Report: Sporting Fingal 4 - 0 Monaghan United

Sporting ran out easy victors in this tie after new boy Brian Morrisroe came off the bench to set up first Peter Hynes and then Philip Byrne either side of half time. A Paul Caffrey strike on fifty six minutes wrapped the tie up well before Robbie Doyle converted a last minute penalty as Sporting looked to close the gap at the top of the table.

Morrisroe’s excellent corners were the base for Sporting’s attack and, added to Caffrey’s fine performance in midfield, Sporting were in control after a dodgy opening.

Both sides made two changes from last week’s games with Robbie Doyle and Brian Gannon replacing Brian Kelly and Daniel Corcoran in the Sporting side. David Scully and James Hand came in for Monaghan and it was Hand who should have opened the scoring in the second minute with a rasping free kick from thirty yards whistling just over the bar.

Fingal initially looked a shadow of the side that performed so well last week at Shelbourne and were chasing shadows for the first fifteen minutes as Monaghan’s slick passing rendered the Sporting midfield as mere spectators. One move in particular involving Hand, Robbie Collins and Stephen McCrossan allowed the latter to shoot just over from twelve yards.

The host’s first chance eventually fell to Robbie Doyle on fifteen minutes but his header found the net only after referee Sean Grant had blown for an infringement in the area. Sporting improved from there and offered a little more of a threat up front. On twenty five minutes, a Derek Tyrell long ball was knocked down by Doyle to Hynes but Brendan Kennedy easily saved his feeble toe flick.

The opener came seven minutes before the break from a Brian Morrisroe corner. Peter Hynes found space just outside the six yard box and Morrisroe’s excellent cross was directed goalwards by the striker. Kennedy got a strong hand to it but couldn’t keep it out leaving the visitors trailing at the break.

Sporting doubled the lead just after the break as Morrisroe’s dead ball prowess was again emphasised. His forty seventh minute corner was headed across goal by Doyle and Philip Byrne was on hand at the back post to nod home.

Sporting were killing Monaghan now and Caffrey almost added a third six minutes later after an exchange of passes from himself, Doyle, Tyrell and Morrisroe sliced Monaghan apart but he shot over. A minute later and he had his reward after Doyle played him to feet in the area. He turned and lifted the ball over the keeper to end the contest with over thirty minutes to go.

Morrisroe almost had a hat trick of assists on the hour mark when he found Conan Byrne at the far post but Kennedy saved well. A minute later Kennedy contrasted his work with a ridiculous dive at Caffrey’s feet. Caffrey strolled past and rolled the ball across goal but Hynes couldn’t get there.

As for Monaghan, Kevin Williamson’s cross/shot from a free hit the bar. Nowt else. Sporting comfortably saw the game out with a fourth in injury time as Robbie Doyle again popped up with a late penalty to leave the 312 fans in fine voice.

Sporting Fingal: Steve Williams; Derek Tyrell, Philip Byrne, Chris Deans, Brian Gannon; Conan Byrne, Aidan Collins (Colm James 66), Paul Caffrey, Fiachra McArdle (Brian Morrisroe 30); Peter Hynes, Robbie Doyle
Subs not used: Jim Crawford, Dinny Corcoran, Stephen Caffrey.

Monaghan United: Brendan Kennedy; Aaron Mooney, Brian Gartland (Wayne Byrne 62), Ian Malone, Kevin Williamson; Robbie Collins, Dom Tierney, Stephen McCrossan, James Hand (Eoin Lanigan 58), Darren Meenan (Darragh Hanaphy 87); Dave Scully.
Subs not used: Kieran O’Reilly, Danny Woods.

Referee: Sean Grant.

Attendance: 312

Extratime Man of the Match: Brian Morrisroe (Sporting Fingal) - a fine debut.