Monaghan United 1 - 0 Finn Harps

• Peter Hughes
• Wed, Oct 07 2009


A brilliant left-foot strike from Shane Grimes decided the issue in Monaghan United’s favour when they edged out a game but limited Finn Harps in this disappointing encounter at Kingspan Century Park.

A less than fluent United conceded the early advantage to the visitors, and Stephen McLaughlin got on the end of some dangerous crosses as Harps’ Christy Connaghan began to torment the home defence.

Monaghan looked set to take the lead against the run of play in the 21st minute when Aidan Lynch was brought down in the Harps box and referee Neil Doyle pointed to the spot. However, Karl Bermingham struck a powerful but centrally placed penalty that was palmed away by Harps’ impressive young ‘keeper Ciaran Gallagher.

James Gallagher’s team took strength from their escape and bossed the remainder of the half, Conaghan fizzing in a shot that looked bound for the bottom corner but for an excellent reaction save by United’s Aaron McCarey.

Although both goalkeepers on show would have impressed watching Republic of Ireland youth manager Sean McCaffrey, there was little enough entertainment for the general spectator, and the game was mired in stalemate before Grimes, picking up a half-cleared corner, struck a fearsome shot beyond Gallagher to give United a 73rd minute lead.

Harps, who had begun to settle into a mode of holding what they had, tried to energise their play with a triple substitution. One of the new boys Marc Brolly flashed a header just outside the top corner, but Monaghan were generally comfortable until defensive unease subjected them to a nervous final five minutes in which Conor Gethins flashed a shot across the face of goal after drawing McCarey from his line.

Deep in added time Michael Funston raised Harps’ hopes with a powerful low drive but the Wolverhampton Wanderers-bound McCarey was more than equal to it.

Monaghan United: McCarey; Whelan, Lynch (Flynn 49), Gartland, Grimes; O’Connor, Tierney (McCrossan 83), Byrne, Hanaphy (Clancy 46); Bermingham, Freeman.

Finn Harps: Gallagher; Rossiter, McGowan (Roddy 74), P Mailey, Coll; Connaghan, Funston, Forker, Whoriskey (Brolly 71); McLaughlin (Moran 76), Gethins.

Referee: Neil Doyle