When interviewed for the Monaghan GAA Yearbook two years ago, team mentor Seamus McMeel stated that it was within the scope of Truagh to win the SFC in the next three or four years. His words may have sounded a little over optimistic at the time, but most Monaghan football followers have now come to the realisation that the most northerly club in the county does really stand more than a 50-50 chance of achieving McMeel's claim. Gone are the days when it was only Scotstown or Clontibret that could provide a serious challenge to the men from 'Blayney, writes Seamus McCluskey. In the Millennium year, Truagh deservedly won their way into the County Final only to run up against a superb Faughs team in the final at St Tiernach's Park, Clones in September 2000. Defeat by a mere four points on that occasion was certainly no disgrace and the Truagh players learnt quite a lot from the experience ... an experience that stood them in good stead when they stepped out in the 2001 County Championship. Having reached that senior championship final for the first time ever in their history in 2000, Truagh were faced by Inniskeen in the opening round of the 2001 championship. Inniskeen were a confident side as they had come up from intermediate ranks, having won both the McCormack Cup (championship) and Hackett Cup (League) the previous year and were going quite well for themselves in the senior league. The venue for this one was O'Neill Park in Clontibret and the date was Saturday 19th May at 8pm. Truagh had begun to pick up form in the league following an indifferent opening and a recent win over Magheracloone at St Mellan's suggested that they were in the right frame of mind approaching the championship. It turned out to be a much closer affair than most people had expected and only a point separated the sides at the close, but Truagh were on the right side of the final scoreline, which read Truagh 0-13, Inniskeen 0-12, the winning score coming in injury time from the unerring boot of Paul Donoghue. Truagh had to line out without Pauric Treanor and there were injury worries hanging over several other players. Their scorers were Gary Meehan 0-5, Noel Clerkin 0-3, Paul Donaghue 0-3, Martin Owens 0-1 and Cathal Sherlock 0-1 and they lined out as follows - Damien McKenna, Adrian Sherry, Sean Treanor, Rory Treanor, Damien MacRory, Dermot McKenna, Paddy Kelly, Gary Meehan, Kieran Feely, Mark Counihan, Colin Kelly, Cathal Sherlock, Noel Clerkin, Martin Owens and Paul Donaghue. Subs used: Colm MacRory and Mark Kelly. Next came a quarter final meeting with old rivals Clontibret at St Mary's Park, Scotstown on Sunday 29th July, but this time defeat was their fate as Clontibret ran out four points winners on a scoreline of Clontibret 0-12, Truagh 0-8. Pauric Treanor was back for this one but had to retire injured during the course of the hour. Scorers on this occasion were: Noel Clerkin 0-4, Colm McRory 0-3 and Mark Kelly 0-1 and the team was: Damien McKenna, Patrick Kelly, Trevor Kelly, Rory Treanor, Damien McRory, Brendan McKenna, Dermot McKenna, Mark Kelly, Kieran Feely, Martin Owens, Colin Kelly, Kevin Treanor, Pauric Treanor, Noel Clerkin and Colm MacRory. Subs used: Michael Murphy, Stephen Kelly and Cathal Sherlock. All was not lost, however, as the 'back door' system now came into play and Truagh were not the sort of club to let an opportunity like that to go astray. Drawn against Donaghmoyne in the quarter-final of the new system, the sides met at O'Neill Park in Clontibret on Saturday evening 18th August and this time Truagh made no mistake. On top for most of the hour, Truagh should have had the game sewn up long before the final quarter but poor finishing saw them struggle nearing the end. Six wides in each half had contributed to this closeness coming up to the final whistle but the result was in their favour and that was all that mattered. Gary Meehan made a welcome return to the side following his absence from the previous encounter and scored three very valuable points in his side's 0-12 to 0-6 victory. In difficult conditions, Brendan McKenna had to retire at an early stage but the Gaels re-arranged their forces excellently and overcame the set-back in fine fashion. Gary Meehan gave them an early lead, but fourteen minutes had elapsed before Noel Clerkin had their second score, but they should have been five or six points to the good at that stage. Meehan and Clerkin were again the marksmen to put the teams level after thirty minutes, 0-5 each, but Cathal Feely had an injury time point to leave Truagh narrowly ahead at the break. Clerkin and McRory put them further ahead on resuming and it looked as if they were going to run out easy winners as they ran into a double scores lead, 0-10 to 0-5. Donaghmoyne put in a late rally but Truagh held out and won by four points. The team for that one was: Damien McKenna, Paddy Kelly, Trevor Kelly, Rory Treanor, Damien MacRory, Brendan McKenna, Stephen Kelly, Dermot McKenna, Ciaran Feely, Martin Owens, Gary Meehan, Kevin Treanor, Colin Kelly, Noel Clerkin and Colm MacRory. Subs used: Paul Donaghue, Pauric Treanor, Cathal Sherlock and Colin Skinnader. They were now in the semi-final and the opposition would be provided by Latton O'Rahillys. Scotstown was the venue on Sunday 2nd September and a huge crowd of supporters from both camps turned up for this one as a County Final place would be the reward for the victors and it was important for both sides to qualify for a tilt at the mighty Faughs of Castleblayney. Truagh, particularly, had a special reason to qualify as they had the proverbial 'crow to pluck' with the men from Castleblayney. Latton dominated the early stages of this one and it was not until midway through the third quarter that Truagh really looked like emerging winners. At that stage they were trailing by three points but an opportunist goal by Colm MacRory brought them level and raised their spirits to go on and finish a point ahead on a final scoreline of Truagh 1-8, Latton 0-9. Nineteen minutes of the opening half had elapsed before Noel Clerkin had Truagh's first score but the loss of Trevor Kelly shortly afterwards looked ominous. A missed penalty, which yielded only a point was also disappointing but they recovered magnificently and by the break trailed only be two points 0-4 to 0-6. Latton looked dangerous on resuming but MacRory's goal was the tonic that Truagh needed and they took the lead for the first time after nine minutes when Noel Clerkin sent over a free. The sides were level again on two occasions before Latton were reduced to fourteen men and Truagh took full advantage of the situation with Martin Owens having the match winning score in the 28th minute. The team on this occasion was: Damien McKenna, Stephen Kelly, Trevor Kelly, Rory Treanor, Damien MacRory, Dermot McKenna, Brendan McKenna, Kieran Feely, Mark Kelly, Pauric Treanor, Gary Meehan, Cathal Sherlock, Martin Owens 0-1, Noel Clerkin 0-7 and Colm MacRory 1-0. Subs used: Sean Treanor, Kevin Treanor and Colin Skinnader. It may only have been a one point victory but Truagh were back in the county final for the second year in succession. Scotstown was the venue for the 2001 final and the date was Sunday 16th September. The Truagh followers again travelled in huge numbers and the red and black flags were everywhere. Castleblayney were going for their fourth title on the trot and their 36th in all. The first half was an extremely exciting affair with Truagh giving as good as they got and with the scores level on two occasions before Truagh goalkeeper brilliantly saved a penalty. This and the dismissal of a Castleblayney player all looked good for Truagh and they were only three points in arrears, 0-6 to 0-3 at the break. Unfortunately, the initiative was conceded to the Faughs in the second half and they ended up winners on a final scoreline of Castleblayney 0-12 Truagh 0-7. The Truagh team for this their second ever Monaghan Senior Football Championship Final was: Damien McKenna, Patrick Kelly, Dermot McKenna, Rory Treanor, Damien MacRory, Brendan McKenna, Stephen Kelly, Kieran Feely, Mark Kelly, Gary Meehan 0-2, Colin Kelly, Pauric Treanor, Martin Owens 0-1, Noel Clerkin 0-4 and Colm MacRory. Sub used: Paul Donaghue. It may have been defeat for the second year in succession but it should be remembered that there was no other club in the county over the two years that could match Castleblayney when it comes to the championship, especially in the concluding stages, and even though they fell to Latton earlier on, they really had what it takes "when the chips were down." So, no discredit to a gallant Truagh Gaels team and no reason why they should not come again in 2002 when, perhaps, it will be a case of 'third time lucky.' Truagh to form A battling and gritty display by Truagh proved just enough to ward off the challenge of an equally determined Ballybay side in a wholly entertaining Division Two minor football championship decider at Gavan Duffy Park, Monaghan in late September. At the end of an absorbing, closely contested affair, Gaeil Triucha emerged as winners by the narrowest of margins, 0-12 to 0-11. This was a contest that was always likely to go to the wire and, in the end, it took a point by Martin Treanor in injury time to secure a dramatic win for the Gaels. Things looked decidedly shaky for the winners-elect prior to Treanor's last gasp point though as a Paul Finlay-inspired Ballybay had fought back from a five points deficit to take the lead for the first time in the 28th minute of the second half. Gaeil Triucha held firm though and had been the best team by far entering the final quarter. They led at half-time by six points to one and indeed should have been further ahead but they had squandered a number of good chances. The final ten minutes saw the game build to a dramatic conclusion with Gaeil Triucha falling behind for the first time in the 58th minute. But the champions-elect rallied superbly and finished off the game with that superb Treanor free to lift the cup. After the game, a delighted Truagh captain, Niall McKenna, accepted the cup from the county board's John Connolly. The winning Truagh team, and scorers, was as follows: Ian Treanor, Shane Treanor, Niall Feeley, Michael Treanor, Barry Cuddy, Michael Daly (0-1), Dermot McKenna, Niall McKenna, Keith Sheerin (0-1), Richard O'Reilly (0-3), Paul Finnegan (0-1), Martin Treanor, Martin Treanor (0-6). Kerley Cup triumph for Truagh The gaels of Truagh demonstrated the talent and rich promise inherent in their under 21 ranks by lifting the Kerley Cup last August after getting the better of a fancied Doohamlet side at the well-appointed facilities at Rooskey. In what was an excellent and high-quality encounter, both teams must be commended for their sportsmanship and their levels of fitness. In the end, Truagh's greater potency in front of goal and their slightly better workrate meant that the trophy will once again adorn the St. Mellan's clubhouse. In truth, Truagh fully deserved their title win for they were the most consistent side over the hour and dictated the pace for large periods of the game. Having been beaten in the two previous corresponding finals, last August's triumph was indeed sweet for Gaeil Triucha. Truagh scoop McGrane Cup A dramatic last minute goal wrapped up a tremendously exciting win for Gaeil Triucha over a gallant Sean McDermotts side in the final of the McGrane Cup last October. Played in Aghabog, the final was a fantastic spectacle with the two evenly matched teams playing their hearts out in a bid to secure the silverware. Truagh supporters were overjoyed at the end of the match but they must have been mightily relieved too having seen their side's early lead gradually cut back over the hour by a Seans side which proved to be worthy finalists. Truagh had a dream start to the match and had already 2-2 up on the scoreboard before Emyvale got off the mark with Finbar Prunty scoring all 1-3 to get the Threemilehouse side right back into contention. Still, the Truagh defence settled down and got to grips with their individual opponents while the team's forwards began to get their second wind. By half-time, the winners-elect had forged a 2-5 to 1-5 lead. The start of the second half was, in some ways, like a carbon copy of the opening period with Truagh gaining the ascendancy early on and getting through for some lovely scores while their defenders and midfielders working feverishly to consolidate their advantage. It was nip and tuck the whole way through the second half with the combattants finding themselves all-square on three separate occasions. With a draw appearing to be the most likely result, Truagh pushed forward with renewed intent and were suitably rewarded when following a long-range free, the high delivery was pounced on and duly dispatched to the net for a last-gasp winner. Tweet

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