The Monaghan goalkeeper was training with the Carolina Panthers this time last season. On Sunday, he'll be hoping to win the Anglo Celt Cup at the expense of Armagh
The Monaghan goalkeeper was training with the Carolina Panthers this time last season. On Sunday, he'll be hoping to win the Anglo Celt Cup at the expense of ArmaghIt was this week last year that all of Monaghan breathed a collective sigh of relief.
None more so than then-then new Farney boss Gabriel Bannigan. A few months into the role having succeeded Vinny Corey, he was dealing with the prospect of losing goalkeeper Rory Beggan to the NFL. Down’s Charlie Smyth was invited to try out with the New Orleans Saints before signing a three-year contract. Ultimately, the Panthers passed on the chance to sign the 34-year-old.
It is understood that his age was the primary stumbling block. Speaking ahead of Sunday’s showdown against Armagh, Bannigan admitted he didn’t follow the specifics of Beggan’s journey.
However, he is glad to have who he refers to as the ‘best kicker in the game’ available for the Monaghan cause.
“I honestly have no idea, because to be honest, I know nothing about that game. I wasn’t even really following it apart from the bits and pieces I was picking up from the media.
“I would have feared the worst, and I mean that from a Monaghan football perspective. You were in two emotions - Rory is a brilliant lad and you obviously want to see him doing well, you want to see one of your own doing well.
“So you’re wishing him luck in that regard, but in another way you wish you had him back. I probably feared the worst because of what I know from Rory’s capabilities.
“I suppose if Rory had been 22 or 23 years of age instead of 32 or whatever age he was at that time, I’d say they would have snapped him up. I imagine that might have just happened a bit too late for him.
“In terms of his kicking ability, we can only speak about it from a Gaelic football point of view because that’s all I know anything about - there isn’t a better kicker in the game and hasn’t been in my lifetime. ”Bannigan noted how Beggan returned from Scotstown’s club campaign carrying excess weight and soon got him to trim down in order to play the so-called sweeper ’keeper role he excels at.
“He would have come back in from the club campaign carrying a bit and he got injured as well so he missed a couple of games through injury. “Those first couple of games he played we had to restrict him a bit because he just wasn’t ready at that stage to play the way he’s playing now. “He has worked really hard, he’s put the work in.
Rory is very dedicated, loves his football, he’s a great leader in the group and I’m delighted with the work he’s put in and the shape he’s in at the moment. The football he’s playing is top class. ” While Beggan is the hero of this Monaghan generation, another Farney icon will be in Bannigan’s mind on Sunday. It will be Monaghan’s first Ulster final appearance since the untimely passing of Eugene ‘Nudie’ Hughes, who died last November aged 67.
The three-time All-Star had fought cancer for several years, but remained in touch with the Monaghan boss throughout last season.
“I remember ‘Nudie’ ringing me last year on the eve of the quarter-final against Donegal because he wasn’t able to go to the game and he was very upset that he wasn’t able to go because he was in hospital getting treatment,” recalled Bannigan. “I was in touch with 'Nudie' regularly and he was in touch with me in terms of wishing me well too.
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