Monaghan World Cup success!

Monaghan United hosted a multinational World Cup event to mark the launch of the Show Racism the Red Card poster and education pack in the area. The event was supported by Monaghan Partnership, Monaghan Sports Partnership, Integration Ireland and the FAI.The event was a roaring success with more than 150 attending the games either as players or as noisy supporters. The winning team from Dungannon were Lithuania United beat Community Club of the Year nominee Glaslough Villa by 3 goals to 2.The world cup event was followed by a presentation at the Brewery Bar, Dublin Street, Monaghan attended by many of the playing participants and Mayor Matt Carthy of Monaghan Town Council. The local paper – Northern Standard- was present to take all the snaps.The event was highly successful. 10 teams registered including a team of asylum seekers, 4 Lithuanian teams( inc one Lithuanian from cross the border Dungannon), 1 Portuguese/ Brazilian, 1 mixed East European Team, 1 Russian team, 2 Irish teams including local clubs Glaslough Villa. Monaghan County Development Officer John Crudden presented the new St. Patrick’s Accommodation Centre football team with a kit on the day. The men of St. Patrick’s took part in the Intercultural Football Tournament at Monaghan United’s Kingspan Century Park on Sunday last and are eager to carry on playing football. John’s kind donation of kit means that they can now continue to compete in competitions.The event also promoted participation the mainstreams of local football with details of local clubs, leagues and other sports structures circulated to participants in the event. There were also enquiries after the event about coaching and referee courses by participants. Key participants in driving the event were primarily Julie Ann Sherlock (CPO Monaghan United) and Mick Dunne (Monaghan Partnership Integration Officer) and support by Niamh O’ Sullivan (Integrating Ireland- finding translators), John Crudden (FAI- refereeing on the day and bringing local clubs).It was followed by a presentation in a separate venue from the astropark with food provided and with explanation of volunteer opportunities within local football and a showing of the Show Racism the Red Card DVD and Monaghan United SRTRC poster distributed to emphasise the thinking behind the day and to demonstrate how the integration message is being promoted within schools.Information was circulated about local clubs and contacts for different sports and coaching, volunteer and referees courses available in the area. There have been since a lot of enquiries about getting involved in local clubs, which is encouraging. After the presentations, everyone was kept entertained by Nojus a local Lithuanian band late into the night.