Monaghan United FC -v- Sporting Fingal FC
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Monaghan welcome Sporting Fingal to Kingspan Century Park on Friday for the first of a double bill that sees Sporting again the visitors on Monday for the League Cup. Fingal have sorted out their early season blip, with three wins on the spin, and currently sit third in the league. Monaghan have had a poor start this campaign and find themselves just one place above bottom side Kildare County.
Team News
Monaghan have a full squad to choose from with no injuries or suspensions to report. Sporting Fingal will be without injured trio Gary O’Neill (groin), Shane McFaul (ankle) and John Frost (calf). Better news on the injury front has been the return of Stephen Paisley, who made his debut for Fingal last week after sitting out the opening four matches with a groin injury.
Managers View
Mick Cooke was pleased with the draw his side earned last week against Limerick and hopes for more of the same against the favorites for promotion: “As I stated last week a draw in Limerick would be a good result and this we achieved and we created enough chances to win the game. There is a more positive attitude to the side and this is what is required for this week- ends double clash against Sporting Fingal. “In Friday’s game the least I will be looking for is a draw, but with due respect to the opposition I feel this is the game that we will get our first win in the League,” he added.
Fingal manager, Liam Buckley, was cautious ahead of tomorrow’s tie. “No side gets an easy game at Monaghan and, despite them not having the best starts to the campaign, we will not be underestimating them,” he said.
Stats
Sporting are on a run of wins and goals, finding the target thirteen times in their last three games (admittedly eight of which came at Station Road) conceding none in the process. Mons enjoyed their first clean sheet of the season last time out and with a full squad will be looking to recapture their scoring form from the opening weekend of the season when they found the target three times – Cooke’s side have scored just once since.
Extratime.ie prediction: 0-2
Team News
Monaghan have a full squad to choose from with no injuries or suspensions to report. Sporting Fingal will be without injured trio Gary O’Neill (groin), Shane McFaul (ankle) and John Frost (calf). Better news on the injury front has been the return of Stephen Paisley, who made his debut for Fingal last week after sitting out the opening four matches with a groin injury.
Managers View
Mick Cooke was pleased with the draw his side earned last week against Limerick and hopes for more of the same against the favorites for promotion: “As I stated last week a draw in Limerick would be a good result and this we achieved and we created enough chances to win the game. There is a more positive attitude to the side and this is what is required for this week- ends double clash against Sporting Fingal. “In Friday’s game the least I will be looking for is a draw, but with due respect to the opposition I feel this is the game that we will get our first win in the League,” he added.
Fingal manager, Liam Buckley, was cautious ahead of tomorrow’s tie. “No side gets an easy game at Monaghan and, despite them not having the best starts to the campaign, we will not be underestimating them,” he said.
Stats
Sporting are on a run of wins and goals, finding the target thirteen times in their last three games (admittedly eight of which came at Station Road) conceding none in the process. Mons enjoyed their first clean sheet of the season last time out and with a full squad will be looking to recapture their scoring form from the opening weekend of the season when they found the target three times – Cooke’s side have scored just once since.
Extratime.ie prediction: 0-2
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