The last of a dying breed
December 31, 2008
Aghabog native Cathriona Brady had enjoyed two All-Ireland senior successes during her time with the Monaghan Ladies footballers as well as three senior National League titles. When Cathriona called time on her inter-county career she was the last of that prominent '96 crew to step aside before a new era had dawned.
Cathriona Brady may well have been the last of a dying breed in her final inter-county playing days, but she will be hoping that history can repeat itself this year as Monaghan's lady footballers face into a year of expectation in 2009.
It was 1995 when Aghabog teenager Cathriona Brady first burst on to the scene with the Monaghan Ladies senior team. At the tender age of 16, she acted as a sturdy cog in the team's rearguard as the Farney women reached their second All-Ireland senior final at Croke Park in as many yearsand lost their second All-Ireland senior final at Croke Park in as many years.
While she wasn't there the previous term to experience the pain of a narrow defeat on the big stage against the Deises of Waterford, Brady was defending against the same opposition the following season when they taught the Ulster representatives a lesson at GAA's headquarters. That thumping was even harder to stomach being her first ever All-Ireland senior final appearance, something had to be done; Brady & the team were not ones to just standby and feel content with being conquered by Munster's (widely regarded as camogie province) finest. A year of utter devotion to the cause was to follow.
Early the following year, team mentors Des Patton, Michael McKeown and Mickey Morgan put Brady and co to work. Commitment from everyone was paramount and the intensity at each training session was upped, so as the fitness and focus of the players could match that of a Waterford side that had set the bar and were now chasing their third All-Ireland title in-a-row.
Brady had only made her senior inter-county Championship debut against Galway in Rockcorry the previous year, but she was right in the thick of it here, and she admits that that's where she had always wanted to be.
"There was definitely always a desire to play senior county football for me," says Brady. "That's always the dream for any player starting out, I think."
"Monaghan won the junior All-Ireland title in 1991 and five years later they won the senior, so it shows that there was always that ambition there from those players down the years."
Indeed. Monaghan had made the potent leap to the country's senior ranks by storming to the All-Ireland junior crown in '91, before any intermediate section had been established, and hadn't looked down since. These were a capable crop of players coming through, but the question marks still loomed over them as to whether or not they could breach the high barrier that Waterford had set. So far, all attempts had failed.
Patton, Mc Keown and Morgans' stringent training regime had paid off to get their side into another final, where they would face the might of Laois, after seeing off their nemesis Waterford in the AI semi final.
Before the throw-in, Brady lined-out in her lucky number seven jersey at left half-back for Monaghan, with all eyes on the Farney County to take their first All-Ireland title on their third tour of the final.
However, three points up in injury time is always a dangerous lead to try and maintain, and a late goal from the Leinster side saw them force another meeting between the two sides the following week.
The previous year's defeat was something she and her team mates had kept in the back of their minds for the replay, as they edged past the O'Moore women in another tight affair at Croker to scoop their county's first ever Brendan Martin Cup.
Monaghan Ladies' football had reached the pinnacle. A first All-Ireland triumph backed up by earlier National League success. The All Stars were coming in hard and fast for the likes of Maread Kelly, Brenda McAnespie, Eileen Mc Elvaney, Jenny Greenan, Angela Larkin, Linda Farrrelly and Margret Kerins afterwards, and although Brady missed out, she still recalls '96 & '97 as the most memorable years of her playing career - the celebrations around the county were something none of these girls would ever forget.
"When you're playing football it doesn't come any better than winning an All-Ireland," she said. "Those wins would be the most memorable from playing with Monaghan and I have been blessed in many respects."
In her 12 years of service with her county, Brady had been fortunate enough to avoid any serious injury. She was always able to make herself available for the cause, and in '97 she was on hand again to help Monaghan defend their coveted crown.
Brady battled through another National League campaign for Monaghan before helping book the county's third All-Ireland final appearance in as many years, which presented interesting opposition.
It was Waterford that stood in the way once again. And with that, it meant this September meeting quickly became a revenge mission for a side still smarting somewhat over missing out on two previous All-Ireland titles.
The southerners were fancied given their previous five successes on the main stage, two of which had came against Monaghan, but it was the champions that prevailed to record back-to-back feats, with Angela Larkin and Jenny Greenan to the forefront, while Brady gave her usual sound contribution from the back.
It was Round Four between the Deises and the Farney come the fourth Sunday of September in 1998, with the defending champions looking to become the first county since Kerry's blitz of the 80's to record an All-Ireland three-in-a-row. Sadly though, for Brady and co. it wasn't to be, as Waterford raced back towards the Brendan Martin, which was to prove the beginning of the end for this Monaghan side on the championship front.
The following year a NFL title was secured for Monaghan, but national success began to run dry as they suffered defeat in the following four years before being able to reach an All-Ireland final again. When they finally got back there in 2002, they were, like so many, second best to the Cora Staunton era, as Mayo capped their third senior title in four years over the Ulster women.
Brady wouldn't feature in another All-Ireland final for Monaghan after that, as she hung-up her inter-county playing boots four years later after providing her county with sufficient service for over a decade down the left side of defence, and in her latter years at centre-field, where she still continues to serve for her club
Many in Farney GAA circles would have considered it a premature retirement, but Brady still stands by her decision to step aside when she did making room for younger hungrier players, like herself 12 years previous.
"It's a huge commitment," she insists. "It's not that I had trouble with injuries, I was very lucky in that regard in fact. I think I just lost my hunger and drive for it, its very hard to maintain the hunger and belief in yourself after so many years"
"I feel privileged to be part of those winning sides. I was very lucky to make the breakthrough to senior ranks when I did, I joined a fantastic group players, everyone willing to do whatever it took to win. Better footballers than I may never win in Croke Park, unfortunately.
"Monaghan's campaign this year is very much like 1995 when I started. We lost by a lot that year. But the following year we came back stronger & more determined and won it. And I know this years team can do the same"
But are Cork unbeatable?
"Of course not," stressed Brady. " We've been there or there abouts for years and with the talent that's there now we have every chance. Ladies football tends to run in cycles and Cork can't stay at the top forever!
"When we lost to Waterford two years in-a-row everyone would have though that our chance was gone, but we won it the following year, so I think it will happen for this Monaghan team."
For the past seven years Cathriona has been working with a Swanns Cross based company Wright Quarry Products as a Drawing Technician & Dispatch Operative. An outfit which specialises in precast concrete products such as hollowcore concrete floor slabs - SpanWright Floors, Ready-mix Concrete and a range of agricultural products.
"I would like to thank everyone I work with, they have always been very supportive. There's not a month that goes past that I'm not selling lines or tickets of some sort," said Brady.
In 2005, the company added a new manufacturing facility in Carrickmacross for its precast concrete flooring system 'SpanWright Flooring', which sponsors m Aghabog Ladies GFC. They currently employ over 100 workers and have been on the go for more than 60 years now.
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