Cooke thrilled to break Cork duct
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"It’s probably the first time I’ve won in Cork as a player or a manager," was Mick Cooke's opening remark after Friday night saw his Monaghan United team snatch all three points with a late goal in the final moments of an uninspiring game.
Cooke is a wily old character, who has experienced a lot in the league down through the years, and he was clearly delighted to be returning back home with all three points.
“In the last couple of games we played we’ve been quick out of the traps and scored early in all our previous games. I knew coming here, they’re a good squad and an experienced team, it was going to be difficult for us,” he said.
“I think over the last few weeks we have taken our game to a different level, getting a result last week [against Waterford] was a huge boost for us. And to come here and win 1-0, I think we’ve gone up another step in the ladder.
Monaghan really are the LoI’s in form team – with just one defeat in seventeen games – and Cooke thinks there is a huge self-belief starting to grow in the squad according to their manager.
“I think we have a belief now. That’s eight league games and two cup games plus seven from last season where we have only one defeat in seventeen competitive games. It means we have a belief where we’re going to win.
“I think Cork City were a far better side in the second half. Philly Hughes had a couple of chances in the first half and he mishit them, so I was thinking if we could get a couple of more chances, we might score. We had no chances really in the second half and had to defend. Our game plan worked but Cork had chance’s at the back-post and Davin [O’Neill] should have scored.”
Cooke, while happy, was eager not to get too excited about United’s good start to the season though and his message was a clear one: “It’s a long way to go.
"In my earlier years at Monaghan, we were leaking results like that. This is my sixth season and it takes you a long time to get a team you want on the pitch. Last year we only picked up two points from the first 21, losing five of our first seven games, but we went on a great run then, losing only five of the next 27. It’s a very little thing that can change your season."
Cooke is a wily old character, who has experienced a lot in the league down through the years, and he was clearly delighted to be returning back home with all three points.
“In the last couple of games we played we’ve been quick out of the traps and scored early in all our previous games. I knew coming here, they’re a good squad and an experienced team, it was going to be difficult for us,” he said.
“I think over the last few weeks we have taken our game to a different level, getting a result last week [against Waterford] was a huge boost for us. And to come here and win 1-0, I think we’ve gone up another step in the ladder.
Monaghan really are the LoI’s in form team – with just one defeat in seventeen games – and Cooke thinks there is a huge self-belief starting to grow in the squad according to their manager.
“I think we have a belief now. That’s eight league games and two cup games plus seven from last season where we have only one defeat in seventeen competitive games. It means we have a belief where we’re going to win.
“I think Cork City were a far better side in the second half. Philly Hughes had a couple of chances in the first half and he mishit them, so I was thinking if we could get a couple of more chances, we might score. We had no chances really in the second half and had to defend. Our game plan worked but Cork had chance’s at the back-post and Davin [O’Neill] should have scored.”
Cooke, while happy, was eager not to get too excited about United’s good start to the season though and his message was a clear one: “It’s a long way to go.
"In my earlier years at Monaghan, we were leaking results like that. This is my sixth season and it takes you a long time to get a team you want on the pitch. Last year we only picked up two points from the first 21, losing five of our first seven games, but we went on a great run then, losing only five of the next 27. It’s a very little thing that can change your season."
About Alan Smith
Alan Smith works as a sub-editor for the Guardian newspaper in London. Originally from Cork, he freelances for several other newspapers and websites. Follow him on twitter @alansmith90. View Full Profile