Four years ago, St Brides were still a junior club. In 2002, they blazed a remarkable trail to the senior county final, wherein they lost to Mattock by a mere kick of the ball. Gerry Robinson pays tribute to the Knockbridge men, whose recent rags-to-riches transformation has been one of the most remarkable in Wee County GAA history. During the season just ended, brilliant St Brides came within an ace of achieving the patently impossible. The dream was to metamorphose from junior also-rans to senior county champions inside five short seasons. Boy, did this plucky young team come agonisingly close to realising that lofty ambition. They went all the way to the county final, picking off their victims with the cold, assured efficiency of a Manhattan hitman. One by one they fell - Lannleire, Glyde, Clans, Roche, Gaels - and before they knew it the Knockbridge representatives had a September 15th county showpiece to look forward to. Alas, they faltered at the ultimate hurdle. Final opposition was provided by Mattock Rangers, beaten finalists from the previous year's campaign. The Collon men held the vital edge in experience and this was to prove decisive as a thrilling decider at Pairc Mhuire in Ardee culminated in a one-goal win for Mattock, 2-11 to 1-11. Indeed, Brides gave as good as they got in the final, but it just wasn't to be. Rather than reflecting ruefully upon what might have been, this publication provides an ideal opportunity to celebrate the remarkable strides that St Brides have made of late and to acknowledge their 2002 SFC campaign which was, in a word, stellar! As recently as 1998, Brides were languishing in junior fare. They finished runners-up to John Mitchells in the old Division Three league that year but earned promotion to intermediate/Division Two on the grounds that the Ballybailie men won the league and championship double. In 1999, St Brides produced an instant follow-up, winning the Division Two league, earning promotion to senior ranks. With the assistance of hindsight, it was clear that the Brides were a coming force: they won the county under 21 championship in 2000, defeating St Patricks in the final by 1-11 to 0-7 and had also reached the previous year's U21 final (losing to Newtown Blues). Amazingly, U16 and minor B championships were also scooped in 2000. An exciting crop of young players was emerging in Knockbridge and they immediately began to make an impact in the senior championship, taking some notable scalps, including that of fancied St Mary's in a first round replay the year of their top-flight return. The Brides celebrated 75 years in existence in 2002 and they marked the landmark anniversary in fitting fashion. The 2002 senior football final on Sunday 15th was one of the most anticipated played in the Wee County in living memory, partly because neither club had its name on the Joe Ward Cup (which has been presented to the champions since 1949), but also due to the fact that this final pairing bore evidence of an exciting changing of the guard' and was welcomed like a breath of fresh air. The Brides' sole senior championship win was achieved in 1943 and they hadn't contested a final since. But all the signs suggested that this team was capable of rewriting the history books by bridging that 59-year gap. The Brides had strung together five straight wins en route to the decider, defeating Lannleire, Glyde Rangers and Clan Na Gael to top Group C with a perfect 100% record (and thus avoid the prospect of meeting defending champions Newtown Blues in the quarter-final), before laying waste to Roche Emmets (quarter-final) and Dundalk Gaels (semi-final). The rampant Knockbridge men amassed an aggregate return of 5-50 from their five matches, conceding only 1-37. The inspirational Aaron Hoey contributed a whopping 3 - 24 of that tally (including 1-8 against Roche Emmets) and finished as far and away the competition's top scorer after adding 0-10 in the county final. Going into the final, Brides' strengths were well documented: strength, spirit, work rate, commitment, resolve, teamwork, youth and pace. Also, they were a team that clearly knew no fear and played with tremendous confidence. But the absence of full back David J McArdle for the final was a definite setback. As it transpired, the Brides went mightily close! They carried the initiative for most of the first half and caused Mattock all sorts of problems with their speed and purposefulness. Lining out on the forty, Man of the Match Hoey was like a man possessed, kicking five of his team's six first-half points. Brides certainly had the best of the opening half exchanges and led by 0-6 to 0-5 as the clock ticked into overtime. Then, they were dealt the cruellest of blows: deep into stoppage time Shane Grimes struck the goal that gave Mattock a two-point interval cushion they scarcely deserved. Certainly, the Brides were desperately unfortunate to be in arrears as the teams took to the resplendent Pairc Mhuire field for the second half. Mattock moved five points clear when Mark Brennan goaled at the start of the fourth quarter and the Brides could never quite force their way back into it. But it wasn't for want of trying. Hoey brought them back within three points before the Collon men moved five points ahead again with only six minutes remaining. Five minutes from time, the Brides were seemingly thrown a lifeline when substitute Paul Devin rose brilliantly to fist Hoey's long delivery to the net. However, it was a false dawn as Rangers weathered the storm with two successive points to Hoey's solitary reply. St Brides got their campaign underway with a comfortable 2-8 to 1-5 defeat of Lannleire at Dromiskin on May 30th. There was little between the protagonists in the first half, which ended with the Knockbridge men three points to the good, 1-6 to 1-3. The second half was a low-scoring affair and spectators were 'treated' to 25 scoreless minutes as the teams sized each other up. The scores began to flow again towards the end of the match and St Brides guaranteed themselves victory with a late Aaron Hoey goal. Next up was a real potential banana skin encounter with under-rated Glyde Rangers. The game went ahead in Louth viallage on June 14th and the Brides edged an extremely low-scoring meeting by 1-5 to 0-6. Brides went into the clash with their neighbours knowing that victory would secure them a lucrative spot in the knock-out stage of the competition and what ensued was an edgy, tentative and uninspired encounter, where football took a backseat to the occasion. The game had been brought forward due to Ireland's World Cup clash with Spain and perhaps the players couldn't get their minds off the game in Suwon! Aidan Kelly scored the goal that would ultimately win the match, and his side carried a 1-3 to 0-2 advantage into the interval. Rangers came back at them in the second half but could never quite get back on terms. Kelly, Pearse Murphy, Aaron Hoey, David Mackin and Trevor Hilliard supplied Brides' points. Both teams had already qualified for the quarter-finals when St Brides met Clan Na Gael in a top-of-the-table Group C clash at Fr McEvoy Park on July 6th. But there was more than pride at stake as - theoretically, at least - finishing top of the group would provide an easier passage to the final. The teams shared 14 points in the first half and were still level as time ran out, only for the super-fit and ever-eager Brides to seize the day with two late points. Aaron Hoey fired six points for the winners, five of them from placed balls. Perennial quarter-finalists Roche Emmets provided the 'Last Eight' opposition in a game that was played at Haggardstown on Saturday July 20th. The Brides were in rampant mood by now and were not about to be denied, recording a 1-13 to 0-9 victory to progress to the penultimate round for the first time in 26 long years. The irrepressible Aaron Hoey landed a mighty personal return of 1-8, his goal in the third quarter effectively finishing the game as a contest. If the Brides were any way nervous about playing in a semi-final, it certainly didn't show in their impressive play. They returned to McGeough Park in Haggardstown on August 11th and duly proceeded to whip Dundalk Gaels by 1-11 to 0-5. After building up a four-point half-time lead, 0-7 to 0-4, the Brides continued to turn the screw after the break. Predictably, it was that man Hoey who blasted to the net nine minutes from the end. The game was still very much in the balance when the prolific intercounty star gathered possession wide on the left from a David Dunne pass in the 51st minute. He steamed goalward before unleashing a rocket to the corner of the net from all of 25 yards to break Gaels hearts and spark scenes of great celebration amongst the Knockbridge faithful who had a first county final since 1943 to look forward to. En route to the final, it was the majestic scoring machine Hoey who attracted most of the plaudits but the county-defender-cum-club-attacker would be the first to emphasise that the St Brides Class of 2002 was far from a one man show. They hunt in packs and boast a tigerish defence with the likes of centre back Ray Kelly, full back David J McArdle (who missed the final with a broken hand), experienced captain Eamonn Sherry and Micheal Brannigan proving the rock upon which many team's aspirations perished. Dual star David Dunne returned from injury and the former full back was a revelation all season at midfield, where Paul Kirk also played a big part in the Brides' 2002 voyage. The clever and purposeful running of Trevor Hilliard and Colin McNally caused problems for every defence the Brides crossed swords with in '02 and the sheer industry of Pearse Murphy was a joy to behold. Teamwork, guts and determination formed an ethos that was central to the brilliant achievements of St Brides in 2002. Oh - did I forget to mention? - these lads can play a bit of football too! St Brides, 2002 Louth senior football championship finalists: Barry Corcoran; Micheal Brannigan, Rory Kelly, Andrew Cumiskey; Paul Prendergast, Ray Kelly, Eamonn Sherry; Paul Kirk, David Dunne; Colin McNally, Pearse Murphy, Paul Mackin; Aaron Hoey, Trevor Hilliard, Aidan Kelly. Subs: Donal McNally, Paul Devin Tweet

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