Monaghan United
Encyclopedia
Monaghan United F.C. is an Irish
football
club playing in the Premier Division of the League of Ireland
. The club, founded in 1979 and elected to the league in 1985, hails from Monaghan
and play their home matches at Gortakeegan, Monaghan. Club colours are Blue and White, and go by the nickname The Magic Mons.
at Belgium Park before moving to move to their current home at Gortakeegan in 1987. They secured a sponsorship deal with the nearby building firm, Century Homes, changing the ground name to Century Homes Park in 2000.
In the 1992-1993 season, Monaghan United finished third in Division One and defeated Waterford United by 5-2 on aggregate (2-2 away and 3-0 at home) winning promotion to the Premier Division. They competed in the Premier Division until the end of the 1994-1995 season, where they finished last and as a result were relegated to the First Division.
Monaghan United regained promotion to the Premier Division in the 2000-2001 season, finishing second to Dundalk
that season. But their stay was short lived as they finished last in the Premier division the following season managing only two league victories in the whole season.
In 2010 Monaghan United reached their first senior cup final in the EA Sports Cup. The same season the team finished in the play-off positions of Division 1, beating Waterford United before losing to Bray Wanderers on penalty kicks. However in 2011 they won promotion to the Premier Division, beating Galway United 5-1 over two legs.
Belgium Park was the first stadium used by Monaghan United FC, from 1979 to 1987, at which time the team moved to Gortakeegan; its current location.
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
club playing in the Premier Division of the League of Ireland
League of Ireland
The League of Ireland is the national association football league of the Republic of Ireland. Founded in 1921, as a league of eight clubs, it has expanded over time into a two-tiered league of 22 clubs. It is currently split into the League of Ireland Premier Division and the League of Ireland...
. The club, founded in 1979 and elected to the league in 1985, hails from Monaghan
Monaghan
Monaghan is the county town of County Monaghan in Ireland. Its population at the 2006 census stood at 7,811 . The town is located on the main road, the N2 road, from Dublin north to both Derry and Letterkenny.-Toponym:...
and play their home matches at Gortakeegan, Monaghan. Club colours are Blue and White, and go by the nickname The Magic Mons.
History
Monaghan United played their first League of Ireland game in 1985 against Derry CityDerry City F.C.
Derry City Football Club is a professional football club based in Derry, Northern Ireland. It plays in the League of Ireland Premier Division...
at Belgium Park before moving to move to their current home at Gortakeegan in 1987. They secured a sponsorship deal with the nearby building firm, Century Homes, changing the ground name to Century Homes Park in 2000.
In the 1992-1993 season, Monaghan United finished third in Division One and defeated Waterford United by 5-2 on aggregate (2-2 away and 3-0 at home) winning promotion to the Premier Division. They competed in the Premier Division until the end of the 1994-1995 season, where they finished last and as a result were relegated to the First Division.
Monaghan United regained promotion to the Premier Division in the 2000-2001 season, finishing second to Dundalk
Dundalk F.C.
Dundalk Football Club is a professional Irish football club based in Dundalk, County Louth. The club currently play in the Premier Division of the League of Ireland. Founded in 1903, they are the second most successful team, in terms of trophies won, in the history of the League of Ireland. The...
that season. But their stay was short lived as they finished last in the Premier division the following season managing only two league victories in the whole season.
In 2010 Monaghan United reached their first senior cup final in the EA Sports Cup. The same season the team finished in the play-off positions of Division 1, beating Waterford United before losing to Bray Wanderers on penalty kicks. However in 2011 they won promotion to the Premier Division, beating Galway United 5-1 over two legs.
Belgium Park was the first stadium used by Monaghan United FC, from 1979 to 1987, at which time the team moved to Gortakeegan; its current location.
Current squad
Players of Note
- Jonathan DouglasJonathan DouglasJonathan Douglas is an Irish football player who currently plays for Brentford. Douglas made his debut in the League of Ireland for Monaghan United aged 16...
was a member of the Ireland squad that won the U16 European Championship in 1998. He joined Blackburn Rovers in 2000 from Monaghan United and had loan spells with ChesterfieldChesterfield F.C.Chesterfield Football Club is an English football club based in Chesterfield, Derbyshire. The club currently plays in Football League One, the third tier of English football. Despite being the fourth oldest Football League club in England, they have spent most of their existence in the lower...
, BlackpoolBlackpool F.C.Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
and GillinghamGillingham F.C.Gillingham Football Club is an English professional football club based in the town of Gillingham, Kent. The only Kent-based club in the Football League, they play their home matches at the Priestfield Stadium...
before moving to Leeds United on loan at the start of the 2005/’06 season and returning to Blackburn Rovers for the 2006-2007 season. Jonathan made his debut for the Republic of Ireland in 2004 in a goalless draw against PolandPolandPoland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
. He has earned eight caps representing the Republic of Ireland. - Stephen Finnegan is a current member of the Monaghan United squad and has represented the Republic of Ireland at Under-19 level and also received a call up to the Northern IrelandNorthern IrelandNorthern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
Schools squad in 2006 . - James HandJames HandJames Hand Born in Magheracloone, County Monaghan, Republic of Ireland, Hand played with Manor Farm, Carrick Rovers, Monaghan United and Dublin side Belvedere, before opting to sign for Huddersfield Town over Manchester City...
is a former Monagahan United player who received a call up to the Republic of Ireland Under-21 team which won the Madeira Cup in 2006, playing in all three games. He is currently playing for League One outfit Huddersfield TownHuddersfield Town F.C.Huddersfield Town Football Club is an English football club formed in 1908 and based in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. They currently play in League One...
.James played for Monaghan United from Under-12 right through to Under-15 level. - Keith FoyKeith FoyKeith Foy is an Irish football player.A left footed player, Foy began his career in England with Nottingham Forest in 2000...
was a Republic of Ireland Under-21 International and played with English League outfit Nottingham Forest until his release in 2003. He returned to Ireland and signed for St. Patricks Athletic before moving to Monaghan United in 2004. He was awarded Monaghan United's Player of the Year for the 2005 Season as well as Supporters Player of the Year. He signed for Sligo Rovers for the 2006 season. - Mark ConnollyMark ConnollyMark Gerard Connolly is an Irish footballer who plays as a defender for Bolton Wanderers.-Club career:Connolly was signed from Wolverhampton Wanderers by Bolton Wanderers on the summer transfer dealine in 2009. After the clubs agreed a £1,000,000 fee...
- signed for Wolverhampton Wanderers and later moved to Bolton Wanderers in 2009. - Aaron McCarey, goalkeeper, joined Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2010.
Records
| Highest league positions | |
|---|---|
| Premier Division | 7th - 1993-1994 season |
| Division One | 2nd - 2000-01 season |
| Lowest league position | |
| Premier Division | 12th - 2001-02 season |
| Division One | 11th - 2003 season |
| Attendances | |
| 2004 | Average: 182 Highest: 700 |
| 2005 | Average: 183 Highest: 550 |
| 2006 | Average: 175 Highest: 800 (v Shamrock Rovers Shamrock Rovers F.C. Shamrock Rovers Football Club are a professional football club from Dublin, Ireland. They compete in the Premier Division of the League of Ireland and are the most successful club in Irish football history. The club have won the League of Ireland title a record 17 times and the FAI Cup a record 24... ) |
| Record | 2,000 v Derry City Derry City F.C. Derry City Football Club is a professional football club based in Derry, Northern Ireland. It plays in the League of Ireland Premier Division... 1985. |