Sunday July 19th will be the first time in 92 years that Monaghan have competed in three consecutive provincial finals.

The War of Independence and subsequent Civil War prevented the 1921 and 1922 Ulster championships from taking place, meaning all three competitions were run off in 1923 – with the 1921 final only going ahead after the 1922 and 1923 matches had been settled. Monaghan won the ’21 and ’22 finals but lost the ‘23 game to a great Cavan side.

The “92 Years” film features the people throughout the county for whom Sunday’s game will mean so much.

There are appearances from players, their families, devoted supporters and the people who work behind the scenes to make this team what it is.

Team captain Conor McManus features along with his father Frank. As does seven year-old Charlie Mone, who has an encyclopaedic knowledge of match results, past and present players, which is hardly surprising as Charlie hails from a long lineage of Monaghan footballers.

The film also includes Charlie’s uncle Dessie Mone, wing back on the current team, as well as his grandfather Sean and great uncle Benny Mone, all former county players. We even see Charlie holding a photo of his great grandfather and great great uncle when they played for Monaghan in the 1920s.

There are shots of forward Paul Finlay and sister Laura playing football in their garden with next-door-neighbours Drew and Ryan Wylie, who are also on the current team. Laura’s picture with Conor McManus at the end of the semi-final against Fermanagh made every local paper.

We see Shango McCabe, a true-blue supporter who is part of the fabric at St Tiernach’s Park as loyal groundsman and caretaker.

There is an appearance by GAA legend ‘Nudie’ Hughes, the first Monaghan man to get an All-Star Award and recipient of three Ulster Senior Football Championship medals in his day.

Michael McKenna, ex-kitman for the county team, is also included. He has a collection of programmes dating back to the 1940s and has missed only one game since 1968.

Gráinne Malcolm from Carrickmacross drives around the country to every game with all four children and her aunt in tow while Charlene Tate has had the outside of her house and her fingernails emblazoned with the Monaghan colours in honour of Sunday’s game - not to mention a picture of Paul Finlay lasered onto her thumbnail.

And there’s the handshake from youngsters Ciarán Markey and Connor Leonard. The county team is a uniting force for kids from every part of the county despite the fierce rivalry at club level.

In the build up to this Ulster final the film gives a snapshot of the people from all over Monaghan who will make Sunday’s game what it is.

Thanks to Along Came a Spider for production and our sponsor Investec

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