Controversial Johnstownbridge switch didn't hinder brilliant Declan Kerrigan

Declan Kerrigan was involved in one of the most high-profile, and controversial, transfers in Kildare club football in 1985.
Alongside his brothers, the Clonkeeran man, in the months after coming up short in a county final with Carbury, made the switch roughly 10km up the road to Johnstownbridge.

Carbury were a huge presence in the Kildare Senior Football Championship at that time, contesting six of the ten county finals prior to Declan’s transfer and winning one directly after his departure.

However, he wasn’t headed over to any mugs either as Johnstownbridge were county champions in '83 themselves. But what set the wheels in motion for one of the biggest transfers of the 1980s?

“All my close friends in school were the lads from Johnstown(bridge) and they were all from the club,” Declan explained, “It was like anybody who has close buddies in school, they are so influential on you and you want to be hanging out with them. It fitted well, I just wanted to play football, and play with my friends. That was all the background there is to it.”

The reaction was far from cheery and regardless of how wholesome the motives of the player were, the club were never going to be thrilled with losing a previous county minor that was only 18 at the time of the switch. And one that it turned out would go on to play in an All-Ireland final with Kildare.

“It was a bit difficult and you couldn’t blame Carbury either. They are losing players and country clubs wouldn’t have the same pull as town teams. It was understandable. It didn’t sit well during the playing years, but I still meet lads from Carbury now and have a chat. Back then it was another part of the local rivalry,” Declan said.

“Both teams were doing well in the 80s, Carbury won a championship after we left and we lost a semi-final to them in ‘85. That was a fairly rough and tumble game, but everybody got the same treatment. It was a true local rivalry.”

The now Johnstownbridge legend maintains that he got no worse treatment than anyone else while facing his former club, a true testament to the enmity between the two.

A huge local transfer between two of the best teams of the 1980s in the Kildare Senior Champion-
ship, it has a wonderful narrative and storyline to it.

Then in the 1988 Championship, those of the neutral persuasion would get their dramatic viewing wish as Johnstownbridge faced Carbury in the county final.

“The story goes that for the '88 final people were turning up for Carbury vs Johnstownbridge to see more of what happened off the ball than what was going on football wise. You knew when one team played the other, no matter if it was a league match or a Championship match, there was always a little bit of niggle,” Declan explained.

Declan and Johnstown' were now in another county final after losing to Athy at the same stage last year. This time it was their local rivals and the pressure would only be amplified following a 0-10 all draw first time out to send the game to a replay.

“We were three or four up in the second half, but anytime we played one another you just couldn’t pull away. Even though we were ahead in the second half, we never thought we were home and hosed because we knew they were going to come back at us,” Declan recalled.

Despite leading for most of the game, in the end, the 'Bridge were lucky to get out of the first final with a draw. The Carbury equalising point from a ball across was punched over the bar and was not far from dipping beneath it, but the story went on and the sides faced off once again.

Declan explained, “The first half was very, very tight, nothing in it. From about 40 minutes onwards, we just kicked into gear. We had a great coach at the time, he made a few switches, and that brought me into the game a little bit more. The changes helped all of us and then we got the goal near the end that sealed it.

“Finals are nerve wracking as it is and then we were playing Carbury so there was a hell of a lot at stake for everybody. They were tense affairs and thankfully we got a run in the second half that killed the game off without having to have any close shaves near the end.”

After getting over the line in '88, Johnstownbridge would repeat their success the following year with victory over Clane. The three finals in as many years with two SFC wins would undoubtedly be the finest spell in the club’s history.

“It’s a relief to get over the line and incredible to do it with my friends. It was a fantastic time, great occasion and celebrations. A small village to have this achievement, it was an incredible feat to get another one under the belt,” Declan said.

“There was great comradery, we were a very close knit bunch. We did everything together and there was no gap between the young and the old. Everyone was treated like a brother and with great respect. To go back-to-back was something else.”

The excitement of the county final was far from solely built from rivalry for Declan, the mystique surrounding the biggest day in the Kildare football calendar was embedded from childhood.

“My father brought us to Newbridge for the county final every year as kids,” he said. “People from all over the county went to the county finals then, it wasn’t just the two teams. That was the pinnacle of the season, so when our time arrived and we were playing in it, it was special.

“He (Dad) thankfully got to see me win one. He is a very quiet man and he knew his football. He loved going to the matches, club and county. It was very nice to win one in front of him. He wouldn’t say an awful lot at the time, but we had many conversations years after about how proud he was and my mother was the same.”

The fact of the matter is that the controversial transfer and turmoil at the time will seem much further in the rear-view mirror than all that has come since.

Declan Kerrigan represented his county with distinction, won Kildare Senior Football Championships with some of his best friends, and shared it all with those closest to him. It would be no brave thing to say that it all worked out in the end.

The Leinster Leader will be doing a feature article from every club in Kildare over the coming weeks and months as part of the Love of the Game series. If you have a suggestion for an article on someone from your club, a legendary
player, selfless volunteer or an idea of your own, send them to daragh.nolan@
leinsterleader.ie