Where Are They Now? - Mikko Vilmunen

Incidental rather than integral to Drogheda United’s success he may have been, but Finnish netminder Mikko Vilmunen will forever hold a place in the hearts of Drogs fans for his penalty heroics at Windsor Park in May 2007.

Brought in as an understudy for Dan Connor to replace the departing Charlie Tracey in November 2006, Vilmunen arrived on Boyneside with exemplary pedigree.

Recommended by former teammate Sami Ristila, Vilmunen was involved in Finnish side FC Haka’s title triumph in 2004, and went on to make 10 European appearances for the Veikkausliiga side.

Although much fanfare greeted his arrival in Drogheda, Connor’s form meant that Vilmunen would go on to make just 10 competitive appearances for the club before moving to pastures new in 2008.

Despite this, Vilmunen made the most of his limited time on the pitch. He may have been restricted to the sideline for the majority of the club’s league triumph in 2007, but the 6’4” ‘keeper will always be inextricably linked with the Drogs’ retention of their Setanta Sports Cup crown earlier that year.

His man of the match final performance against Linfield that day, which included two sudden-death penalty saves against Mark Dickson and Aidan O’Kane, ensured that the cup would be coming back to County Louth for another year.

Vilmunen’s time with United came to an end as the club went through a player exodus in late 2008, and he went on to sign for Norwegian First Division outfit Alta IF. After a spell with Finnish side Kuopion Palloseura, Vilmunen signed for First Division team RoPS in 2012, where he was instrumental in their league-championship winning campaign this year.