Monaghan United 2 - 0 Longford Town
Credit:
Things ran true to the formbook at Gortakeegan when second-placed Monaghan
United accounted for mid-table Longford Town, but it took a last-gasp Darragh Hanaphy goal for a
less than convincing United to finally see off the challenge of a Town side who were reinvigorated by a trio of second half substitutions.
As well as finishing the match the stronger, Town almost caught United napping after only 70 seconds, debutant Craig Walsh steering a crisp pass into the path of Lee Roche whose effort from ten yards was only kept out by the fingertips of Gabriel Sava.
Duly warned, Mick Cooke’s side gradually took a grip on the first half, and it was no surprise when they took the lead after 20 minutes. Barry Clancy clipped over a fine cross from the right, Cathal O’Connor steered the ball into the path of Stephen McCrossan and the midfielder found the net with what looked an audacious, but may well have been a mis-hit, shot that left Aaron Shanahan in the Town goal stranded.
Longford had one decent first half chance – Peter Hynes’ overhead kick which flashed just wide in the 31st minute – but they were mostly on the defensive against an increasingly dominant United side for whom centre back Aidan Collins had three decent headed chances from corner kicks.
But it was captain Don Tierney, yet to find the scoresheet in his four seasons with the club, who came closest to extending the Mons’ advantage, his bullet shot from 25 yards being pushed over the crossbar by the dexterous Shanahan.
Diminutive Barry Clancy rose above the Longford defence to power in a header from Cathal O’Connor’s cross in the 38th minute but the effort was just too high of the target. The game lapsed into dullness after the interval, with United giving the impression of idling on their lead, although they were unlucky not to bag a second in the 62nd minute when Philly Hughes, picked out by a superb O’Connor pass, struck the post from an acute angle.
Town boss Tony Cousins introduced Gary Cronin, Jason Oladele and Don Cowan to the fray in quick succession and the changes injected a pace and urgency into Longford’s play that saw them seize the initiative. A concerted period of pressure ended with Cronin’s header being tipped over the crossbar by the flying Sava.
In the 79th minute Walsh thundered a shot a foot wide as Town continued to press. Oladele in particular was proving a handful but the incisive final ball proved elusive for the visitors to find. The Mons weathered the storm and, deep in additional time, their own substitutes combined to put a slightly flattering margin on the final score. Ian McNeill broke clear down the left of Longford’s stretched defence, cut inside and drove a low shot that Shanahan did well to save. The ball looped into the air, however, and Hanaphy, following through, managed to out jump Chris Deans to nod home.
Monaghan United: Sava; Whelan, Collins, Gartland, Grimes; O’Connor (McNeill 67), Tierney, McCrossan, Clancy; Bermingham, Hughes (Hanaphy 76).
Subs not used: Costigan, Donnelly, Quirke.
Longford Town: Shanahan; O’Reilly, Walsh, Deans, Lee; Freeman (Oladele 67), Lester, Salmon, A Roche (Cronin 73); Hynes (Cowan 78), L Roche.
Subs not used: Byrne, Conlon.
Referee: Conor Fitzgerald (Dublin)
As well as finishing the match the stronger, Town almost caught United napping after only 70 seconds, debutant Craig Walsh steering a crisp pass into the path of Lee Roche whose effort from ten yards was only kept out by the fingertips of Gabriel Sava.
Duly warned, Mick Cooke’s side gradually took a grip on the first half, and it was no surprise when they took the lead after 20 minutes. Barry Clancy clipped over a fine cross from the right, Cathal O’Connor steered the ball into the path of Stephen McCrossan and the midfielder found the net with what looked an audacious, but may well have been a mis-hit, shot that left Aaron Shanahan in the Town goal stranded.
Longford had one decent first half chance – Peter Hynes’ overhead kick which flashed just wide in the 31st minute – but they were mostly on the defensive against an increasingly dominant United side for whom centre back Aidan Collins had three decent headed chances from corner kicks.
But it was captain Don Tierney, yet to find the scoresheet in his four seasons with the club, who came closest to extending the Mons’ advantage, his bullet shot from 25 yards being pushed over the crossbar by the dexterous Shanahan.
Diminutive Barry Clancy rose above the Longford defence to power in a header from Cathal O’Connor’s cross in the 38th minute but the effort was just too high of the target. The game lapsed into dullness after the interval, with United giving the impression of idling on their lead, although they were unlucky not to bag a second in the 62nd minute when Philly Hughes, picked out by a superb O’Connor pass, struck the post from an acute angle.
Town boss Tony Cousins introduced Gary Cronin, Jason Oladele and Don Cowan to the fray in quick succession and the changes injected a pace and urgency into Longford’s play that saw them seize the initiative. A concerted period of pressure ended with Cronin’s header being tipped over the crossbar by the flying Sava.
In the 79th minute Walsh thundered a shot a foot wide as Town continued to press. Oladele in particular was proving a handful but the incisive final ball proved elusive for the visitors to find. The Mons weathered the storm and, deep in additional time, their own substitutes combined to put a slightly flattering margin on the final score. Ian McNeill broke clear down the left of Longford’s stretched defence, cut inside and drove a low shot that Shanahan did well to save. The ball looped into the air, however, and Hanaphy, following through, managed to out jump Chris Deans to nod home.
Monaghan United: Sava; Whelan, Collins, Gartland, Grimes; O’Connor (McNeill 67), Tierney, McCrossan, Clancy; Bermingham, Hughes (Hanaphy 76).
Subs not used: Costigan, Donnelly, Quirke.
Longford Town: Shanahan; O’Reilly, Walsh, Deans, Lee; Freeman (Oladele 67), Lester, Salmon, A Roche (Cronin 73); Hynes (Cowan 78), L Roche.
Subs not used: Byrne, Conlon.
Referee: Conor Fitzgerald (Dublin)
