| Airtricity League 1st Division. Match Preview  Monaghan United v Cork City Having played Salthill Devon this weekend, Monaghan United move to the top end of the Table when they entertain Cork City at Gortakeegan on Friday next 17th June. At present Monaghan United and Cork City share joint second position in the table and both are endeavouring to catch leaders Shelbourne who are only two points ahead of them. This will be the second encounter between the sides this season. In the previous game at Turners Cross the sides shared the points in a pulsating 2-2 draw. Cork felt that they were robbed of two points on the night but with a little bit more luck Monaghan could have bagged all three. No doubt Cork will be coming here with revenge on their minds. This is an important game and could be the one that decides the destination of the 1st Division title this season. Match Preview. Salthill Devon v Monaghan United After their very comfortable win against Everton (Cork) in FAI/Ford Cup on Friday, Monaghan United are on the road again this weekend to play Salthill Devon at Drom, Galway, in the 1st Division of the Airtricity League. Even for a side that props up the 1st Division table it must have been disappointing for Salthill Devon to have gone down 1-2 at home to Junior League side –Sheriff YC at the weekend. The three goals came in the second a half, Sheriff took the lead after 52 minutes with the first of a brace by John Rock which he completed nine minutes. Salthill Devon got a goal back on 75 minutes when Paddy Quinlan headed a Gerry Dolan corner into the roof of the net, but with still 15 minutes to go they couldn’t get back into the game. It is only Salthill Devon second season in the 1st Division. Monaghan United played them in the first series of games in the league in March and although beating the Galway side 3-0 they had appeared to have improved well from last season. However they haven’t lived up to that earlier promise and have had only one win so far against fellow strugglers Wexford Youths. Salthill Devon has installed a new manager in Paul Mc. Gee. And they are hoping that he can turn around their season for them. Monaghan United have only been defeated once this season and it was to Satlhill Devon near neighbours Mervue United. In was an unexpected result, so for that reason alone Roddy Collins will be taking nothing for granted, there will be no room for complacency. This was something both he and his side dealt well with in their last game against Everton (Cork). Since that blip in Mervue Monaghan have gone on to win four and draw one of the five fixtures they have since played in. Their current forms see them in joint second place with Cork at the top of the table and a mere two points behind leaders Shelbourne. Although Sean Brennan and Conor Mc. Mahon will both be missing through injury, Roddy Collins will still have a strong panel to select from and going on their recent run of results it would be disappointing if Monaghan United don’t take home all three points. Once again a good number of the Monaghan United supporters are expected to make the trip west for the slightly early kick off at 7.p.m. at Drom. Monaghan United 4 - 1 Everton (Cork) Monaghan United’s manager Roddy Collins showed how serious he was taking this game when he started the strongest 11 he had available to him. As he stated before Friday’s game that Cup games often have under foot conditions of a banana skin for the favourites, he neither wanted to contemplate a defeat or the reward for a draw – a long trip to Cork on Monday for the replay. Although United got down to the business in hand from the start it was Everton who came closest to claiming the first goal of the game when the home side’s keeper Gabriel Sava was nearly beaten by a John Desmond free kick. This was probably the spur that United required and three goals in the opening 35 minutes put paid to any aspirations that the visitors had of causing an upset United’s pressure paid after 20 minutes in Fabio O’ Brien scored the first of his hat trick, he was played by a delightful pass from John O’ Reilly which he met with his head and powered to the back of the net. Everton had scarcely time to recover when Fabio was through again within the space of two minutes. A good passing move between Paul Whelan and Sean Brennan sent Fabio through for his second. The momentum was now with United and it took a fine save from Everton’s keeper Shane Sherlock to deny Jason Marks United’s third. Unfortunately Sean Brennan had to go off having picked up an injury just approaching the half hour mark and he was replaced by Eric Foley who would have been disappointed not! to have started in the first place. Five minutes later the tie was killed as a contest when Fabio turned provider for Ryan Brennan when he got on the end of a long clearance from Sava. The second half was all United, to keep some respectability on the score sheet Everton decided to go with a blanket defence. Roddy Collins introduced teenager Kevin Loughran for goal scorer Ryan Brennan. But as in the first half the first chance fell to the visitors after four minutes, it was a free kick again from Everton this time Gavan Walsh who almost caused the blushes for Sava, it would be only one of two rare chances for Everton in the second period. For the moment Fabio was denied his hat trick by an excellent tackle from John Desmond. Within a minute Alan Byre saw his powerful header skim the upright. Collins then introduces another of his yout! hful contenders – Jimmy Fallon on 64 minutes. Despite being under the cosh for all of this second half Everton defied the odds with seven minutes to go when they were thrown a life line and they got a goal back, they had a fine sweeping move out of defence, Roy Long strike took a wicked deflection off Aidan Collins leaving Sava totally wrong footed to take the score to 3-1. Any dreams Everton had of a comeback were shattered a minute later when Fabio completed his hat trick. Immediately from the restart after the visitors goal United forced a corner which Eric Foley took and Fabio rose to power it to the back of the net with a header. In the final five minutes both sides were satisfied to run down the clock. Monaghan United: Sava; Whelan, A Byrne, Collins, Grimes; Reilly, Tierney (Fallon 64), R Brennan (Loughran 46), Marks; O’Brien, S Brennan (Foley 29). Subs not used: Isichei, Haran, Fitzgerald. Everton (Cork): Sherlock; Devine, Byrne, White, O’Leary (Fitzpatrick 70); McGrath, Desmond, D Daly (Connolly 89), R Long; D Long (T Daly 70), Walsh. Subs not used: P Crowley,P. Bullman, S Crowley. Referee: Darren Coombes Flag Day – Thank you Monaghan United are very encourage with the excellent support they received from the Monaghan community for their flag day on Thursday last. Also thanks to the many collectors who turned out on the day. Fundraiser Challenge With many supporters returning full sponsorship cards there appears to be a keen interest in our fundraiser challenge match on Sunday next. Kick off on Sunday at Gortakeegan at 5.p.m. Sponsorship cards are still available. |
Tuesday, 07 June 2011 15:26