After losing out in the Junior B FC final in 2005, St Brigid's made no mistake this year by going all the way and claiming the title as they became the first holders of the Larry Kearns Cup. The Ballinacree side managed an impressive 'clear round' throughout their latest championship campaign with a played ten, won ten record which culminated in a 1-7 to 0-6 final victory over Clonard. St Brigid's is one of the younger GAA clubs in Meath, being founded in 1962 when Seamus Maguire was the first chairman. They were in the intermediate grade from 1973 to '76 before dropping back down to junior ranks. In the '80s they threatened to earn promotion again and their best effort was getting to the semi-finals in 1986 but they lost to eventual winners Bellewstown. It was another eight years before there were big celebrations in Ballinacree with the JFC being annexed in 1994 when Niall Hennessy was the winning captain. But they found the intermediate waters too deep and were relegated following a play-off defeat to Moynalty in 1999. Three years later they took another drop when defeated by Dunshaughlin in a survival tie. Seven members of the '94 winning squad, Brendan, Michael and Martin Briody, Declan Masterson, Tomas Blake, Eugene Gilsenan and Niall Hennessy, were on the successful junior B panel. Gerry Farrelly, who was a star forward with Meath in the '70s, was manager for both the 1994 and 2006 triumphs. For the latest success his assistants were Eamon Tuite, who was also along the line with him 12 years earlier, and Declan Browne, a midfielder when the club's first championship was gained with a final victory over Baconstown. Two of the ten wins by St Brigid's in their latest championship campaign were over Clonard. They met in the seventh and last round of the group stages at Kildalkey and both sides were already safely through to the last eight. The north county outfit trailed by 0-4 to 1-5 at the break but they moved up a gear in the second half to maintain their winning streak on a 0-16 to 1-7 scoreline. Tomas Blake sent over five points and Fergal Hennessy got four. Five of the eight teams in their group were second strings of senior sides and Syddan were the first opponents at Moynalty. That was a one-sided encounter with Brigid's easing to a 2-8 to 0-4 win with Martin Briody and A. J. Gilsenan getting the first two goals of the dozen netted. St Brigid's put up some impressive point returns on the way to Pairc Tailteann in October (Gerry Farrelly had them well coached in that skill) and it is interesting to note that they recorded 0-15 to 2-6 wins over both St Patrick's (second round) and St Paul's (fourth round). In between there a 4-11 to 0-6 walloping of Walterstown and in round five there was a 1-15 to 3-4 win over Trim before Seneschalstown were outscored by 2-11 to 2-5 in a top of the top of the table tussle. In the other group two of the eight starters, Navan O'Mahonys and Na Fianna, retired after the fourth and Donaghmore/Ashbourne, who finished fourth of the other six, provided the quarter-final opposition to the men from Ballinacree. That game was at Kilberry and the south county outfit posed few problems as the side in blue and navy romped to a 1-14 to 0-4 win, having been in front by 1-7 to 0-2 at the break. Brendan Gibson netted the goal and Tomas Blake and Fergal Hennessy put over four points each with teenager Killian Kiernan raising three white flags. Eight St Brigid's players got among the scorers in the 1-16 to 1-8 semi-final victory over Dunshaughlin at Walterstown. It was 1-7 to 0-7 in favour of Ballinacree at the break with Tomas Blake netting the goal. Blake finished up with 1-2 and the side's other prolific marksman, Fergal Hennessy, shared the scoring honours with 0-5 while Ian Browne, one of their up and coming players, contributed four points. The final, played on a rainy evening, was a dour struggle with the sides having to work hard to for their scores. St Brigid's made a slow start and it took them 12 minutes to get on the board. The team playing in their second successive final went two points in arrears but then following build-up involving midfielder Peter Skelly and Fergal Hennessy, 17-year-old wing forward Killian Kiernan finished to the net. Brigid's were always in the lead after that. Their centre forward Ian Browne was forced to retire with a head injury but came back on wearing a bandage and a number 34 jersey. He had go off again for further repairs but came back on and finished the game with the headgear discarded. It was a 'no holding back' type of encounter in which nine of the 13 points registered were put over from frees. Four of Tomas Blake's five scores were from such kicks and Fergal Hennessy converted one. Brigid's finished the first period with their two points from play with Blake and Brendan Gibson giving them a 1-4 to 0-3 interval advantage. With defences very much of top, they managed to comfortably hold out without managing to score from play in the second period. It took them 16 minutes to give their enthusiastic band of supporters something to shout about in the second half. Three minutes earlier substitute A. J. Gilsenan had a great chance to find the net but opposing keeper Simon McNevin saved at the expense of a 45. Points from Blake and Hennessy relieved the pressure and they were well worthy of becoming the initial recipients of the new trophy. The St Brigid's Junior B FC winning team was : Declan Masterson; Brendan Briody, Hugh Fanning, Jerome Hussey; Donal Fanning (captain), Brian Briody, Donal Reynolds; Peter Skelly, Michael Briody; Killian Kiernan, Ian Browne, Brendan Gibson; Conor Farrelly, Tomas Blake, Fergal Hennessy. Subs - A. J. Gilsenan for Browne, Browne for Kiernan, Martin Briody for Farrelly, Philip Tuite, Shane Geraghty, Eugene Gilsenan, Hugh Gilsenan, Niall Hennessy, Stephen Farrelly, Oliver Timmons. Two members of the winning side were also prominent officers of the club with midfielder Michael Briody the chairman, accurate forward Fergal Hennessy the secretary while treasurer Stephen Farrelly was among the substitutes. Now St Brigid's will be hoping to emulate recent junior B winners Kilmainham and Longwood by reaching the closing stages of the JFC. Gerry Farrelly feels that the Ballinacree outfit have what it takes to challenge strongly for honours in the higher grade. "We played Kilmainham in the league this year and they only beat us by a point. St Ultan's were the strongest side in the junior A grade but there is nothing exceptional among the rest of them. "St Brigid's could be without centre back Brian Briody for all of next year's championship for he has gone to Australia and is expected to be away for 12 months while Peter Skelly is away in Liberia on army duty and won't be home until next May. However, there is a good panel of players there with lads challenging for places," he said. After the 1994 JFC triumph Gerry Farrelly stayed in charge of St Brigid's for a couple of years before stepping back from the sidelines until taking over from Ray Lydon in 2006. A player with the Ballinacree club and for a few years with Moylagh, he played for Meath in four Leinster finals but was on losing sides against Offaly in 1973 and to Dublin in '74, '76 and '77. He missed out on the National League triumph in 1975 as he was in London that year. London played in the Connacht championship for the first time in '75 and Farrelly and Petey Cromwell from Seneschalstown were in attack as they ran Mayo close in Castlebar. Farrelly continued to line out for St Brigid's until he was over 40 and was involved with underage teams in the club. Two sons, Conor and Stephen, were on the junior B winning squad. After going so close in 2005, there were obviously big expectations that they could go one better this year and they proved too good for all opposition. The return of Tomas Blake after five years with Ballinlough during which he won a Division 1 League medal was a big boost. Like Gerry Farrelly, Blake played in the Connacht championship, having figured in attack for New York against Galway before returning to his home club in 2004. "We are a small club with a small area to pick players from but there is a lot of pride about playing with the club and teams get strong support from the local community," remarked Farrelly. The junior B triumph was greeted with much enthusiasm and who knows but the same devoted fans may have more to shout about in the not so distant future. The St. Brigid's team that won the Junior B football final - D. Masterson; Brendan Briody, H. Fanning, J. Hussey; D. Fanning, Brian Briody, D. Reynolds; P. Skelly, Michael Briody; K. Kiernan (1-0), I. Browne, B. Gibson (0-1); C. Farrelly, T. Blake (0-5), F. Hennessy (0-1). Subs - A.J. Gilsenan for Browne, Browne for Kiernan, Martin Briody for Farrelly Tweet

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