Chats About The Past
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Paul McCarthy Full Interview
Paddy Linden Full Interview
Club History
A GAA team was founded in Ballybay in 1906. They were first known as the Ballybay O’Briens, and then the Red Hands, before settling on the name Pearse Brothers, after Patrick and William Pearse.
Ballybay played their first Senior Championship Final in 1922 losing to Monaghan.
Pearse Park was bought and developed in the late 1940’s and was officially opened in 1951 on the 35th anniversary of the Easter Rising. Ballybay started wearing the now famous maroon in November 1950.
Ballybay won their first piece of Senior silverware in spring of 1953 when they won the 1952 Owen Ward Cup. With Paddy McKearney as captain they won their first Senior Championship in 1953. This sparked a golden era for the club with Championships in 1954, 1957 and 1959. All with Paddy McKearney as captain. Jim O’Hanlon captained the 1962 Championship winning side and 1969 Sean McKearney led the Pearse Brothers to their 6th title.
In 1987, John Joe McKearney led Ballybay to their first title in 18 years. The club then endured an even longer wait before a team captained by Paul Finlay won the 2012 Championship.
Following several near misses, Eoin McKearney followed in the footsteps of his grandfather by captaining the club to a Senior Championship in 2022.
Ballybay have also won 8 Owen Ward Cups: 1952,1953,1973,1977,1986,2016,2017 and 2019.
The Club also won a Senior Hurling Championship in 1976.
Monaghan Senior Football Championship Titles : (9)
1953, 1954, 1957, 1959, 1962, 1969, 1987, 2012, 2022
Monaghan Senior Football League Titles: (8)
1952, 1953, 1973, 1977, 1986, 2016, 2017 and 2019
Monaghan Senior Hurling Championships: (1)
1976
Achievements
Winning Championship Teams
Football Championship
Sept 6th 1953, Emmet Park, Carrickmacross
Ballybay 2-8 v Donaghmoyne 0-6
C McQuade, A Smyth, P Duffy, P McNally, M Conlan, P McKearney (Capt), B Morgan, P Smyth, M Donohue, J Moen, N Ward, FN Duffy, D Ward, E McGahey, T McNally. Subs E Murphy for P Smyth
Scorers E McGahey 2-0, J Moen 0-5, P McKearney 0-2, N Ward 0-1.
Sept 12th 1954, St Mary’s Park, Castleblayney
Ballybay 2-9 v 0-5 Clontibret
C McQuade, A Smyth, W Morgan, T McNally, M Conlan, P McKearney (Capt), D Ward, P Smyth, E Murphy, J Moen, N Ward, FN Duffy, E Crean, E McGahey, P Duffy.
Scorers FN Duffy 2-1, J Moen 0-4, P Duffy 0-2, E Murphy 0-1, P Smyth 0-1.
October 13th 1957, St Mary’s Park, Castleblayney
Ballybay 1-8 v 0-4 Clontibret (Replay)
T McNally, J O’Hanlon, L Maguire, FN Duffy, M Conlan, P Duffy, D Ward, M Donohue, E Murphy, M McCaughey, J Moen, T McKearney, F Ward, N Ward, E McGahey. Subs K McBride, P Flynn, P Smyth, P Lynch, P Mohan, G Duffy.
Scorers J Moen 0-5, M McCaughey 1-0, F Ward 0-2, E Murphy 0-1.
October 11th, 1959. Pearse Park, Ballybay
Ballybay 3-7 v 0-5 Clontibret
T McNally, J O’Hanlon, T Duffy, P Flynn, S McKearney, P McKearney (Capt), D Ward, P Duffy, M McCaughey, P Smyth, N Ward, J Moen, M McEntee, P Ward, E McGahey. Subs FN Duffy for M McEntee
Scorers: J Moen 1-2, N Ward 0-3, FN Duffy 1-0, E McGahey 1-0, M McCaughey 0-1, P McKearney 0-1.
July 7th, 1963 (1962 Final) Gavan Duffy Park, Monaghan
Ballybay 1-10 v Castleblayney 1-7
T McNally, J O’Hanlon (Capt), D Ward, P Flynn, S McKearney, M O’Kane, E McAleer, M McCabe, J McCabe, J Moen, T Galligan, M Duffy, F Ward, P Duffy, C McCarthy. Subs D Marron, S O’Reilly, V Rutledge, M McEntee.
Scorers: J Moen 0-8, C McCarthy 1-0, P Duffy 0-1, F Ward 0-1.
Sept 21st, 1969. Emmet Park, Carrickmacross
Ballybay 3-5 v 0-5 Castleblayney
P McCarthy, O Cregan, F McNally, J O’Hanlon, P Kerr, E McAleer, S McKearney (Capt) , J McCabe, B Dowling, G Connolly, C McCarthy, K Duffy, T Pearse, T Campbell, B McCarthy.
Scorers: T Pearse 1-3, B McCarthy 2-0, C McCarthy 0-2.
Sept 13th, 1987, O’Neill Park, Clontibret.
Ballybay 0-9 v 0-4 Monaghan Harps (Replay)
D McGregor, P Linden, PJ Finlay, S O’Neill, M Keenan, JJ McKearney (Captain), C Hand, P Ward, J O’Connell, K Smyth, F Wright, M Pearse, T Ward, P Kerr, K Finlay. Subs F Smyth for K Smyth.
Scorers: K Finlay 0-3, P Kerr 0-2. M Pearse 0-2, F Wright 0-1, M Keenan 0-1.
October 14th 2012, St Tiernach’s Park, Clones
Ballybay 1-12 v 2-5 Clontibret
S Gorman, F Smyth, D Wylie, R Wylie, M McArdle, B McCabe, B Wylie, S McQuillan, T O’Neill, T Kerr, P Finlay (Captain), F McArdle, H Malone, C McGuinness, C Malone. Subs S McGuinness for C Malone, C McAviney for S McQuillan
Scorers: C Malone 1-1, P Finlay 0-4, C McGuinness 0-3, H Malone 0-2, S McQuillan 0-1, R Wylie 0-1.
October 16th 2022, St Tiernach’s Park, Clones
Ballybay 1-11 v 1-8 Scotstown
J Sniauksta, D Caraher, T Mc Skean, C Lennon, E McKearney(Captain), D Wylie, S Monaghan, A Toner, D Ward, T Kerr, S McGuinness, C Galligan, R Wylie, C McGuinness, P Finlay.
Scorers: D Ward 1-3, C McGuinness 0-4, T Kerr 0-1, P Finlay 0-1, E McKearney 0-1, S McGuinness 0-1 .
Hurling Championship:
Nov 21st 1976, Emmet Park, Carrickmacross
Ballybay 1-6 v Castleblayney 0-8
P McCarthy, K Duffy, J O’Brien (Capt), D McBride, J Curren, K Lonergan, D Connolly, P Kerr, T Freeman, W Connolly, M Lyons, J Kerr, B Geoghegan, M Drumm, E Condon.
Scorers: M Drumm 1-0, W Connolly 0-3, E Condon 0-2, P Kerr 0-1.