Mervue United -v- Monaghan United

• Terry Flaherty
• Sat, Oct 23 2010


Mervue United welcome promotion chasing Monaghan Utd to Terryland Park for Saturday night’s only Airtricity league action (kick-off 7 p.m.). This game takes on a lot more significance for both sides following Friday night’s results, as both teams need full points for very opposite reasons.

Nothing more than all three points will be good enough for Monaghan following Derry City’s 2-2 draw with Finn Harps in the north east derby to move four points clear of Mick Cooke’s side. A win for the visitors would set a cup final finish to the First Division, as it would go down to the wire with Monaghan hosting Derry in next week’s final game.

The home team on the other hand need another three points from their final two games to guarantee finishing above their City rivals, Salthill Devon, who surprisingly defeated Cork City 2-1 in Turners Cross on Friday night to move back to within a point of Tom French’s side.

Mervue will be without captain Eric Browne who serves a one game suspension, while Mike Tierney is doubtful having only lasted twenty minutes in his comeback in last week’s 3-0 defeat to Shelbourne. Under 20 players James Casserely and Barry McEntee should return having missed that game.

Monaghan will travel west with a full strength squad to choose from, as Mike Cooke’s only absentee will be the injured Karl Bermingham.

In the two games between the sides this season, they played out a 1-1 draw in the first meeting as an early Pat Hoban (now with Bristol City) strike was cancelled out by a late Aiden Collins goal at Terryland Park at the start of May.

In the second game Monaghan secured a more comfortable 4-0 win in Gortakeegan at the end of July as the early sending off of Mervue keeper Ger Hanley certainly didn’t help French’s side on the night.

An interesting night in Terryland awaits as the season comes to a climax and important juncture for both teams, with three vital points up for grabs and different prizes on offer for either side.

Extratime.ie Prediction: 2-1 Monaghan win to set up an exciting home tie with Derry.