It's a numbers game for Kilbride
November 27, 2010
Fifty years after winning the Meath JFC title for the one and only time in the club's history, the present day junior footballers of Kilbride were unable to equal the heroic deeds of their predecessors of half a century ago. By Noel Coogan.
However, the victory over Slane in the last round of the group stages ensured that the wearers of the green and red moved above the relegation zone. Although Kilbride battled well in their earlier outings, defeat was their lot in a tough group that included games against Meath Hill, Moylagh, Dunboyne and Kilmainham.
Before beginning their latest JFC bid, the side managed by Dermot White, who had Patsy Farrell and Pat McDonagh as his assistants, had three outings in the A League Division 4, losing by four points to both St Brigid's and Bective and then gaining a creditable home draw with Ballivor.
Kilbride's opening game in Group C was against Meath Hill at Slane and two goals in the closing stages boosted the north county side to a 3-9 to 1-9 success. It was 1-4 each at the break after veteran David Harford had scored 1-3 and Robbie Rooney put over a point.
Although Brian White, who shot four points, Craig Sheridan and John Bruton also showed up well, it was not to be Kilbride's day. After conceding the first goal, they went all out in attempts to gain an equaliser but were caught out at the back as the men from the 'Hill netted a second.
It was two defeats from as many starts when Moylagh won a Friday evening clash at Cortown by 1-12 to 2-3. It was 1-4 to 0-2 at the break and Kilbride fell further in arrears before two converted penalty kicks by Derek Harford in the closing minutes gave the scoreboard a more respectable look for them.
Before going back into JFC action, Kilbride were involved in an exciting tussle away to Meath Hill in the Tailteann Cup in which the Monaghan border side again finished in front, this time after extra-time by 3-11 to 1-13. Kilbride led by 1-3 to 0-0 in the first half, David Harford netting another penalty goal, and the home team had to depend on two pointed frees to save the tie at the end of the hour.
Their third JFC outings pitted them against parish rivals Dunboyne who won by 0-13 to 0-10 in a Friday evening tussle at Skryne despite having a player dismissed in the second period. Finbarr Clarke, Willie Tormey and John Bruton battled best for the losers.
The losing run continued when Kilmainham inflicted a 2-15 to 0-9 defeat at Walterstown, the goals being netted in the opening quarter. That game was won and lost in the first half which ended with the board reading 2-9 to 0-3, Paul Smith, John Bruton and Mark Sheridan putting over the Kilbride scores.
Although substitute Robbie Rooney put over two points and Brian White and Jeff and Mark Sheridan also got on target, the Dublin border outfit could not get close to the leaders. When the sides met in the league soon after that Kilmainham had just two points to spare.
Such a display may have given Kilbride confidence for the clash with Slane at Duleek. Slane just needed a draw, having finished level with Dunboyne, but Kilbride won by 1-13 to 1-10.
The Boynesiders were ahead by 1-4 to 0-5 at the halfway stage before increasing the lead on the restart. However, Kilbride got out the spades and points from Paul Smith, Brian White and Craig Sheridan enabled them to edge in front. Then White was taken down for a penalty which Mark Sheridan fired to the net and fine displays from David Barron, Finbarr Clarke, John Bruton, Brian White and Craig Sheridan boosted the winners.
David Harford, who combined the duties of club chairman and player in 2010, said that lack of playing numbers was a big problem with up to eight players from the previous year missing because of emigration, retirement and work commitments.
"It has been a difficult year and it was a difficult struggle to get players on the pitch. In 2009 we were able to field two adult teams but this year it was hard by times to get one side out.
"It was disappointing to find ourselves in such a situation with limited playing resources. We have a few players the wrong side of 30 and in some games the management had to call on older players like myself (aged 37) and Robbie Rooney (40) and team manager Dermot White (over 40) also had to line out.
"In the circumstances we did well to avoid finishing bottom of our group in the junior championship and we should survive in Division 4 of the league. Considering the weakened side, staying up in the junior A grade was a major achievement," he said
"A number of rural clubs are being affected by the recession with players emigrating and some of those who have work are not inclined to line out for fear of getting injured, changes to the players' insurance scheme are influencing decisions to retire.
"In our first championship outing against Meath Hill we were with them for most of the hour before they got two late goals. If we had got something from that year, the rest of the season could have been different for us.
"The JFC is one of the hardest championships to win and we have a small catchment area. We were confident going into the game against Slane as we had beaten them in the league and we turned another good display to overcome them again.
"The club has a strong underage section with over 100 kids on the pitch on Saturday mornings with under 6, 8, 10, 12 and 14 teams for boys with some girls on the sides and a girls under 12 side.
"This year we reached two under 14 finals only to lose to St Vincent's in the championship and Dunshaughlin in the league. Also one of our players, Liam Courtney, represented Meath at under15 level and that was an honour for the club. The young players in those grades are the future of Kilbride and in a few years some of them will come through to the adult teams," said Harford, who formerly played with St Vincent's before joining his present club 10 years ago.
At the time of his interview for the Meath Yearbook, the chairman was looking forward to the honouring of Kilbride's JFC winning team of 1960 in the Dunboyne Castle Hotel in November.
"I hope that some of the players who did not figure this year return for 2011 and maybe the present day Kilbride junior footballers will take some inspiration from the deeds of fifty years ago and reignite our championship challenge," said David Harford.
The present Kilbride club was formed in 1948 and the first significant success was the annexation of the JFC title in 1960 when Batterstown were defeated in the final. At that time the junior A and B winners met in the overall decider and after getting the better of Ratoath in the regional decider, Kilbride beat Syddan and Clonard to emerge as the A victors.
In the final against Batterstown, who had got the better of the Commons from Navan in the B decider, at Pairc Tailteann the first half was very low-scoring and Kilbride led by 0-2 to 0-0 at the break before running out comfortable 1-9 to 0-1 winners.
Martin Quinn was the winning captain 50 years ago and there were scenes of rapturous joy after the players, officials and supporters arrived back in Kilbride on that November evening.
One veteran supporter is recorded as having said: "it will be 20 years before we see the like again!" Little did anyone know what was to follow as Kilbride went on to become a mighty force in Meath football as well as providing the Royal County with a number of players.
After winning the IFC at the expense of Walterstown in 1962, the Feis Cup was annexed the following year and in 1964, as well as retaining the Feis Cup, there was a memorable first SFC triumph with Wardie O'Sullivan being presented with the Keegan Cup after the 1-8 to 0-8 final victory over Colmcille Gaels.
A second SFC title was enjoyed in 1967 when Navan O'Mahonys were defeated in the final and there was a three-in-a-row sequence of success from 1969 and '71. In 1967 six Kilbride players, Jack, Gerry and Martin Quinn, Murty O'Sullivan, Pat Rooney and Pat Rooney, were on Meath's All-Ireland SFC winning squad and went on the famous trip to Australia in the spring of 1968, the same year as when Kilbride claimed the Feis Cup for the third time. Also Kilbride had the distinction of being the first club to represent Meath in the Leinster club SFC.
The Kilbride team in the 1960 JFC final was: Jack Sweeney; Jack Quinn, Martin Quinn, John O'Neill; PJ Reilly, Kit Reilly, Jimmy Quinn; Wardie O'Sullivan, Pat Rooney; Tommy Mahon, Owen O'Sullivan, Sean Hickey; Gerry Quinn, Oliver O'Sullivan, Joe O'Sullivan.
Kilbride claim U12 Summer League
Kilbride won out what was an epic battle to win this Under 12 Rionn G league final at St Pats, overcoming the home side by 3-3 to 1-4. Both teams deserve full credit for providing a hugely entertaining hour of football. This game had everything that's good about Juvenile football with skill in abundance, a will to win and some fantastic scores taken under pressure by both teams.
The match was very tight and went into the half time break on level terms 1-2 each. The second half proved to be the same with both teams matching each other for scores, but it was Kilbride that pulled away in the end with two vital goals from Johnny McIvor and Conor Mahon. Nisha McAloon in goals pulled off two outstanding saves in both halves and both for this the summer shield could have been going to St Pats.
Kilbride - N. McAloon, P. Donnelly, M. Farrell, J. Farrell, R. O'Leary, J. McGoldrick, K. Stapleton, J. McIvor (0-1), D. O'Leary (0-1), C. McKenna (0-1), B. Courtney (0-1), D. Stapleton, J. Donnelly, C. Mahon (1-0), J. Peters Subs. J. Peters for M. Courtney, Mahon for J. McGovern, L. Sheridan for J. Farrell, E. Fleming for McGoldrick
Kilbride Anniversary celebrations
Kilbride GAA Club held a Reunion and Anniversary Celebration Dinner Dance in Dunboyne Castle Hotel on Saturday the 13th of November 2010.
It was a fantastic occasion with past and present members re-living the fantastic history of the club.
Although Kilbride was officially formed in 1948, the club's beginnings go back to the early 1920's. As far as can be ascertained a Gaelic football team started in the parish in the early 1920's. The Club's Reunion Dance celebrated the start of the clubs golden era in 1960 with the winning of the Meath Junior A championship and subsequently led to five Senior Championships over the next decade. The club also had proud record in Camogie winning a Junior title in 1974 and 1992 and 3 Senior titles in 1981/3/4.
The Golden Era
Little success came Kilbride's way during the 1950's, but a golden era started for the club with the winning of the Meath junior championship in 1960 and during the next fourteen years the club achieved the following: 1960 - Junior A championship and Junior championship; 1962 - Intermediate championship; 1963 - Feis Cup; 1964 - Senior championship and Feis Cup; 1965 - Runners up in Senior championship; 1966 - Runners up in Senior championship after final and two replays; 1967 - Senior championship; 1967 - Jack Quinn voted Meath personality of the year; 1967 - Meath win All Ireland with six Kilbride men on board; 1968 - Feis Cup; 1968 - Meath Team travel to Australia with six Kilbride men; 1969 - Senior championship; 1970 - Senior championship; 1971 - Senior championship; 1971 - First club to represent Meath in Leinster Club Championship; 1973 - First Meath club to travel to America;
The Kilbride Camogie club was formed in 1964. The club won Meath Senior Titles in 1981, 1983, and 1984, Junior title in 1974 and 1992 an Under 16 and Under 18 Meath Championship. For a small club these were fantastic achievements and resulted in many players representing Meath
Contribution to
Meath Football
Since it's formation the club has been prominent in it's support of Meath football and has contributed as follows:
- With Kilbride players on board, Meath has won Minor, Junior, under 21 and Senior Leinster titles, Minor, Junior and Senior All Ireland titles, a National league and representation in the Railway cup for Leinster.
- First Meath club to represent Meath in the Leinster Club championship.
- Assisted as selector level through Martin and Gerry Quinn at Senior Level and through Tommy Mahon at Minor and under 21 level.
- Tommy Mahon also served on the Disciplinary Committee, Juvenile Committee, and the Meath Referees Associations Committee.
- Tommy Mahon has been chairman of the Meath Minor Board.
Club members who have played for Meath at various levels include: Paddy Reilly, Martin Quinn, Gerry Quinn, Jack Quinn, Pat Bruton, Pat Rooney, Murty O'Sullivan, Wardie O'Sullivan, Sean Hickey, Owen Sullivan ( Cheeverstown ), Owen Sullivan ( The Ward ), Ray Murtagh, Dermot White, Robert Rooney, Paddy Farrell, Richard Bruton, Garry O'Toole, Eugene McKeever, Kevin Quinn, Richard Rennicks, John Bruton and Andy Rennicks.
Most Read Stories