Sporting Fingal 4 - 0 Monaghan United
Credit:
Sporting Fingal returned to winning ways with a comfortable 4-0 win
over Monaghan United at Morton Stadium. Conan Byrne hit a
scintillating hat-trick as the winger tormented Mick Cooke’s men all
night. Shaun Williams also got his name on the score sheet for Liam
Buckley’s side as they move into second place and keep up the pressure
on those around them at the top of the table.
Fingal started the game brightly and striker Gary O Neill almost opened the scoring early on but his header from Frost’s cross looped over the cross bar. Minutes later Frost again crossed put in another teasing cross but Byrne at the back post couldn’t beat McGann.
The deadlock was almost broken on 15 minutes when Fingal’s Shane McFaul almost produced something from nothing. The midfielder picked up a throw in on the right wing and unleashed a brilliant curling effort that had McGann beaten all ends up but it whistled wide of the top corner.
Mons sub Hannaphy was the first player in the referee’s notebook after he barged P. Byrne on 31mins. The hosts had their best chance to open the scoring moments later when O’Neill found himself bearing down on goal ready to pull the trigger. Monaghan central defender Gartland did brilliantly however to make up the yards and put in a tackle before the striker could get his shot away.
Fingal almost took the lead right after half time in the strangest of circumstances when Monaghan defender Gartland smacked his clearance against McFaul. The ball hit against the midfielder and looped onto the crossbar with the keeper stranded. The home side however didn’t have to wait long for their opener and it duly arrived on 63 minutes. Frost’s throw in found Gary O’Neill’s feet and the striker turned brilliantly to work half a yard of space. O’Neill fired in a low cross into the box which Conan Byrne prodded in for his eighth league goal.
Liam Buckley’s men got their second minutes later and again it was from their instrumental winger Byrne. He cut in from the right wing and skipped past two tackles before rifling his shot into the bottom left hand corner. At this stage Monaghan heads were down and the game was ended as a contest in the 74th minute as Byrne completed his hat-trick. Monaghan keeper McGann took a on the edge of his box which was won by the Fingal centre backs. The ball fell to Byrne and the winger spotting the keeper back peddling showed great vision and to spot the gap and even better technique to put his half volley into the back of the net from 40 yards.
Byrne turned from scorer to provider on 85 minutes when his cross from the right was met by the head of Shaun Williams. Fingal comfortably saw out the remainder of the game as they go into next week’s North Dublin derby against Shelbourne in fine form.
Sporting Fingal: Quigley, Gannon, Frost, Williams, P. Byrne, Whelan, C. Byrne, Bayly, ONeill (Corcoran), Kirby(Fitzgerald), McFaul
Monaghan United: McGann, Whelan, Grimes, Lynch, Gartland, Tierney, McMahon, Byrne, Bermingham (O’Connor), Freeman, Clancy (Hyland).
Attendance: 370
Extratime.ie Man of the Match: Conan Byrne- Hat trick and set up the other goal.
Fingal started the game brightly and striker Gary O Neill almost opened the scoring early on but his header from Frost’s cross looped over the cross bar. Minutes later Frost again crossed put in another teasing cross but Byrne at the back post couldn’t beat McGann.
The deadlock was almost broken on 15 minutes when Fingal’s Shane McFaul almost produced something from nothing. The midfielder picked up a throw in on the right wing and unleashed a brilliant curling effort that had McGann beaten all ends up but it whistled wide of the top corner.
Mons sub Hannaphy was the first player in the referee’s notebook after he barged P. Byrne on 31mins. The hosts had their best chance to open the scoring moments later when O’Neill found himself bearing down on goal ready to pull the trigger. Monaghan central defender Gartland did brilliantly however to make up the yards and put in a tackle before the striker could get his shot away.
Fingal almost took the lead right after half time in the strangest of circumstances when Monaghan defender Gartland smacked his clearance against McFaul. The ball hit against the midfielder and looped onto the crossbar with the keeper stranded. The home side however didn’t have to wait long for their opener and it duly arrived on 63 minutes. Frost’s throw in found Gary O’Neill’s feet and the striker turned brilliantly to work half a yard of space. O’Neill fired in a low cross into the box which Conan Byrne prodded in for his eighth league goal.
Liam Buckley’s men got their second minutes later and again it was from their instrumental winger Byrne. He cut in from the right wing and skipped past two tackles before rifling his shot into the bottom left hand corner. At this stage Monaghan heads were down and the game was ended as a contest in the 74th minute as Byrne completed his hat-trick. Monaghan keeper McGann took a on the edge of his box which was won by the Fingal centre backs. The ball fell to Byrne and the winger spotting the keeper back peddling showed great vision and to spot the gap and even better technique to put his half volley into the back of the net from 40 yards.
Byrne turned from scorer to provider on 85 minutes when his cross from the right was met by the head of Shaun Williams. Fingal comfortably saw out the remainder of the game as they go into next week’s North Dublin derby against Shelbourne in fine form.
Sporting Fingal: Quigley, Gannon, Frost, Williams, P. Byrne, Whelan, C. Byrne, Bayly, ONeill (Corcoran), Kirby(Fitzgerald), McFaul
Monaghan United: McGann, Whelan, Grimes, Lynch, Gartland, Tierney, McMahon, Byrne, Bermingham (O’Connor), Freeman, Clancy (Hyland).
Attendance: 370
Extratime.ie Man of the Match: Conan Byrne- Hat trick and set up the other goal.
