McKenna returns to the Mons
Former Monaghan United, Kildare County, Shelbourne and Longford Town Darren McKenna has returned to his first League of Ireland club for the 2009 season.
When McKenna was last at Monaghan in 2003 he was the top goal scorer before he headed off to Australia for a year. When he returned, McKenna signed for Kildare County where he scored 10 goals in his 32 appearances before moving on to Shelbourne where he made 10 appearances under Dermot Kiely in 2007.
Relegated Longford Town were next to snap up McKenna in 2008 where he was their top scorer and scored against his former clubs Monaghan United, Shelbourne and Kildare County during the campaign. Of his 13 goals scored, McKenna scored a hattrick in his opening game for Longford against Sporting Fingal and continued to provide Longford with goals up to their 2nd last game of the season.
At 6ft 3inches McKenna offers Cooke some great options up front when he teams up with David Freeman or Karl Bermingham. Cooke has a solid defence and midfield seems to be sown up so his signings of proven first division strikers further trumpets United’s intentions for the coming season.
McKenna has not played under Cooke before as he was at Monaghan prior to Cooke’s appointment but he should slot easily into the squad for 2009.
“Darren is a good addition to our squad and I am glad to have him on board. He is a proven goal scorer and opens up more options for me” Cooke stated.
Monaghan United’s first game of the season is away to Longford Town on Saturday 7th March at 7.30pm and the first home game of the season is against Shelbourne on Friday 13th March where McKenna will hope he will get his goal scoring for the Mons off to a good start against his former clubs.
