Monaghan's penalty fortune
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The penalty kick was invented less than 25 minutes away from
Gortakeegan, just 16 miles away in Milford, Armagh. Now, more
than 120 years after William McCrum’s innovation to punish
infringements with a penalty kick, Monaghan United, the nearest
senior league club to the home of the spot-kick, have been
benefitting from penalties like never before this season, having
successfully converted seven penalties in six matches in the run
which has taken them into second place in the Airtricity League Cup
and the last 16 of the Ford FAI Senior Cup.
At the risk of tempting fate, we look back at United’s recent run of penalties.
1 Karl Bermingham, FC Carlow 1-1 Monaghan United, Sunday 6 June.
United’s penalty run could hardly have started at a more opportune time. With 17 minutes remaining, it seemed that FC Carlow would be joining United’s FAI Cup roll of dishonour alongside the likes of Skerries Town, Rockmount and Wayside Celtic. But when Philip Hughes was brought down in the box, Karl Bermingham slotted home the resultant penalty to earn United a third round replay.
2 Karl Bermingham, Monaghan United 4-2 Wexford Youths, Tuesday 8 June.
Late penalties have been a feature of his remarkable run and Bermingham’s second successful spot-kick in three days came two minutes into injury time to finally secure United a hard-fought victory over Wexford. Peter Hughes reported: “Monaghan could only breathe easily in the second minute of added time, when sub Darragh Hanaphy won what was a soft-looking penalty and Bermingham stepped up to calmly convert from the spot.”
3 Philip Hughes, Athlone Town 4-1 Monaghan United, Saturday 26 June.
United’s third penalty was also exceptionally well timed. With 19 minutes remaining at Lissywoollen, United were 4-0 down. Then Athlone keeper Chris Bennion fouled Darragh Hanaphy and up stepped Hughes to crash his shot high into the middle of the net.
4 Philip Hughes, Athlone Town 4-4 Monaghan United, Saturday 26 June.
Further goals from Alan Byrne and Hanaphy had put United on the verge of an improbable comeback when, in the fifth minute of stoppage time, Des Hope was adjudged to have fouled Brian Gartland in the area. Adding to the pressure, penalty taker Hughes was informed that the kick would be the last of the game. Unfazed, Hughes’ conversion was even cooler than his earlier effort as he placed the ball to the keeper’s right low into the left corner as United completed the greatest comeback in their history.
5 Karl Bermingham, Monaghan United 1-1 FC Carlow, Tuesday 29 June.
United were facing down the barrel of another embarrassing FAI Cup exit as they trailed non-league FC Carlow 1-0 in the first half of their third round replay. But after 31 minutes Sean Brennan was taken down in the box and Bermingham was again on hand to convert. United went on to win 2-1.
6 Karl Bermingham, Monaghan United 3-0 Salthill Devon, Friday 2 July.
Another late penalty but this time there was a lot less pressure. With the points already secured with two minutes remaining, Karl Bermingham was brought down in the box and he brushed himself off to score with a low shot straight down the middle.
7 Philip Hughes, Waterford United 0-1 Monaghan United, Friday 9 July.
< Sean Brennan raced onto Philip Hughes’ pass after 14 minutes and was upended by John Kearney. Hughes’s conversion was again clinical as he blasted his shot to the keeper’s right.
Some more penalty facts and figures:
• Philip Hughes also scored from the spot earlier this season in the 2-2 draw with Longford Town in March.
• Three of Hughes’s eight league goals so far this season have come from the spot.
• Karl Bermingham also scored a penalty against Salthill Devon, the fifth goal in a 6-1 win in April.
• Philip Hughes converted another penalty in the 6-0 EA Sports Cup win over Tullamore Town.
• In the same match Sean Brennan missed from the spot, spurning the chance for a second hat-trick in three days as United just missed out on a record win.
• United’s other missed regulation penalty this season came in the 1-0 home defeat by Finn Harps in March, with Ciaran Gallagher pulling off a fine save.
• Monaghan have also been successful in a penalty shoot-out this season, overcoming defending champions Bohemians in the EA Sports Cup 4-3 after a 1-1 draw. Alan Byrne actually missed United’s first kick but Sean Brennan, Anthony Costigan, Barry Clancy and Karl Bermingham all converted. Gabriel Sava saved two of the Bohs’ kicks to seal the win.
• The shoot-out was noteworthy also in that brothers Sean and Killian Brennan scored successive penalties for their respective teams.
At the risk of tempting fate, we look back at United’s recent run of penalties.
1 Karl Bermingham, FC Carlow 1-1 Monaghan United, Sunday 6 June.
United’s penalty run could hardly have started at a more opportune time. With 17 minutes remaining, it seemed that FC Carlow would be joining United’s FAI Cup roll of dishonour alongside the likes of Skerries Town, Rockmount and Wayside Celtic. But when Philip Hughes was brought down in the box, Karl Bermingham slotted home the resultant penalty to earn United a third round replay.
2 Karl Bermingham, Monaghan United 4-2 Wexford Youths, Tuesday 8 June.
Late penalties have been a feature of his remarkable run and Bermingham’s second successful spot-kick in three days came two minutes into injury time to finally secure United a hard-fought victory over Wexford. Peter Hughes reported: “Monaghan could only breathe easily in the second minute of added time, when sub Darragh Hanaphy won what was a soft-looking penalty and Bermingham stepped up to calmly convert from the spot.”
3 Philip Hughes, Athlone Town 4-1 Monaghan United, Saturday 26 June.
United’s third penalty was also exceptionally well timed. With 19 minutes remaining at Lissywoollen, United were 4-0 down. Then Athlone keeper Chris Bennion fouled Darragh Hanaphy and up stepped Hughes to crash his shot high into the middle of the net.
4 Philip Hughes, Athlone Town 4-4 Monaghan United, Saturday 26 June.
Further goals from Alan Byrne and Hanaphy had put United on the verge of an improbable comeback when, in the fifth minute of stoppage time, Des Hope was adjudged to have fouled Brian Gartland in the area. Adding to the pressure, penalty taker Hughes was informed that the kick would be the last of the game. Unfazed, Hughes’ conversion was even cooler than his earlier effort as he placed the ball to the keeper’s right low into the left corner as United completed the greatest comeback in their history.
5 Karl Bermingham, Monaghan United 1-1 FC Carlow, Tuesday 29 June.
United were facing down the barrel of another embarrassing FAI Cup exit as they trailed non-league FC Carlow 1-0 in the first half of their third round replay. But after 31 minutes Sean Brennan was taken down in the box and Bermingham was again on hand to convert. United went on to win 2-1.
6 Karl Bermingham, Monaghan United 3-0 Salthill Devon, Friday 2 July.
Another late penalty but this time there was a lot less pressure. With the points already secured with two minutes remaining, Karl Bermingham was brought down in the box and he brushed himself off to score with a low shot straight down the middle.
7 Philip Hughes, Waterford United 0-1 Monaghan United, Friday 9 July.
< Sean Brennan raced onto Philip Hughes’ pass after 14 minutes and was upended by John Kearney. Hughes’s conversion was again clinical as he blasted his shot to the keeper’s right.
Some more penalty facts and figures:
• Philip Hughes also scored from the spot earlier this season in the 2-2 draw with Longford Town in March.
• Three of Hughes’s eight league goals so far this season have come from the spot.
• Karl Bermingham also scored a penalty against Salthill Devon, the fifth goal in a 6-1 win in April.
• Philip Hughes converted another penalty in the 6-0 EA Sports Cup win over Tullamore Town.
• In the same match Sean Brennan missed from the spot, spurning the chance for a second hat-trick in three days as United just missed out on a record win.
• United’s other missed regulation penalty this season came in the 1-0 home defeat by Finn Harps in March, with Ciaran Gallagher pulling off a fine save.
• Monaghan have also been successful in a penalty shoot-out this season, overcoming defending champions Bohemians in the EA Sports Cup 4-3 after a 1-1 draw. Alan Byrne actually missed United’s first kick but Sean Brennan, Anthony Costigan, Barry Clancy and Karl Bermingham all converted. Gabriel Sava saved two of the Bohs’ kicks to seal the win.
• The shoot-out was noteworthy also in that brothers Sean and Killian Brennan scored successive penalties for their respective teams.
