| CLG Naomh Bríd | |||||||||
| Founded: | 1889 | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| County: | Roscommon | ||||||||
| Nickname: | Brigids | ||||||||
| Club colours: | Green and Red | ||||||||
| Grounds: | Newpark, Kiltoom | ||||||||
| Playing kits | |||||||||
|
|||||||||
| Senior Club Championships | |||||||||
|
|||||||||
St. Brigids GAA Club (Naomh Bríd) is a Gaelic Athletic Association club located in the parishes of Kiltoom and Cam in South County Roscommon, Ireland. They play in Green and Red colours and their home pitch is at Newpark, Kiltoom. The club was founded in 1944 and is the home club of one of the all-time GAA greats, Gerry O'Malley.
The club fields underage teams from U-10 to U-21 as well as Senior, Intermediate and Junior teams. There are Ladies football teams at all ages and the seniors have achieved a lot of success in recent years.
On the 30 September 2007 the club achieved their first ever three-in-a-row of Roscommon Senior Football Championship titles, defeating St. Faithleachs by 1-12 to 0-9. The same achievement was also notched up by the Senior ladies team in 2007. The club's U-21 team also achieved an unprecedented eight county titles in a row from 2002 to 2009.
In 2005, St. Brigids created history by being the first club in Roscommon to captured Senior, U21 and Minor titles in the Men's grade and the Ladies' grade, all in one year.
Contents |
St. Brigids have captured six county titles since 1997. Under the management of John O'Mahony, they won their first title in 28 years in 1997 after defeating Clan na Gael in the final by 1-8 to 0-8, the goal coming from John Tiernan. They had to wait until 2000 before they reached the final again, but this time lost out to underdogs Kilbride. More defeats came in 2002 to Strokestown and in 2003 to Castlerea St. Kevins. In 2005, under the stewardship of Ger Dowd, they reclaimed the Fahey Cup by beating Padraig Pearses 2-9 to 0-11, both goals coming from John Tiernan. In 2006, under Anthony Cunningham, they defended their title in a tough encounter with St. Faithleach's on a scoreline of 1-7 to 1-5, the goal courtesy of Garvan Dolan. In 2007, St. Brigids captures the three-in-a-row when they again defeated St. Faithleach's in the final by 1-12 to 0-9. A goal ten minutes from time by Brendan "Dixie" O'Brien sealed the win. In 2010, St. Brigids re-emerged after 2 barren years to secure their 10th Roscommon Senior Football Championship, defeating Elphin by 0-14 to 0-9. 2011 saw St. Brigids repeat the dose again by defeating Elphin in the final by 1-9 to 0-7, the goal being supplied by Damien Kelleher.
Their Connacht Club campaigns were mixed up until 2006 when they captured the provincial crown for the first time.
In 1997 they succumbed to a powerful Knockmore (Mayo) team in Kiltoom. In 2005 they reached the Connacht Senior Club Football Championship Final, after defeating Leitrim Champions Kiltubrid after a replay in Kiltoom. In the final in Pearse Stadium in Galway, they were defeated by the superior Salthill-Knocknacarra (Galway), the eventual All-Ireland winners.
However, in 2006 they went all the way and claimed the Shane McGettigan Cup in dramatic circumstances. In the preliminary round they defeated Curry (Sligo) by 1-8 to 1-7. A goal at the start of the game from David O'Connor spurred them on, and a point from Senan Kilbride 5 minutes from the end secured the one-point victory. In the semi-final they defeated favourites and previous All-Ireland winners, Crossmolina (Mayo) by 13pts to 1-6 in Dr. Hyde Park. And it was also in the Hyde that the final took place where they beat favourites Corofin (Galway) with a dramatic injury-time goal from Karol Mannion. The final scoreline was 1-10 to 3-3, meaning Captain Mark O'Carroll received the Shane McGettigan Cup on behalf of St. Brigids.
In the All-Ireland Semi-Final on 18 February 2007, they met the Armagh and Ulster Senior Club Football Championship winners, Crossmaglen Rangers, in Cusack Park, Mullingar. Despite facing the most successful club team in recent history, St. Brigids narrowly lost out by 1-11 to 0-11. This was the second year in a row that they were beaten by the eventual All-Ireland winners.
The defence of their Connacht title in 2007 proved unsuccessful however. A comprehensive semi-final win in Tuam over the Padraig Joyce-inspired Killererin, portrayed St. Brigid's in their best light as they ran out 4-10 to 1-11 winners against the Galway champions. The final saw St. Brigid's travel to the home territory of Ballina Stephenites in North Mayo. Two early goals from Ballina provided the cushion that they never relinquished, despite unrelenting effort by St. Brigids. The final score was Ballina 2-8, St. Brigid's 0-12.
In 2010, St. Brigid's opened their Connacht campaign with a 0-21 to 0-4 point win in Kiltoom over Sligo champions, Eastern Harps. They followed that up in the Connacht semi-final with a 1-13 to 3-5 win over Leitrim champions, Glencar Manorhamilton, in Pairc Sean MacDiarmada in Carrick-on-Shannon. In the final, St. Brigids once again had to face down Killererin in Tuam Stadium, a re-match of the 2007 Connacht semi-final. A last gasp Cathal McHugh goal saw St. Brigids force extra-time. In the additional twenty minutes, St. Brigids pulled clear to record a brilliant come from behind victory on a scoreline of 2-14 to 1-10, which resulted in Niall Grehan again lifting the Shane McGettigan Cup for the green and red.
On 26 February 2011 St. Brigids travelled to the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick and beat the Cork and Munster Champions Nemo Rangers on a scoreline of 0-13 to 1-8, to qualify for the All Ireland Club Final for the first time. In the All-Ireland Final on St. Patrick's Day 2011, St. Brigids faced their semi-final conquerors of 2007, Armagh and Ulster Champions, Crossmaglen Rangers. Despite a huge following in Croke Park, St. Brigids failed to overturn the result of 2007 and Crossmaglen prevailed by 2-11 to 1-11.
The Connacht campaign in the last months of 2011 again proved a successful one for St. Brigids and resulted in a Connacht two-in-a-row for the first time. After defeating Sligo champions Tourlestrane by 0-16 to 0-10 in Marckiewicz Park in the semi-final, they then faced Corofin in the final in Kiltoom, a repeat of the 2006 final. After a tense affair, St. Brigids prevailed by 0-11 to 0-10.
Roscommon
1997: Aidan Cunniffe, Jimmy Gacquin, Seamus Og McDonnell, Michael O'Brien, Basil Mannion, Padraig Sugrue, Eddie Nestor, Tony Kilcommins, Padraig Kilcommins, John Tiernan, Brendan "Dixie" O'Brien, Benny O'Brien, Frankie Dolan, Tom Og O'Brien(c), Tom Lennon.
2005: Shane Curran, Donal O'Connor, Darragh Donnelly, Robbie Kelly, Ger Ahearne, Kenny Noonan, Padraig Kilcommins, Mark O'Carroll, John Tiernan, Ian Kilbride, Darragh Blaine, Brendan "Dixie" O'Brien (c), Senan Kilbride, Karol Mannion, Frankie Dolan.
2006: James Martin, Robbie Kelly, Padraig Kilcommins, Enda Ruane, Eoin Mannion, Ger Ahearne, Niall Grehan, Mark O'Carroll (c), Karol Mannion, Darragh Blaine, Frankie Dolan, John Tiernan, Brendan "Dixie" O'Brien, David "Jimmy Nail" O'Connor, Garvan Dolan.
2007: Shane Curran, Enda Ruane, Ger Ahearne, Robbie Kelly, Donal O'Connor, Ian Kilbride, Peter Domican, Mark O'Carroll, Karol Mannion, John Tiernan, Frankie Dolan (c), Darragh Blaine, Brendan "Dixie" O'Brien, Senan Kilbride, Cathal McHugh.
2010: Philip Martin, Robbie Kelly, Darragh Donnelly, Niall Grehan (c), Gearoid Cunniffe, Peter Domican, Ian Kilbride, Garvan Dolan, Karol Mannion, John Tiernan, Cathal McHugh, Darren Dolan, Conor McHugh, Senan Kilbride, Frankie Dolan.
2011: James Martin, Darragh Sheehy, Darragh Donnelly (c), Niall Grehan, Eoin Sheehy, Peter Domican, Gearoid Cunniffe, Garvan Dolan, Karol Mannion, Darren Dolan, Cathal McHugh, Damien Kelleher, Padraig Kelly, Senan Kilbride, Frankie Dolan.
Connacht
2006: James Martin, Robbie Kelly, Padraig Kilcommins, Enda Ruane, Donal O'Connor, Ger Ahearne, Niall Grehan, Mark O'Carroll (c), Karol Mannion, John Tiernan, Frankie Dolan, Brendan "Dixie" O'Brien, Senan Kilbride, David "Jimmy Nail" O'Connor, Conor McHugh.
2010: Philip Martin, Robbie Kelly, Darragh Donnelly, Niall Grehan (c), Gearoid Cunniffe, Peter Domican, Ian Kilbride, Garvan Dolan, Karol Mannion, Darren Dolan, Frankie Dolan, Cathal McHugh, David "Jimmy Nail" O'Connor, Senan Kilbride, Conor McHugh.
2011: James Martin, Robbie Kelly, Darragh Donnelly (c), Darragh Sheehy, Gearoid Cunniffe, Peter Domican, Niall Grehan, Garvan Dolan, Karol Mannion, Eoin Sheehy, Darren Dolan, Damien Kelleher, Cathal McHugh, Senan Kilbride, Frankie Dolan.
Minor 2006
Peter Domican, Cathal McHugh, Robbie Gilligan.
Junior 2000
Shane Curran, Michael O'Brien, Basil Mannion, Brendan "Dixie" O'Brien, Karol Mannion.
U-21 1966
Gerry Mannion, Jim Keane
Minor 1951
John O'Brien, Frank McKevitt
Minor 1939
Paddy Donnelly, Larry Cummins