, but we just didn't play well. It was a disappointing end because in the five championship matches before that we had played quiet well and only lost two, yet we were back down to Intermediate football," said Enda.
While it was a most disappointing end for the club, Enda is quick to point out that that St Brides are determined to stay positive and build for the future with some good young players now emerging.
"It certainly is not all doom and gloom as we are determined to look at the positives and rebuild the team with some of the players who are coming through from the juvenile ranks.
"Our Minor team lost out in the championship semi-final and went on to win the shield, while the U-16s came out on top in the C Championship. That shows that there are some good young players in the club and we will be hoping to get a few from those teams to come through on to the senior side.
"If we are being realistic, we knew it was going to be tough this year and it is a pity that we couldn't manage to stay up. However, on a positive note, we are still playing Division 1 football and it is important that we try to hold on to that as it will help the young players coming through," added Enda.
The Brides certainly have given plenty over the past number of years and there is no doubt that they will be making a big effort to bounce right back from the Intermediate ranks in 2011.
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