St Vincent's defender Ger Brennan is focused on creating a new history for the club

THERE'S BEEN a lot of talk lately about turning points for the St Vincent's football club and they've practically come full circle now, back in an All-Ireland final for the first time since 1985.

Beating Nemo Rangers in Croke Park next Monday would complete that circle, although the last turn could yet prove the hardest.

For many, the first turning point was winning the county under-21 title in 2004, which produced a fresh crop of players with potential to impact at senior level. Among that crop was Ger Brennan, who has now cemented himself as the St Vincent's centre back, and also as a member of the Dublin senior panel.

"That's where a lot of it started," reckons Brennan. "I played wing back on that team, that beat St Brigid's in the final, and that's still the nucleus of this team. Take our full back now, Eoin Brady, he was only a sub that day, but has progressed since then, and is doing really well."

The next turning point was losing last year's county final to UCD, which hurt so bad the entire club was determined to make amends: "Losing the previous year's final was a killer. We lost 0-9 to 0-8. That was the only time UCD went ahead . . . But that was a real blow to us. We sat down together a few weeks afterwards and decided what we'd do. We set out to win that county title, and anything after that would be a bonus."

Another turning point at that time was the club convincing Mickey Whelan to stay on as manager for another year. Brennan has a particularly close relationship with Whelan, and makes it quite clear the impact he has had in directing St Vincent's to the St Patrick's Day showdown.

"He's a legend. You just have to work with him, to give that justice. There's so much I could say about him. As a person though, he's incredible. I've had him since I was 16 with the Dublin development squads, before he took over the senior management here. He's a great influence, he knows so much about the game, and I think the time he was in charge of Dublin he was ahead of his time, because the stuff he's was doing then, everyone is doing now. His team talks are always very constructive, and he's very good at the mental side. He's done it all, and won it all."

Winning the Dublin title last October, the first since 1984, proved yet another turning point, and put St Vincent's in the mix for provincial honours.

Brennan believes they only realised that after the first-round win over Meath champions Seneschalstown, after a replay.

"We drew the first game, maybe after getting a little carried away after winning the county title for the first time in 23 years. We went out to win the replay, it was a hard, tough game, and I think the team spirit pulled us through. Against a team like Nemo we'll have to reproduce that, and more."

A couple more turning points - beating Portlaoise, and then Tyrrellspass in the Leinster final - set up the much-hyped All-Ireland semi-final against Crossmaglen, which saw St Vincent's produce arguably their best performance to date - and a perfectly executed game plan: "Definitely, but we knew coming out if they got any sort of lead we could be in trouble. We had to come out of the blocks nice and quick, get an early lead, and then defend that ourselves.

"But the management weren't long putting us back in our place afterwards . . . There's always the danger after beating a great team like Crossmaglen you might get carried away, but that isn't going to happen. We only have to look at Nemo Rangers. Seven All-Irelands - that's the bar all clubs aim for."

Nemo beat St Vincent's in their only previous All-Ireland clash, in 1973, after a replay - not that Brennan wants any reminding of the St Vincent's teams of that past.

"I've a pain in my backside hearing about the 1970s team, blah, blah, blah. We're trying to make our own history. That's what personally drives me on. I'm sick and tired of people talking about Jimmy Keaveney, who is a lovely man, and Jimmy knows that. It's just we want to make this part of the new St Vincent's."