Monaghan county football team

History

Early years

Football was recorded in Inniskeen in 1706 in a poem. Monaghan were prominent in Ulster championship competitions during the period 1914-30, and one of the first Ulster counties to contest an All-Ireland final.

1930–1978

Monaghan beat Kildare in a semi-final to reach the 1930 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final, where Kerry beat them by 3–11 to 0-2 without their goalkeeper touching the ball.

1979–1988

Seán McCague managed the team from the late 1970s. He managed his county team to the 1979 Ulster Senior Football Championship (SFC) title and then led it to two further Ulster SFC titles, as well as the National Football League title. The 1979 title win was Monaghan's first for 41 years.

In 1979, the Monaghan team won the Ulster Senior Football Championship for the first time in 41 years with a defeat of Donegal. In the final Monaghan Kieran Finlay scored 1–9, which was a record in an Ulster final for 20 years, until Armagh forward Oisín McConville bettered it with a 2–7 tally against Down in 1999. They also won the Dr McKenna Cup in 1979. That year, in the Ceannarus Tournament, they also beat Roscommon and Dublin. In the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship 1979 semi-final at Croke Park, Monaghan were again beaten by Kerry, 5–14 to 0–7.

In 1984, Monaghan reached the Centenary Cup final following wins over Limerick, Mayo, Offaly (quarter final) and Derry (semi-final after extra time) The Offaly and Derry games were played in Croke Park as was the final against Meath which Monaghan lost by 0–10 to 0–8. Monaghan also won Division 3 of the National Football League that year and lost to Meath in the quarterfinal.

1985 was the county's most successful year to date. A National Football League final victory against Armagh in 1985 created a momentum that peaked in 1985 when future Monaghan manager Eamonn McEneaney kicked an equalizing point from 48 metres out near the sideline beside the Hogan Stand to draw the All-Ireland semi-final against Kerry on a scoreline of Monaghan 2–9 to Kerry's 1-12. Kerry won the replay on a 2–9 to 0–10 score.

Monaghan won that National Football League title of 1985 on a 1–11 to 0–09 score against pre-match favourites Armagh. The game was effectively settled by an Eamon McEneaney penalty in the first half when referee John Gough from Antrim decided that an Armagh defender had taken too many steps in his own penalty area. Armagh got to within a point in the second half, but a flurry of long-range points from Bernie Murray, Eamon McEneaney and Ray McCarron brought the trophy to Monaghan for the first time.

That year's Ulster Senior Football Championship was also a success. An easy first-round victory over Donegal in Castleblayney was marked by a Eamon Murphy goal. Following was a lucky draw against Armagh in the semi-final and one-point victory. Paddy Linden saved a penalty, while an Armagh player saw the line barely 30 seconds after coming onto the field as a substitute, following an apparent high tackle on Declan Flanagan. In the replay, despite a late Armagh goal, Monaghan won by 1–11 to 2–7.

1989–2006

In 1989 Monaghan scraped home with an 0–08 to 0–05 win against Antrim in Casement Park, Belfast, where the homesters literally kicked the game away. Down ended Monaghan's run in Castleblayney a few weeks later.

The 1990s and early part of the 2000s were lean years for the county. Notable wins in that period were championship successes over Donegal in 1995 and defending All-Ireland champions Armagh in 2003. They won the Dr McKenna Cup in 1995 against Derry and in 2003 against Tyrone.

Another noticeable effort was a dramatic second-half display against Derry in 1992, which saw a 9-point deficit hauled back to earn a draw. Wins were also recorded over Antrim in 1990 and Cavan in 1993 and 1994. After losses to Fermanagh in 1999 and 2000, a win over them was recorded in 2001.

The National Football League run of 1998 saw Monaghan qualify from a "group of death" that included Tyrone, Dublin, Kerry, Cavan and Sligo to qualify for the quarter-finals against Down in Croke Park. Behind at one stage early in the second half by 1–05 to 0-02, the Down goal scored by James Mc Cartan, a rally with goals by Darren Swift and Stephen Mc Ginnitty and a point by Peter Duffy gave Monaghan a surprise 2–05 to 1–06 win. They then lost the semi-final against Derry on a score of 1–12 to 0-08. The game had a bit of controversy too when a Mark Daly goal was disallowed, and a Monaghan player was sent off. During the Ulster Senior Football Championship meeting between both sides a few weeks later. Monaghan's Edwin Murphy was sent off on the advice of a linesman, but video evidence subsequently cleared him. Monaghan ultimately lost the game to Derry.

At senior level in 1999, the county U-21 side won the Ulster championship over Donegal thanks to a last-gasp super point from Kieran Tavey. The run ended with a 2–10 to 0–08 defeat to eventual champions Westmeath in Croke Park.

At minor level, the county U-18 team reached the Ulster minor league finals in 2000 and 2002, losing to Tyrone on both occasions by a point. The team reached the Ulster championship final in 2001 for the first time in 18 years, but they lost 2–13 to 0–13 again to Tyrone, including a late missed penalty when only 4 points separated the sides. In 2001 the Vocational Schools team won the Ulster and All-Ireland championships.

2007 season

2007 saw Monaghan compete in Division 2A of the National Football League. Though the team had a backroom clean-out of trainers and selectors, the introduction of Tyrone native Martin Mc Elkennon to the Oriel set up contributed to a run of seven successive victories in matches: away to Roscommon, home to Longford and Carlow, away to Clare, away trips to London, home to Offaly, away to Leitrim.

The semi-final match was against Meath. The Ulster Championship saw Monaghan play in the quarter-final against the winners of Cavan and Down; who meet in the preliminary round. If successful there they would play the winners of Derry and Antrim in the semi-final. Having avoided the "big 2," namely Armagh and Tyrone, this was viewed as Monaghan's best chance of reaching an Ulster final for the first time in 19 years. Monaghan reached the Dr McKenna Cup semi-final where they lost to Tyrone in Kingspan Breffni Park, Cavan on 13 February 2007. They had initially qualified from Section A of the competition as runners up to Armagh.

In the National Football League, Monaghan won all their seven games, including high-scoring first halves against Roscommon, Longford and Carlow. Next up was an away trip to London that Monaghan easily won by 0–16 to 1-05. During the game against Offaly in the penultimate round in Clones, a last-gasp Paul Meegan point in injury time was enough to give Monaghan a 0–13 to 0–12 win, guaranteeing them a semi-final place as table toppers and a position in the revamped Division 2 in 2008. This was achieved with the team's 15 April win against Leitrim, 1–14 to 2–10.

The league semi-final against Meath was played in Croke Park. Two early Meath goals gave the team a cushion, and at half time Monaghan went in 2–04 to 0–05 in arrears. Early in the second half Monaghan condceded a third goal, and despite a late Monaghan rally Meath won 3–10 to 0–12. It was obvious from this game that Monaghan's full back line and team in general needed a major overhaul prior to the Ulster championship meeting against Down in Newry on 10 June.

Páirc Esler in Newry was the venue for Monaghan's first game of the Ulster championship where they faced a Down team who had disposed of Cavan in the preliminary round after a replay. Ciarán Hanratty announced his arrival on the county stage with a 2-goal salvo, which inspired Monaghan to a 2–15 to 1-15 success. The defence had tightened up considerably, and Paul "Jap" Finlay scored several late points near the end. In the semi-final against Derry in Casement Park on 24 June, Monaghan beat Derry by 0–14 to 1-09. Though Paul Finlay was out due to illness, his replacement Rory Woods had a strong performance brought much-needed bulk and skill to trouble Derry's vaunted defence.

2010–2012

Eamonn McEneaney managed Monaghan between 2010 and 2012.

2013 Ulster Senior Football Championship

In the 2013 championship, Monaghan were handed a "favorable" draw. They were drawn against Antrim in the first round in Casement Park, Belfast. Monaghan had previously brushed aside the Antrim men in the National League. Monaghan started shakily and took a while to get going, but the free taking of Conor McManus powered them over the line 0–11 to 0–6.

In the Ulster semi-final Monaghan were pitted against local neighbours Cavan. The game was a tight affair with both teams trading scores. In the end it finished on a score of 1–11 to 0-13. Coming into the final Monaghan faced the reigning Ulster and All Ireland Champions, Donegal. They rushed into a 4–0 lead while also keeping Donegal scoreless for 32 minutes.

At half time Monaghan led 05–02. Despite the 3-point advantage Donegal were still fancied, but Kieran Hughes stuck over 3 quick points in succession to buffer the Farney Men's advantage. With Vinny Corey's rough housing of Michael Murphy, Donegal failed to get going. Monaghan beat Donegal at their own game using the blanket defence system, while Darren Hughes and Conor McManus performed well. It was tight up until the last 10 minutes when Monaghan added some scores to win, Tommy Freeman coming off the bench and firing over the last point. At the end of the game Monaghan had won their first Ulster Senior Football Championship in 25 years. This result was coupled with the Minors comeback win earlier in the day defeating Tyrone to complete an historic double. Owen Lennon lifted the Anglo Celt Cup as no Monaghan Captain had done for 25 years.

Current era

Monaghan qualified for a 2018 All-Ireland SFC semi-final, a first appearance at this stage of the competition since 1988. In the 2021 Ulster Senior Football Championship Monaghan reached the final losing to Tyrone by a single point.

McEnaney returned as manager before the 2020 season. He left at the end of the 2022 season.

Vinny Corey replaced McEnaney as manager. Corey stepped down in August 2024. Gabriel Bannigan replaced him.

Panel

Team as per Monaghan vs Donegal in the 2025 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Quarter-Final, 28 June 2025

Management team

Ratified ahead of the 2025 season:

Manager: Gabriel Bannigan

Backroom: Andy Moran, John McElholm, Damien Freeman

Players

Notable players

Kieran Hughes

Records

Conor McManus is the team's top scorer in National Football League history.

Competitive record

Monaghan's only National Football League title win is from 1984–85, with Seán McCague as manager. Below is the team that defeated Armagh in the final.

1 Paddy Linden

2 Gerry Hoey

3 Eugene Sherry

4 Brendan Murray

5 Bernie Murray

6 Declan Loughman

7 Ciarán Murray (c)

8 P. J. Finlay

9 Kevin Carragher

10 Ray McCarron

11 Michael O'Dowd

12 David Byrne

13 Eugene Hughes

14 Gerry McCarville

15 Eamonn McEneaney

Subs used: Stefan White for ?; Owen Hamilton for ?

Honours

Official honours, with additions noted.

National

All-Ireland Senior Football Championship

Runners-up (1): 1930

National Football League

Winners (1): 1984–85

Runners-up (1): 1985–86

National Football League Division 2

Winners (3): 2005, 2014, 2025

National Football League Division 3

Winners (1): 2013

All-Ireland Junior Football Championship

Winners (1): 1956

All-Ireland Senior B Football Championship

Winners (1): 1998

All-Ireland Vocational Schools Championship

Winners (2): 2001, 2009

Provincial

Ulster Senior Football Championship

Winners (16): 1888, 1906, 1914, 1916, 1917, 1921, 1922, 1927, 1929, 1930, 1938, 1979, 1985, 1988, 2013, 2015

Runners-up (12): 1905, 1913, 1923, 1924, 1936, 1943, 1944, 1952, 2007, 2010, 2014, 2021

Ulster Under-21 Football Championship

Winners (3): 1981, 1999, 2016

Ulster Minor Football Championship

Winners (4): 1939, 1940, 1945, 2013

Dr McKenna Cup

Winners (14): 1928, 1932, 1934, 1935, 1937, 1948, 1952, 1976, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1995, 2003, 2022

Dr Lagan Cup

Winners (1): 1951