Monaghan United 2 - 0 Shelbourne
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Having dropped to fourth place in the league table despite finally getting back to winning ways in Newbridge last Friday, Shelbourne travelled to Monaghan on Tuesday night desperately needing a victory to keep their season on track. However, Kingspan Century Park has proved to be very much a bogey-ground for the Reds, with them having lost both encounters there last season. They also lost out earlier this year in March. Indeed Shelbourne failed to register a single goal away to the Mons in those visits.
The home team gave a debut to new signing Sean Brennan from Drogheda Town, while the visitors were forced to re-juggle due to the absence of a number of regulars. Veteran Mark Rutherford started in an unfamiliar role as striker for the Reds.
It was the visitors who started the brighter but the game was only eight minutes old when their hoodoo struck. Alan Byrne lost the ball cheaply to Darren Meenan and as the Ulsterman ran into the penalty area, he downed him with a clumsy challenge. Meenan who netted three times against the Reds last season, made it four in all, with a well-struck spot-kick.
Shels responded immediately with captain Damien Brennan heading wide an easy chance in from of goal on eleven minutes. Shortly after that James Keddy, and later again Gary McCabe, should both have put the ball in net when it seem easier to score rather than miss. Thirty six year-old Rutherford belied his age with his work-rate and after a mazy run he was unlucky to see his shot rebound off the post.
Dermot Keely changed things around at the break with new signing Philly Gorman coming on to partner David Freeman, up front in place of centre half Byrne. Hedderman moved into central defence, with the versatile Rutherford taking his place at left back. Eight minutes into the second half the visitors were denied a penalty shout with the referee waving play on. It was going to one of nights for the Reds again with nothing going their way. Frustration began to creep in, with Keddy, Brennan and McCabe all been shown yellow cards, while goalscorer Meenan also joined them in the ref’s notebook.
Invariably, it was the home side who got that second goal with Brian Gartland rising unmarked, to head strongly into the top corner from a Sean Brennan free kick. As the Shelbourne challenge collapsed, Meenan raced through clear on goal with just five minutes remaining, only for Dean Delaney to pull off a fabulous save to deny the Mons an almost certain third.
All in all a deserved win for Monaghan United who made the most of their chances, while the visitors proved profligate again in front of goal.
Monaghan United: Brendan Kennedy; Brian Gartland, Aaron Mooney, Conor McMahon; Paul Whelan, Dom Tierney, Sean Brennan, Stephen McCrossan (Kieran Rielly 78), Barry Clancy; Eoin Lanigan, Darren Meenan.
Subs not used: Danny Woods, Ian Malone, James Hand, Darragh Hanaphy.
Shelbourne: Dean Delany; James Chambers, Alan Byrne (Philip Gorman 46), Damien Brennan, Robbie Hedderman; Gary McCabe, Mark O'Brien, David McGill (David McAllister 73), James Keddy; David Freeman, Mark Rutherford.
Subs not used: Fred Davis Jnr, Dean Lawrence, Franco Georgescu.
Referee: Hugo Whoriskey.
