Monaghan's Cup of Cheer
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Even ahead of their opening Ford FAI Cup clash of the year, Monaghan United have already won more cup matches this season than in any other in their 25 years of senior football.
Mick Cooke's side go into their meeting with FC Carlow on Sunday on a high after reaching their first semi-final in a senior national competition (United bizarrely reached the last four of the Leinster Senior Cup in 1998) with a hugely impressive 3-0 win over Limerick FC on Tuesday night. Their EA Sports Cup odyssey has also included victories over Shelbourne, Tullamore Town and Bohemians (on penalties), and a semi-final now beckons against local rivals Dundalk at Gortakeegan on August 2nd.
United's EA Sports Cup success and their equally accomplished league form, which sees them lie third in the Airtricity First Division table, has evoked memories of the club's 1990s halcyon days under Billy Bagster. Now the focus switches to the FAI Cup, a competition in which United have never made a serious impression.
Monaghan have never progressed beyond the last eight of the competition and, in fact, their only two quarter-final appearances came in the Bagster era. In 1992, United overcame Cobh Ramblers and Wayside Celtic only to then go down 2-1 to St James's Gate. Two years later, The Mons defeated Home Farm and Longford Town but they again lost 2-1, to Limerick City.
However, those defeats stand out like beacons of success in United's otherwise ignominious cup history. In fact, when most fans were hoping to avoid Bohemians, Shamrock Rovers et al in the draw, United supporters would probably have been praying to be spared another match against non-league opposition.
Remarkably, in 25 seasons of FAI Cup action, Monaghan United have lost to non-league sides five times. The names Rockmount (1986/87, 2004), Elm Rovers (1990/91), Skerries Town (2003) and Wayside Celtic (2008) invariably send a chill down the spines of United's small but hardy bunch of fans.
So United of all clubs will not be taking FC Carlow lightly on Sunday. However, with Monaghan enjoying their best sustained run of results since the 1990s, it would be remiss to dwell on past misadventures. Instead, fans will be buoyed ahead of the trip to Carlow with the knowledge that they boast the best away record in Ireland.
In the First Division, Mick Cooke’s men have won four and drawn three of their seven away matches while they also comprehensively defeated Limerick on their only EA Sports Cup match away from Gortakeegan. With a miserly defence marshalled by Brian Gartland, who returned from injury against Limerick, new keeper Gabriel Sava in inspired form and Alan Byrne and Dom Tierney providing a midfield screen, United are perfectly set up to prosper on their travels.
And with Sean Brennan enjoying a new lease of life as an attacker or attacking midfielder - scoring five goals and one shootout goal in the EA Sports Cup alone - and Philly Hughes and last season's top scorer Karl Bermingham having hit 12 goals between them, United also have the firepower to kill sides off.
Indeed, as United have shown already in the EA Sports Cup, they have the perfect ingredients for a prolonged cup run.
Mick Cooke's side go into their meeting with FC Carlow on Sunday on a high after reaching their first semi-final in a senior national competition (United bizarrely reached the last four of the Leinster Senior Cup in 1998) with a hugely impressive 3-0 win over Limerick FC on Tuesday night. Their EA Sports Cup odyssey has also included victories over Shelbourne, Tullamore Town and Bohemians (on penalties), and a semi-final now beckons against local rivals Dundalk at Gortakeegan on August 2nd.
United's EA Sports Cup success and their equally accomplished league form, which sees them lie third in the Airtricity First Division table, has evoked memories of the club's 1990s halcyon days under Billy Bagster. Now the focus switches to the FAI Cup, a competition in which United have never made a serious impression.
Monaghan have never progressed beyond the last eight of the competition and, in fact, their only two quarter-final appearances came in the Bagster era. In 1992, United overcame Cobh Ramblers and Wayside Celtic only to then go down 2-1 to St James's Gate. Two years later, The Mons defeated Home Farm and Longford Town but they again lost 2-1, to Limerick City.
However, those defeats stand out like beacons of success in United's otherwise ignominious cup history. In fact, when most fans were hoping to avoid Bohemians, Shamrock Rovers et al in the draw, United supporters would probably have been praying to be spared another match against non-league opposition.
Remarkably, in 25 seasons of FAI Cup action, Monaghan United have lost to non-league sides five times. The names Rockmount (1986/87, 2004), Elm Rovers (1990/91), Skerries Town (2003) and Wayside Celtic (2008) invariably send a chill down the spines of United's small but hardy bunch of fans.
So United of all clubs will not be taking FC Carlow lightly on Sunday. However, with Monaghan enjoying their best sustained run of results since the 1990s, it would be remiss to dwell on past misadventures. Instead, fans will be buoyed ahead of the trip to Carlow with the knowledge that they boast the best away record in Ireland.
In the First Division, Mick Cooke’s men have won four and drawn three of their seven away matches while they also comprehensively defeated Limerick on their only EA Sports Cup match away from Gortakeegan. With a miserly defence marshalled by Brian Gartland, who returned from injury against Limerick, new keeper Gabriel Sava in inspired form and Alan Byrne and Dom Tierney providing a midfield screen, United are perfectly set up to prosper on their travels.
And with Sean Brennan enjoying a new lease of life as an attacker or attacking midfielder - scoring five goals and one shootout goal in the EA Sports Cup alone - and Philly Hughes and last season's top scorer Karl Bermingham having hit 12 goals between them, United also have the firepower to kill sides off.
Indeed, as United have shown already in the EA Sports Cup, they have the perfect ingredients for a prolonged cup run.
