Truagh maintain their senior status
December 31, 2009Fate proved a major element in the club's progress throughout the year, as they were pitted against two of the best teams in the county in the Championship, thus making an exit after two defeats, while a poor opening half to their league campaign left them with a mountain to climb when it came to the second half of that Owen Ward Cup competition. At one stage they were even languishing much closer to the relegation zone than they had wanted, but a storming Autumn period saw them score a fine run of successes in quick succession and climb, not just safe from the relegation area, but not so far off the heels of the 'Top Four' qualifiers. A bit more concentration, plus a kindlier smile from 'Lady Luck' in the earlier games, would certainly have ensured that they might even have been contesting a League semi-final come September-October, but the effort came too late and they had to be content with a case of 'so near and yet so far'. They are hardly likely to make the same mistake in future competitions.
The Championship
The Championship draws were most unkind to Truagh, as they were pitted against Castleblayney in the very first round, and, as everyone in Monaghan knows, the 'Mighty Faughs' are always one of the leading contenders when it comes to the Monaghan County Championship, holding more titles than all the other senior clubs in the county combined. The 'day of reckoning' came at O'Neill Park, Clontibret on Saturday 30th May, when they ran up against a rampant Castleblayney outfit that gave every indication that they were hell-bent on taking the Monaghan Football crown for the umpteenth time. They had 37 titles under their belts and 'number 38' was their intention, especially since it had been six years since their last success. With Declan Loughman in charge of the Faughs, Truagh knew full well that they were really up against it - and so it proved. As one reporter later wrote: 'Truagh had a real baptism of fire in their first Mick Duffy Cup contest since their promotion'.
Despite enjoying some early supremacy, Truagh missed too many opportunities to put themselves in front and build a platform on which they might provide a real challenge to the ultimate winners, but chances were lost and the mid-county town side soon took the reins in their hands and established a stranglehold on their northern opponents that prevented any hopes of a major upset. It was 'Blayney, in fact, that took the early lead and sent over three points before Truagh had really settled. A quarter of the game had already passed before Noel Clerkin fisted over a point to open their account and put his side back in the game. That score gave Truagh the encouragement they needed and, in a great attack, they were rewarded with a penalty when the 'Blayney goalkeeper fouled Mark Counihan, who then duly stepped up and coolly sent the ball to the net to give Truagh the lead for the first, but only time, in the game.
That score really stung the Faughs, however, and they came storming back to re-assert their dominance, and they held a commanding lead at the interval. The second half began exactly where the first one had ended, with 'Blayney sending over points before Truagh finally got back on track per Noel Clerkin. Martin Owens came into the Truagh side and immediately established his presence with a well taken point. Midway though this period Truagh were awarded a second penalty and Mark Counihan again obliged by sending the ball beyond the keeper's reach, a score that really revived Truagh hopes but, unfortunately, it was the Castleblayney men who responded and again took command. The margin was now much too steep for Truagh to overcome, but a late goal and a point form their top scorer Counihan took the bad look off the score-board and the final tally read:- Castleblayney 2-18, Truagh 3-5.
Truagh had lined out: Ian Treanor, Rory Treanor, Niall Feely, Mike Treanor, Damien McRory, Keith Sheerin, Justin Halligan, Niall McMeel, Neil McRory, John Treanor, Daniel Finnegan, Noel Coyle, Paddy Finnegan, Noel Clerkin (0-3) and Mark Counihan (3-1). Subs used - Martin Owens (0-1) and Darren Todd.
The 'back door' now beckoned, and Truagh were determined to recover from that first unfortunate outing and duly did so when they were drawn against Doohamlet, a side that had been struggling somewhat in senior ranks and would eventually be relegated to the Intermediate grade for next year. Truagh were in no mood for sympathy, however, and duly went on to record a magnificent 3-14 to 1-8 victory over the mid-county team at Gavan Duffy Park, Monaghan, on Sunday 9th August.
This turned out to be a rather one sided contest and was really over by the halfway mark when Truagh led by a massive thirteen points, 2-9 to 0-2. Doohamlet made a spirited recovery in the third quarter, but Truagh were never really in any danger and soon took matters into their own hands again, dominating the remainder of the game to finish very convincing winners. They had lined out: Ian Treanor, Mike Treanor, Niall Feely, Rory Treanor, Damien McRory, Keith Sheerin (0-1), Niall Coyle, Neil McRory (1-3), Gary Feely, Niall McMeel, John Treanor (1-0), Justin Halligan, Martin Owens (0-1), Noel Clerkin (0-4) and Mark Counihan (1-3). Subs used: Daniel Finnegan (0-2), Alan McKenna, Paul Donaghue, and Darren Todd.
That was probably one of Truagh's best performances of the season, but they knew full well that they could not read much into it, as their Doohamlet opponents had failed to live up to expectations following their promotion to senior ranks and would duly prove to be out of their depth in the top division. The next hurdle would be a much tougher one, and this proved to be very much the case, as they now had to face the 'team of the moment', Clontibret, who would eventually capture the Mick Duffy Cup and County title and go on to do well in the provincial championship.
This clash with the current giants of Monaghan football took place at Scotstown in mid-August and turned out to be an absorbing contest. Truagh seemed to be out of their depth for most of the game, but an amazing recovery in the final ten minutes rattled the Clontibret side and almost snatched victory. Truagh were ten points in arrears at that stage, and it looked as if only a miracle could save them, but that miracle very nearly happened, with Truagh scoring two goals and three points in quick succession to reduce the margin to four points and give the O'Neills the fright of their lives. It was not a matter of the winners taking their eye off the ball - it was really a pointer that, had Truagh shown the same grit and determination throughout the preceding fifty minutes, the result could have been very much different.
Clontibret were first to score but Mark Counihan equalised. However, that was as near as Truagh ever got. The eventual winners came with a flurry of points, but Truagh should have had a better return, with wasteful opportunities costing them dearly. By half-time Clontibret were in the lead, 0-9 to 0-2. Clontibret went further ahead on resuming to lead by ten points, a margin that still separated the sides at the three-quarters stage. And still ten points adrift with ten minutes left, Truagh suddenly came to life, and a thumping 1-4 in the space of five minutes suddenly put a completely different complexion on the game. Truagh were back in business, but Clontibret regained their composure and, after scores were swapped, Truagh came with another goal and suddenly the game was wide open. The deficit was now reduced to two and Truagh supporters were rising to give their men the support they deserved. Clontibret, however, held their nerve and eventually finished in front by 0-18 to 2-8, but visibly rattled by that amazing Truagh recovery.
Truagh's line-out read: Ian Treanor, Rory Treanor (1-0), Niall Feely, Mike Treanor, Damien McRory, Keith Sheerin, Niall Coyle, Neil McRory (0-2), Gary Feely, Niall McMeel, John Treanor (0-2), Justin Halligan, Daniel Finnegan (0-2), Noel Clerkin (1-1) and Mark Counihan (0-1). Sub used: Darren Todd.
Thus ended Truagh's Championship hopes, but spirits had really been lifted by that amazing concluding recovery against the ultimate champions, and this would prove the springboard for their equally amazing recovery in the league competition, which they also finished with a flourish.
The League
The opening games in the league were all against Farney opponents, with a long journey to the southernmost point of the county for starters. That trip to Magheracloone on Sunday 5th April was something of a 'baptism of fire', and a really tough start for any team, and so it proved for Truagh, as the home side won by 0-14 to 0-8. This was followed by a visit from Carrickmacross, who came to St. Mellan's on Sat. 18th April and returned southwards with a 0-20 to 0-10 victory under their belts. The remarkable coincidence here was that in those two meetings with teams from the 'deep south' not a single goal had been scored, but an amazing total of fifty-two points.
Then came the third clash in succession with a Farney squad when Inniskeen came as visitors on Sunday 3rd May, but this time Truagh stopped the rot and recorded their first win in the league with a deserved, if narrow, victory by 1-9 to 1-8. Unfortunately, this was followed by defeat when they made the short trip to Scotstown on Wed. 6th May, but lost by 0-14 to 2-5. A visit to Doohamlet was to follow but this one was postponed as the Championship intervened.
Despite the disappointing result against Castleblayney in the Senior Championship, Truagh then gave one of their best performances of the year, as well as providing probably the greatest shock of the season, when they humbled the mighty Clontibret, then at the top of the table and ultimately County Champions for 2009. Noteworthy too, was the fact that the game was on Clontibret's home plot on Sunday 7th June, with Truagh winning convincingly by 1-11 to 0-5. This was Truagh's only second win of the season but they proved beyond doubt that they were still one of the strongest senior teams in the county, as Clontibret were practically at full strength but simply had to play second fiddle to the rampant Truagh men.
A great start to this one, which saw them lead by 1-7 to no score, was the foundation on which Truagh built up a great victory, leading by 1-7 to 0-1 at the interval and then withstanding a fierce fight-back by the O'Neills in the second period. This was surely Truagh's greatest achievement of the year and that team deserves to be recalled. It read: M. Treanor, Ml. Treanor, N. Feely, J. Halligan, D. McRory (0-1), R. Treanor, N. Coyle, N. McRory, N. McMeel (0-2), K. Sheerin, D. Finnegan (0-1), P. Treanor, M. Owens (0-1), N. Clerkin (1-3) and J. Treanor (0-2). Sub - C. Treanor (0-1).
That performance proved very encouraging to Truagh and they were most unlucky to lose by the narrowest of margins the following Saturday when they were defeated, 1-4 to 0-6, by Ballybay. Played at St. Mellan's, Truagh had lined out: B. Treanor, M. Treanor, N. Feely, N. Coyle (0-1), J. Halligan, D. McRory (0-1), R. Treanor, N. McRory (0-2), N. McMeel, K. Sheerin (0-1), J. Treanor (0-1), P. Treanor, C. Treanor, D. Finnegan and M. Counihan. Subs used: D. Todd, G. Feely, P. Donaghue and M. Owens.
This was followed by a fully deserved draw with championship kingpins Castleblayney on Friday 19th June when the final tally read - Castleblayney 0-16, Truagh 2-10. Truagh showed little change from the two previous outings and read:- A. Treanor, M. Treanor, N. Feely, D. Todd (1-0), N. Coyle, D. McRory, R. Treanor, G. Feely, N. McMeel, K. Sheerin, N. McRory (0-5), J. Treanor (1-0), G. Meehan (0-3), D. Finnegan and J. Halligan (0-1). Subs used: M. Counihan (0-1) and B. Treanor. Castleblayney had led by 0-7 to 1-3 at the halfway stage.
Things were simply not going Truagh's way at this stage and the second half of the league opened with a defeat at home to Magheracloone by 0-6 to1-11, on Wed. 24th June. But they made up for this when they travelled to Carrickmacross on Wed.1st July and scored a well deserved 0-16 to 0-13 win over the Farney capital outfit. A second draw with Castleblayney followed on Wednesday 8th July, when Truagh once again proved that they were a match for the best, the game ending level at 1-12 each.
Draws were now becoming something of the norm with Truagh as they then drew with Inniskeen, 0-13 each, when the sides met at Inniskeen on Wed. 15th July. Points were now extremely valuable to Truagh as they were too close to the relegation zone for comfort, and it took a last minute point from Gary Meehan to make sure that they took one of the brace home with them on this occasion. They had lined out: Ian Treanor, Rory Treanor, Niall Feely, Darren Todd, Damien McRory, Keith Sheerin (0-1), Niall Coyle, Neil McRory (0-4), Gary Feely, Pauric Treanor, Niall McMeel, Daniel Finnegan, Martin Owens, Noel Clerkin (0-4) and Mark Counihan (0-1). Sub: Gary Meehan (0-3).
The remaining Championship games then intervened with a big win over Doohamlet, but defeat (and exit) to Clontibret. Back to the League on 23rd August and a hard earned win over fellow strugglers Doohamlet at the latter venue on a final scoreline of Truagh 1-6, Doohamlet 0-8. Team and scorers read: Ian Treanor, Darren Todd, Niall Feely, Rory Treanor, Damien McRory, Keith Sheerin (0-1), Niall Coyle, Gary Feely, Neil McRory, John Treanor (0-1), Niall McMeel, Daniel Finnegan (1-0), Noel Clerkin (0-2), Mark Counihan (0-2) and Paddy Finnegan. Subs used: Mike Treanor, Gary Meehan and Justin Halligan.
They followed this up with a thoroughly deserved 1-11 to 1-7 victory over the eventual League winners, Scotstown, at St. Mellan's on Sunday 30th August - again probably one of their best performances of the year. In other words, Truagh had beaten both Championship and League winners in the same season. That indeed was something to be proud of and the team is well worth recording: Ian Treanor, Rory Treanor, Niall Feely, Mike Treanor, Damien McRory, Keith Sheerin, Niall Coyle (0-1), Gary Feely, Neil
McRory (0-3), Justin Halligan, John Treanor, Niall McMeel (0-1), Noel Clerkin (0-5), Daniel Finnegan (1-0) and Mark Counihan. Subs - Gary Meehan (0-1) and Martin Treanor.
Truagh were now six points clear of the bottom and had three remaining games, and when they defeated Latton by 2-7 to 0-11 at the Lattton venue on Sunday 6th September, they were assured of maintaining their senior status. Had they dropped down to the Intermediate grade it would have been a travesty of justice, as they were very definitely senior team material and had proved themselves so, especially with those two great victories over County Champions Clontibret, and over League winners Scotstown - games that really mattered when it came to the crunch. Tweet
