The capture of two senior reserve football titles in 2010 demonstrated that 'blayney have a wealth of talent even if the SFC didn't pan out as desired.

When 'blayney won the O'Duffy Cup in 2009, sighs of relief from around the town could almost be heard out around Clontibret.
Beating the O'Neills in the final, says club coach Eddie Kelly, saw the senior reserve footballers hoist a huge monkey off the club's back.
"We'd been knocking on the door for so long, we were beginning to wonder whether the door would open at all," Kelly opines.
In 2010, the holders of the Reserve Football Championship seemed to be more relaxed, more happy in their own skin on the back of the '09 triumph.
Ironically, the Faughs clashed with their 2009 co-finalists Clontibret in the first round of the 2010 Cup competition. A repeat result ensued.
"Our target at the start of the year was to retain the championship and, from the word go, we set out to win every game and build up a head of steam.
"We had 28 players at our disposal at the start of the season and they all trained all year alongside the senior players which benefited both squads.
"I would say half of our reserve team had gained senior league or championship experience at some stage and that helped a lot in tight games.
"There was a good level of self-belief and confidence in the camp, mainly on the back of the 2009 title (win), and a good work ethic too.
"It didn't matter who the opposition was put in front of them, they would tackle back and were hungry and enthusiastic to do well for the team.
"And the fact that both the reserves and the seniors had long seasons meant that one squad was sort of driving on the other, encouraging them."
The cliche that 'it's hard to beat winning' came home to roost with the reserves in 2010. A momentum was built up from the start and maintained.
Donaghmoyne next came calling in the championship semi-final and were duly downed by dint of a gritty, no-nonsense 'blayney display.
"The lads played a lot of competitive games and, match by match, they seemed to get better and better and more up for the challenge."
A great team spirit was built up during the championship campaign. Kelly and Stephen Hanratty (joint-manager)'s expectations mushroomed.
"The team was doing consistently well as the year went on and each of the players knew that they couldn't afford to miss training because of that.
"There was good competition for places too which meant that the lads knew that if they didn't produce the goods on any given day."
The day of the final saw 'blayney conquer Tyholland by 2-14 to 2-9 at Clontibret. It was late July. The Faughs' good early start was key to their win.
The champions stormed their way to a 1-10 to 1-2 interval lead with all six forwards, both midfielders and two half backs getting the scores.
Ironically it was Tyholland who enjoyed a magical start after they netted just shy of the two minute mark. The challengers struck gold too early though.
The town team never looked like going for the panic button and a point apiece from Niall Duffy, Ray McArdle and Gerry Brady had the Faughs level.
In the 18th minute, 'blayney bagged their first goal when a Damien Hughes shot hit the crossbar and Peter Treanor pounced to punch the ball home.
Stephen McGeough and Niall Duffy then had a point apiece before the Tyholland 'keeper made a good save from a Marc McHugh goalbound shot.
In the run-up to half-time, Brian McGuinness became the 10th Faughs player to score as his side eased their way into an eight points half-time lead.
The early part of the second half was a real tit-for-tat affair until Tyholland stunned 'blayney with an unanswered 1-4.
Then the Faughs caught their breadth when strong Tyholland claims for a penalty were turned down by referee Kieran Mulligan (Aghabog).
Tyholland had better luck shortly afterwards when a 30 metre free went all the way to the net to really up the ante.
Blayney came back with a similarly soft score of their own though when Damien Hughes' centre was fisted to the net by Aidan Ward.
The Faughs retained the momentum from there to the long whistle with Damien Hughes putting the icing on the cake with a neat, final point.
The all-conquering Faughs team and subs who secured the O'Duffy Cup last July was: Pauric McNally; Marc McHugh, Kealan Duffy, Gareth Duffy; Peter Treanor (1-0), Stephen McGeough (0-1), Stephen Lynch; Brian McGuinness (0-1), Gary Ward (0-2); Ray McArdle (0-1), Niall Duffy (0-2), Damien Hughes (0-2); Gerry Brady (0-1), Aidan Ward (1-1), Brendan McElroy (0-3).
Subs used; Fergal Duffy; Jim McHugh; Mark Treanor.
The Faughs' fitness and will-to-win was shown up to the full the following September when the squad clinched the league title with a 2-10 to 0-8 win in the final over Clontibret in Inniskeen.
"We started most games well and it was no different in the league final," Eddie explains. "The lads were on a high after winning the championship and beating Scotstown in the league semi-final and, once again, they hit the ground running in the (league) final."
A Niall Duffy goal in the 2nd minute put the Faughs on their way and when Damien Hughes and the aforementioned Duffy quickly added points, an air of inevitability began to weave its way over the arena.
Clontibret opened their account in the 10th minute but with Gareth Duffy and Kealan Duffy marshalling the defence superbly and Aidan Ward causing huge problems up front, 'blayney went onto stretch their lead with points from Niall Duffy (two), Damien Hughes, Aidan Ward and Gary Ward.
Ahead by 1-7 to 0-4 at half-time, 'blayney found little difficulty in retaining their cushioned lead thereafter.
Although the second half was an evenly contested affair, the game was put to bed in the 51st minute when Aidan Ward notched an opportunist goal after good work by Gerry Brady.
The 'blayney juniors who beat Clontibret in the Junior B league final were: Pauric McNally; Kealan Duffy, Jim McHugh, Stephen Lynch; Gareth Duffy, Stephen McGeough, Peter Treanor; Gary Ward (0-2), Brian McGuinness; Ray McArdle, Niall Duffy (1-3), Marc McHugh; Damien Hughes (0-4), Aidan Ward (1-1), Gerry Brady.
Subs used; Pauric Greene; Paddy Conlon; Barry Hughes.

Seniors out of luck
The old Irish proverb of 'Tus maith, leath an oibre' didn't quite ring true for the Faughs at senior level in 2010.
For while the club's premier football squad ran riot as they walloped Drumhowan (1-22 to 0-7) in their opening round SFC tie, it wasn't quite plain sailing after that.
Even though the team was slightly understrength, the merit of their winning margin first time out couldn't have been questioned. It was classy and clinical.
In a game played in Ballybay in late August, the Faughs had racked up 1-10 before their opponents managed to open their account in the 24th minute.
Between the 6th and 15th minutes, 'blayney produced some of their best football of the day as they notched 1-4 without reply with the goal coming from the boot of Patrick Tavey in the 14th minute.
Castleblayney kept their feet on the gas thereafter and went 13 points in front as Drumhowan desperately sought to break their scoring duck.
Eventually the chasing team got through for a couple of points but their cause at half time looked hopeless as they trailed by 0-4 to 1-11.
At the start of the final quarter, 'blayney were once again 13 points in front but by the long whistle, that gap grew to a whopping 18 points as the Faughs won pulling up.
From the winners' group, 'blayney took on Scotstown in the next round and, in a tight finish, eased over the finishing line winners by 0-10 to 1-5.
The Faughs were arguably at their best in the second half during which time they held their arch rivals to just a single point.
The winners were much more efficient with their possession with Martin McElroy and Keith Hill particularly accurate in front of goal.
Castleblayney had five points on the board before Scotstown opened their account but 'blayney lost their way thereafter and conceded 1-4 without replying to go from being five in front to being two adrift, 0-5 to 1-4, at half-time.
Slowly but surely 'blayney began to exert their superiority and after Martin McElroy fired over the equaliser in the 44th minute, a point from Adrian Irwin and Keith Hill eased the town team two points in front with 10 minutes left to play.
From there to the finish, Scotstown made 'blayney work for their lead but with admirable resolve and determination the Faughs held firm to get over the finishing line in pole position.
Sadly that was as good as it got for 'blayney as they crashed thereafter in the semi-final to would-be champions, Clontibret, going down by 0-11 to 0-18 in Inniskeen.
Once again the Faughs enjoyed the better of the early exchanges against their opponents with points from Ciaran Hanratty and Martin McElroy edging them into an early lead.
However by the end of the opening quarter, Clontibret had managed to gain parity before 'blayney spurned two golden goal chances to undermine their challenge.
Clontibret hit four points on the trot but a late rally which saw them notch points from Keith Hill (two) and team-mate Dermot Malone left 'blayney just two points, 0-6 to 0-8, adrift at half-time.
However the champions-elect fired over four points to 'blayney's solitary one (Hill) in a quick-fire start to the second half.
Behind by five points midway through the second half, 'blayney needed a goal to get back on terms but while Ciaran Hanratty and Martin McElroy both got through for points, it wasn't nearly enough to derail Clontibret's challenge.
And so the Faughs will have to wait 'till at least 2011 to get their hands on the Mick Duffy Cup.
Seven years and counting . . . Tweet

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