Moorefield GAA

History

Folklore records that in 1882 two brothers, John O'Kelly of Moorefield Road and James O'Kelly of Ballymany were instrumental in forming the first football team in Newbridge. Calling themselves the JJ O'Kellys they played matches against Mountrice, Eyrefield, Monasterevin, Kildare town and Milltown. In 1884, when the GAA was formed, the club changed its name from JJ O'Kelly's to Moorefield, the name of a townland in southern Newbridge.

RIC records from 1890 show that Moorefield JJ O'Kelly's had 100 members with Founding member's listed as Micheal and Patrick Behan, James Callaghan, John Langton, Thomas Lannery and John Dixon. John Murphy attended the 1889 convention. Moorefield were involved in the revival attempts of 1896 and 1901, and the Moorefield tournament was a highlight of the calendar in the early years of the century, forming an unofficial trial for the team that played in the 1903 All Ireland final.

Gaelic football

Long the poor relations of Newbridge football, beside Roseberry, St. Conleth's and late Sarsfields, Moorefield's only county final appearance was by default in 1902. When their free-taker, Jim Scott, and three Fitzgeralds transferred to Roseberry for the 1903 championship and went on to play in the 1903 and 1905 All Ireland finals, Moorefield stepped down to junior ranks in 1905 from which they re-emerged in 1932. Promoted to senior after an Intermediate final appearance against Maynooth in 1957, they proved by winning a treble of Leader Cups, 1958–1960 (in fact they won the 1958 competition after they had won the 1959 and 1960 titles), that they could indeed match the best in senior football with the likes of Jimmy Dowling, Paddy Anderson, Denis Craddock, Jim and John Cummins, Jim McDermott, Joe Moran, Paddy Moore, Toss McCarthy Harry Fay and Darrell Edmonds on the team. Moorefield were beaten by Carbury in the county semi-final in 1960, and were only eliminated from the 1961 quarter-final in a replay. The 1962 county semi-final between Moorefield and Kilcock resulted in a bitter objection and three replays before Moorefield qualified for the final and duly beat Kilcullen in a one-sided final the following May. Moorefield, still in shape after a wintertime of semi-finals, stormed ahead with the help of a 14th minute Harry Fay goal, led 1–6 to 0–2 at half-time, and another from Robert Clinton at the three-quarters was only of statistical value. The Moorefield midfield that day was influential with both Paddy Moore and Paddy Anderson in fine form. Moorefield won out easy winners, 2–11 to 0–2 to claim their first Kildare Senior Football Championship title. Carbury then defeated Moorefield in the 1965 final.

Moorefield re-emerged in the 1990s. A run of success that started with the minor championship of 1989(Under the name Pollardstown) and two more Leinster Leader Cups in 1994 and 1996 culminated in three successive finals 2000–2002, two of which were won. In 2000 Moorefield beat Kilcock by 2–13 to 2–7 after goals from Cian O'Neill and gave them a 2–10 to 0–1 lead at half-time. Sarsfields overhauled Moorefield towards the end of the 2001 final in a closely contested decider to win 0–10 to 0–8. In 2002 Moorefield won their third title, beating near neighbours Sarsfields 1–8 to 0–6 thanks to a Ronan Sweeney penalty seconds into the second half. Moorefield were defeated in two Leinster club semi-final, by O'Hanrahan's 0–12 to 0–11 in 2000 and by Mattock Rangers by 3–13 to 2–10 in 2002.

The glory days of Moorefield, and indeed Newbridge football rose to a higher plane in 2006, when The Moors beat Allenwood in the Kildare Senior Football Championship final, which lead on to a first Leinster Senior Club Football Championship victory for the town, beating Rhode of Offaly on a wind-swept Sunday in December in the aptly named O'Moore Park, County Laois. They were decisive victors, on a day that all present hoped would lead to a clear-cut rather than a marginal victory. It proved to be so, with a final score of 3 goals and 6 points (15 points) to 8 points for Rhode.

The club enjoys a particularly bittersweet rivalry with town neighbours Sarsfields, and as their respective fortunes rise and fall each side can be trusted to support the other, and indeed enjoy each other's fortune. In 2007 they won the Kildare Senior Football Championship for the second year running, beating Sarsfields.

Hurling

Moorefield's 1–10 to 0–3 victory over Broadford in the 1963 county final bridged a twenty-year gap for Moorefield. Davey Dennis captained the team, Mick Leahy scored 0–7 of the total, Billy Quinn came on as substitute to score the goal, and Ned Goff, Jim Barker, Harry Fay, Colm Ruffley, Paddy Moore, Tom O'Connell and Stephen Schwer all collected medals as a result of the victory over a much-changed Broadford team. Moorefields most well-known hurler of all time would be Mick Maloney.

Moorefield won their third senior title in 1991 beating Coil Dubh in a replay, with the McMullen and Murray families making up six of the starting fifteen. Moorefield went on to represent Kildare in the Leinster Hurling Championship. They played Longford Slashers in the first round, which also went to a replay, then took on the mighty Birr in the next round.

Moorefield won the replayed 2010 Intermediate Hurling Championship against Naas, 1–13 to 0–11 in Celbridge. The replay was an entertaining and hard fought game between both sides at St. Conleths park ending on a score of 1–11 a piece, leaving the title to be decided for a later date. On the day Moorefield dominated the majority of the game, Moorefield led 0–10 0–07 at the interval. A goal from a 21-yard free in front of the goal by Gavin Sunderland put the Moores 6 points in front midway through the 2nd half. Moorefield defended like their life depended on it in the last few moments to keep a tremendous fight back from Naas from scoring any inspirational goals. Moorefield will now contest in the Senior ranks for 2011.

Honours

Inter County Players