Irish fingerprints on Arsenal’s shock defeat to Fleetwood Town

It could be an unforgettable few weeks for Fleetwood Town’s ownership after they shocked Premier League champions Arsenal, winning in a penalty shoot-out in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday night to advance to the quarter-finals.

Fleetwood have an Irish link with Waterford FC, who will play in the FAI Cup final against Derry City on Sunday week, part of Fleetwood’s multi-club model The Willows 96 Holdings Limited.

Things have not always been plain sailing in that partnership as in 2023, the former owner of the company, Andrew Pilley, was convicted of fraud and sentenced to 13 years in prison. Forced to resign as director, he relinquished control to his son Jamie in 2024.

Earlier this year, Jamie Pilley reaffirmed his commitment to Waterford, who are reliant on Fleetwood financially. They lost €944,944 in 2025, despite Fleetwood writing off €1.5 million the Irish club owed it, according to reporting from journalist James Callan.

Waterford beating Derry City and getting European football a week after Fleetwood beat Arsenal would be music to the ears of Pilley.

“You’ve got to try and crack into that closed group of European clubs. It’s hard to do that. It’s a bit of a chicken-and-egg scenario. You need to get the European money to get us to Europe, but you’ve got to be in Europe to get the European money,” Pilley said.

Fleetwood’s manager Matt Lawlor was in charge of Waterford last year and hailed the club’s victory over Arsenal as one for all of football.

“Football’s getting a little bit more, I don’t know, clinical and sanitised. And that to me there was that feeling that we all get as football fans.

“That was what you kind of live for, isn’t it? To be a part of it is special. To be giving that to football fans, and especially Fleetwood fans, is unbelievably special. And yeah, something that I’m really proud of.”

The win had an Irish element with Limerick man Ronan Coughlan scoring the first penalty in the shoot-out after the match had finished 1-1. And the winning penalty was scored by Northern Ireland Under-21 international Conor Haughey, who showed nerves of steel to win the game.

“It’s the way I’ve been brought up,” he said. “Obviously I’m a Belfast boy. Where I grew up, if you’re not confident you get eaten up, so you just take it in your stride whatever you do.

“We all trust in each other’s ability, we train with each other every day,” Haughey said. “You already know where you’re putting it and just need to be technically good enough to put it where you want to.”

Currently 18th in League Two, Fleetwood’s victory is one of the greatest giant-killings in English football history. It follows last year when Grimsby beat Manchester United in the competition, also on penalties.

Fleetwood took a shock 21st-minute lead through Fulham loanee Aaron Loupalo-Bi, but Arsenal’s half-time introduction of Martin Odegaard changed the dynamic and Viktor Gyokeres quickly levelled as they piled on the pressure.

Fleetwood stood strong and, after the 85th-minute dismissal of Arsenal’s teenager Max Dowman for a petulant kick, held on for their moment of glory.