FINAL DAY OF SPORTS PARTNERSHIP'S SOCCER TRAINING

 

The participants show off their FAI Certificates

Over the past number of weeks, Monaghan United's Regional Development Centre has been a hive of activity with weekly training sessions in soccer skills being run by the County Monaghan Sports Partnership for 3 Monaghan groups.  The groups who took part in the programme were The Day Activation Unit, Monaghan Training Workshop and Steadfast House.

 

The participants were coached by highly qualified coaches and encouraged to improve their soccer skills over the programme.  The final day saw participants being presented with their FAI Certificates at the Gortakeegan venue and everyone seemed to have really enjoyed the event.

 

FUN DAY AT ST LOUIS GIRLS SCHOOL

 

On Friday 11th June, St Louis Girls National School in Monaghan held a Fun Day for the girls and Monaghan United's Club Promotions and School Liaison Officer Julie-Ann Sherlock went along to join in with the inflatable penalty shoot out goals.

 

 

The girls eagerly lined up to take their shots and see who was the best penalty taker in their class but a special mention must go to Sr Moya, who despite a recent hip replacement , scored on her only shot!

 

This was a great day for the girls and any schools having a sports day or fun day who wish for Julie-Ann to bring the inflatable goals along can contact her on 086 0417009 to arrange it.

 

 

MONS SHOW RACISM THE RED CARD IN CSPE SCHOOL BOOK

 

Monaghan United's efforts in trying to eradicate racism have been further acknowledge by their inclusion in the new One World CSPE textbook for Junior Certificate Students, which will be available to schools throughout the country for the new term starting in September 2010.  

 

 

The Monaghan United Show Racism The Red Card Posters which were distributed throughout the county in the past 2 years are used as an example of the Anti Racism work that is ongoing in Ireland in the chapter on Human Dignity in the Civil, Social and Political Education (CSPE) books for the coming year. Questions in relation to the programme and one about Monaghan United FC are included in the book. 

 

 

   

Monaghan United FC are delighted to be part of the Show Racism The Red Card Programme and have won an award from the FAI for their efforts in this area as they strive to make Soccer in Monaghan an all inclusive sport where people from all backgrounds can feel safe and welcome to play football.

 

 

 

 

 

 

MONAGHAN SCHOOLS SHOW RACISM THE RED CARD

As the 2010 season prepared to kick off, Monaghan United's Club Promotions and School Liaison Officer Julie-Ann Sherlock was visiting schools with the new Show Racism The Red Card Programme. 

 

The first 3 schools to participate in the programme were St Patrick's N.S. Broomfield, St Louis Girls N.S. Monaghan and St Michael's N.S., Ardaghey with more schools to follow in the coming weeks. 

These 3 schools were the first to take part in a newly developed programme with the Show Racism The Red Card DVD at the centre of the presentation and the schools fully participated and learned a lot from taking part. The programme was delivered to 5th & 6th Class in Broomfield and to two 4th Classes and a 5th Class in St Louis and 3rd, 4th. 5th & 6th in St Michael's.   Thank you to their principal's Rita Connell, Anna Mai Rooney and Donna for allowing Monaghan United to visit their school.

 

ST MICHAEL'S N.S. BROOMFIELD

 

 ST LOUIS GIRLS N.S.

 

 

 

 

 

 

ST LOUIS GIRLS N.S.

 

 

MANAGER COOKE VISITS ST MARY'S BOYS N.S.

 

 

Monaghan United Manager Mick Cooke made a visit to local Boy's National School, St Mary's in Monaghan last week. Cooke gave the 200+ boys a talk on the importance of ensuring they work hard at school as well as sports if they want to be a success in life. The manager outlined the fact that more and more of Ireland's most successful players have only made the move to the "big clubs in England" having completed their education in Ireland and worked hard with their local Airtricity League clubs. Cooke reiterated that it is very important for children to get a good education as football is such a short career and it is important to have a good level of education to ensure you get a job. 

 

Cooke continued his talk to the children by encouraging them to take part in and play as many different sports as possible and informed them that he had played Gaelic and Soccer throughout his childhood before choosing to be a footballer in his late teens. Cooke highlighted that many of Monaghan United's best players had come through St Mary's school including Wolves goalkeeper Aaron McCarey, Sligo Rover's Paul Whelan and former Irish Underage player Ashley White, who was on teaching practice in his old school. 

 

Cooke wound up his chat by inviting all the boys from St Mary's to be his guest at Monaghan United's first home game of the season this Friday against Longford Town and by also inviting them to take part in last Sunday's Mini Players - Senior Mentors programme, before he presented them with new football equipment courtesy of the National Dairy Council, FAI, Town of Monaghan Co-op and Monaghan United FC.

 

The pop up goals, cones and soccer sessions planner are the 2nd instalment of footballing equipment that St Mary's have received as a reward for increasing their consumption of School Milk in the NDC/FAI School Milk Promotion which was brought to the school by Monaghan United's Club Promotions and Schools Liaison Officer, Julie-Ann Sherlock in the past 2 years. 

 

 

Julie-Ann also dropped into St Tiernach's, Clones, Gransha NS, Clones, St Mary's, Clontibret and the Model School, Monaghan, to deliver the free equipment for their efforts in the school Milk programme. 

 

 

 

 

LOCAL SCHOOLS GET FREE COACHING

 

Monaghan United FC have been in a position to offer 3 schools in Monaghan town a free soccer coach for a programme within their schools. St Louis Girls National School, The Model School and St Mary's Boys National School have availed of the extra help from Monaghan United in bringing football and fitness to their schools.

 

 

 Coach giving them instructions

 

Coach David Kerr has been working with the schools to bring football fun to the pupils and encourage them to get out and play more football.

 

David warms them up!

 

On Tuesday, 2 classes from St Mary's Boys school had the added bonus of Monaghan United Senior Manager Mick Cooke dropping in to have a chat with them about the importance of working hard at school and at football. He told them that if they wished to follow in the footsteps of past pupils like Wolverhampton Wanderers goalkeeper Aaron McCarey or League of Ireland Mons legend Paul Whelan, they need to work hard and do what their coach tells them to do.

 

 

Mick gives them footballing advice

 

He invited the boys and girls of Monaghan to come to the Monaghan Credit Union Mini Leagues on Sunday mornings and told them of the upcoming open day (February 21st) where they will get a chance to meet Monaghan United's squad and train with them. The senior players will take a squad of juvenile players to mentor for the year and the children will be brought in to meet the players in the dressing room prior to games with a lucky boy or girl getting selected each week to be mascot.

 

 

Mick tells another 3rd class the importance of training hard

 

Mick is determined that any child who wishes to play football at Monaghan United will be supported and mentored by a Senior player to encourage their development and help produce more talent for the future Monaghan United League of Ireland teams.

 

 

 

 

 

SANTA ARRIVES EARLY AT MONAGHAN SCHOOLS

Monaghan United's Club Promotions and School Liaison Officer, Julie-Ann Sherlock felt a lot like the man in the red suit when she arrived at schools in County Monaghan in the last few days. Julie-Ann was delivering a big football net bag with 20 quality footballs and 20 bibs to 5 schools in the Monaghan area who had participated fully in the National Dairy Council/Football Association of Ireland "Just Milk It" programme. 

 

This programme was run in conjunction with Town of Monaghan Co-op and Monaghan United delivered the programme to schools in the area in the past year, with some visits still ongoing. The recipients of the football equipment were selected on the basis that over 35% of their pupils were in the School Milk Programme and they were fully committed to promoting the benefits and necessity of having at least 3 portions of dairy a day as part of a balance diet. Schools in the 2nd part of the scheme who achieve over 35% consumption will be receiving similar football equipment packs in the new year.

 

 

 Principal Hugh McMahon, staff members and pupils of St Mary's Boys NS, Monaghan recieve their football equipment.  

       

 

Monaghan Model Schools principal Isabel Adams and 5th & 6th class accept the gift of 20 footballs, 20 bibs and a bag.

 

     

Principal Margaret Cassidy and 5th & 6th Class pupils from Gransha NS recieve their new footballs, bibs and bag from the FAI, NDC, Town of Monaghan Co-op and Monaghan United FC

 

     

 

Majella Beggan, principal and pupils from 6th class in St Tiernach's NS, Clones are presented with their new footballs, bibs and bag by Monaghan United's Julie-Ann Sherlock.

 

 

   St Mary's Clontibret's principal, Elizabeth Moorhead and 5th & 6th class are presented with new football equipment. 

 

 

KINGSPAN CENTURY PARK HOSTS SPECIAL OLYPMICS TOURNAMENT 

 

Kingspan Century Park played host to a Special Olympics Ireland Women's Football event on Saturday the 26th of September. Over 60 women on 9 teams from around the country took part in the 5-a-side blitz with games kicking off at 11am following a parade of teams onto the pitch.

 

 

 

 

The event was supported by Monaghan United FC and the FAI through their "Football for All" programme. Also, the commitment of the volunteers involved in the organisation of the event ensured it is a most enjoyable day for all involved. Special thanks to FAI Monaghan County Development Officer John Crudden and all at Monaghan United FC for helping make the day a success.

 

 

 

 

Special Olympics Ireland provides year round training and competition opportunities for people with Intellectual disabilities. Over 11,000 athletes participate in 12 sports through 431 clubs throughout the island of Ireland, these are supported by 18,000 volunteers. Of these there are 126 athletes in 5 Affiliated Groups in County Monaghan. These Groups are supported by 139 volunteers.

 

 

 

To get involved with Special Olympics either as an athlete or as a volunteer contact the Ulster regional Office on 028 9023 9023 or Special Olympics Ireland on 01 8823972.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MONAGHAN UNITED "JUST MILK IT" PROGRAMME      

 

 

 

Monaghan United's School Liaison Officer Julie-Ann Sherlock visited Scoile Cholmcille, Blackstaff, Carrickmacross, Ballynarry NS, Ballyheen, Co. Cavan, Latnamard NS, Aghabog and Magherarney NS, Smithboro in the past few days and took some photos of the children with their NDC/FAI goody bags:

 

 

                  Latnamard NS, Smithboro

 

 

                 Scoile Mhuire, Magherarney

 

 

                  Scoile Colmcille, Blackstaff

 

 

 

 

 

The Monaghan United FC Africa Day 2009 event was very successful with a large crowd of children and adults enjoying the day. Families from St Patrick's Accommodation Centre and various parts of Monaghan enjoyed the sunshine at Kingspan Century Park with the children playing in a fun football blitz.

 

 

 

 

After the football, some great African music and delicious food was presented to the attendees and performances from the Monaghan Kingdom Church Gospel Choir and dancing by some of the children was enjoyed by all. 

 

 

 

 

The event was part funded by Irish Aid Section at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Monaghan United FC would like to thank them and the Kingdom Church, St Patrick's Accommodation Centre, coaches Euan Treanor and Mark Sellinger, Stella @ All In One African Shop for all their help on the day.