For Gaeil Triucha, 2010 was like the proverbial 'Curate's egg' - good in parts and bad in others. For a team that surely ranks among the top half dozen leading senior sides within the county, it was surprising to find them fighting a relegation battle towards the end of the season, despite the fact that they had actually lowered the colours of both the eventual senior county champions and the senior county finalists during the course of their league campaign. By Seamus McCluskey. 

Unfortunately, they had to start the championship race minus some of their 'leading lights', and this led to a rather disappointing opener, when they fell to county finalists, Magheracloone, at Ballybay on 22nd August. As far as Truagh was concerned, this was a really a forgettable performance, as they had a dismal first half, failing to register even a single score in the opening thirty minutes, a situation that they very rarely, if ever, found themselves in previously. It was actually five minutes into the second period before they eventually got their name on the scoreboard with a point from Neil McRory. This brought some much needed encouragement and, from there to the end, they showed something of their true form, with another four points coming from Neil McRory again, Daniel McKenna, Mark Counihan and substitute Sean McKenna.
Truagh had lined out for that one as follows: Anthony Treanor, Niall Coyle, Rory Treanor, Darren Todd, John McCarron, Niall McQuillan, Pauric Treanor, Neil McRory, Barry Cuddy, John Treanor, Daniel McKenna, Niall McMeel, Mark Counihan, Alan McKenna and Daniel Finnegan. Subs: Sean McKenna and Christopher McKenna.
This meant a trip through the 'back door' and this time the players in the red-and-black did not disappoint. Faced by old rivals Monaghan Harps, they made sure that the opening half would be a far cry from the first thirty minutes against Magheracloone, with a brace of goals coming from Mark Counihan and Noel Clerkin putting them in the driving seat and setting them up for a comfortable four points victory, on a final scoreline of Truagh 2-10 Monaghan Harps 1-9. This was a truly remarkable turn around for Truagh as they had previously lost both their senior league games to the same opponents some weeks earlier. 
Harps may have been the hot favourites, but Truagh showed scant regard for the 'underdogs' tag, with promoted minors Daniel and Padraig McKenna, along with Barry Cuddy, Rory Treanor, Keith Sheerin and Noel Clerkin all finding top form in this under lights game at Emyvale in September. Noel Clerkin led the way when he opened the scoring with a well taken free in the opening minutes. They were rocked for a short period when the county town side replied with a goal and a point, but recovered wonderfully with Daniel McKenna and Noel Clerkin cutting the margin to the minimum with well taken scores. Mark Counihan's goal followed to give them the lead and Noel Clerkin was seen at his best, with a pointed free and Truagh's second goal right on the stroke of half-time, to see the Gaels go into the dressing room ahead by 2-5 to 1-2.
Six points ahead at the interval, a very even second half saw Truagh adding to their total, with points coming from Daniel McKenna, Daniel Finnegan, Barry Cuddy,  John Treanor and Daniel McKenna again, in that order, to finish very deserving winners by 2-10 to 1-9.  What a difference it was from the Magheracloone game. 
On this occasion Truagh lined out: Anthony Treanor, Niall McQuillan, Rory Treanor, Keith Sheerin, Niall Coyle, Damien McRory, Padraig McKenna, Neil McRory, Barry Cuddy, Daniel Finnegan, John Treanor, Niall McMeel, Daniel McKenna, Noel Clerkin and Mark Counihan. Subs: Niall Feely, Pauric Treanor, Martin Owens and Sean McKenna. 
This win put Truagh back in the race for the quarter-final stages, but they had the misfortune to be drawn against the reigning and future county champions, Clontibret, an unenviable task for any club. Emyvale was again the venue and the date was Friday 17th September.  This turned out to be a highly entertaining encounter with Truagh giving as good as they got, to run the county's top team to four points, 1-12 to 1-8. It was quite a creditable performance against the side that would later represent Monaghan in the Ulster Club Championships. 
Although they were led by three points at the halfway mark Truagh had created enough chances during the opening half, when a little more luck would have left them enter the dressing rooms on level terms. Noel Clerkin opened Truagh's account after ten minutes to be followed by one from Neil McRory. McRory was again on the mark, with Mark Counihan adding another a minute later. McRory had Truagh's final point of the opening thirty minutes and the teams went for their half-time rest on a scoreline of Clontibret 1-5 Truagh 0-5. Clontibret controlled the early stages of the second half but a converted 45 by Keith Sheerin revived Truagh hopes. Mark Counihan came with a point and the Truagh goal came from substitute Daniel McKenna. Unfortunately, some great chances were lost at this stage and their final score came in injury time from the sure foot of Noel Clerkin. Thus ended their Championship hopes for another year.
The line-out on that occasion was: Anthony Treanor, Niall Coyle, Rory Treanor, Niall Feely, Keith Sheerin, Damien McRory, Niall McQuillan, Neil McRory, Barry Cuddy, Daniel Finnegan, John Treanor, Pauric Treanor, Mark Counihan, Noel Clerkin and Niall McMeel. Subs: Daniel McKenna, Padraig McKenna, Darren Todd and Sean McKenna.   
The League campaign is perhaps better forgotten as it was Truagh's poorest league performance for many years, ending with a dog-fight to avoid relegation, but avoid it they did - and in very convincing fashion in the end-up, showing quite clearly that they should never have been in the relegation zone in the first place. Their very first outing on Wednesday 14th April had ended with a 1-7 to 0-7 defeat when they travelled to Scotstown.
That bad beginning was continued the following Sunday when they lost to Latton by 1-12 to 0-6, and their score-getters on this occasion were - Noel Clerkin (0-3), Niall Coyle, Gary Feely and Niall McMeel (0-1 each). Things improved, however, when they recorded their first win by defeating Ballybay by 2-9 to 1-8 the following Wednesday, 21st April, but it was back to 'square one' when they lost to Carrickmacross by 0-9 to 0-7 the next week-end. Adding to their woes was yet another defeat a week later when they went under to future county champions, Clontibret, 0-14 to 0-8. They had a dreadful start to this encounter when they found themselves six points in arrears by the 17th minute, and the same again (0-9 to 0-3) at the interval. Truagh were now languishing in joint bottom place of the League Table (along with Drumhowan), with only one victory from five games. April was a month better forgotten.
Even at this early stage it was obvious that they would eventually find themselves in trouble, and yet another defeat, this time by Castleblayney, 1-10 to 0-4, at St. Mellan's Park on Saturday 8th May only confirmed this. Several leading players were still absent through injury.
It was really a 'mixed grill' affair from there on, with the opening round of the Championship intervening, but a draw with Ballybay on Sunday 4th July showed signs of a comeback. This became obvious when they recorded one of their finest victories of the entire League campaign, a 1-9 to 1-8 win over the future County Champions, Clontibret, at St. Mellan's Park on Wednesday 21st July. Truagh showed a far greater determination on this occasion and an inspired first half saw them lead by five points at the interval.    The second half saw the improvement continue and they gallantly held off a stiff late challenge from Clontibret to survive by a single point.  This victory, especially over such exalted opposition, would inspire the side with much greater confidence for the remaining games in the competition.
Unfortunately a defeat by Castleblayney in the last game before the summer 'break' was not very encouraging, although Truagh played far better then the final score-line of  2-13 to 2-10 might suggest. A truly gallant display deserved a better result. On the resumption of activities they were dealt a major blow when they lost to Monaghan Harps in mid-August, the final score-line of 3-16 to 3-6 showing just how disappointing a performance it was, despite the fact that they had opened the scoring and led by 2-2 to no score by the 13th minute, but a second half collapse let the opposition through for three goals in the space of five minutes. The return game with the Harps saw a similar reversal, but this time by the much narrower margin of two points, 0-14 to 1-9. 
It was now a matter of life and death but Truagh were thrown a real life-line when they had county finalists Magheracloone as visitors and recorded a well deserved, if narrow, one point victory over the South Monaghan side in September. It was still now a relegation battle, with Truagh sharing second place from the bottom with Clontibret, but the O'Neills went on to win the Championship which kept them safe from relegation, and this left it a two horse race between Truagh and Carrickmacross to see who would join Drumhowan in the drop to Intermediate ranks for next year. A good win over bottom placed Drumhowan in the penultimate game was followed by the vital 'do-or-die' clash with Carrickmacross which came on 31st October when Truagh had to win by a minimum of three points, but the side rose magnificently to the occasion and secured their place in senior ranks for another year with a most impressive six points winning margin. It was no better than Truagh deserved, as they are truly one of the county's leading sides, and it would have been nothing short of tragedy had they been relegated.  
Football honours in 2010, however, could not elude Truagh, and it was their magnificent minor team that brought these to the club by retaining their Division One League title.   A highly successful run through the League competition from 'day one' saw them overcome Clontibret by 4-12 to 0-7 in the League Final at Scotstown with this team:      Niall Rooney, Fergal O'Neill, Seamus Treanor, Christopher Curran, Eoghan Kelly, John McCarron (1-0), John McAnanley, Darren McClennaghan, Padraig McKenna (0-1), Christopher McKenna (0-2), Brendan Treanor (0-2), Adam Treanor (1-0), Niall Skinnader (0-1), Daniel McKenna (0-4) and Sean McKenna (2-2). Subs: Christopher Meehan, Jarlath Treanor, Barry Todd, Sean O'Brien and Darragh McGinn.   
Nor were the hurlers to be outdone as they captured the Silver Hill Foods Senior Hurling Championship Shield title, defeating Clontibret by 1-15 to -8 in the Final at Emyvale - the first ever Hurling title to come to the club. 
Their winning team read: Noel Farrelly, Shane Todd, Proinsias McKenna, John Treanor, Brian Connolly, Niall Cadden, Conor McKenna, Niall Coyle (0-3), John McAnespie, Ryan McKenna, Pat O'Connell (0-9), Kieran McKenna, Niall Feely, Aidan Coyle (0-2) and Conor McGinnitty (1-0). Subs: Daniel McKenna (0-1), Shane McClave and Damian McCarron. Tweet

Most Read Stories