Monaghan United 1 - 0 Cork City Foras Co-op

• Peter Hughes
• Fri, Jul 16 2010


Monaghan United strengthened their promotion hopes considerably at Gortakeegan, moving into second place in the First Division with this Philly Hughes-inspired 1-0 victory over Cork City Foras Co- op. But the visitors will feel a little hard done by that their fluent, pressing second half performance didn’t bring them the reward of at least a point.

Chances in the first couple of minutes for United’s Alan Byrne and City’s Shane Barrett promised a lively game and what unfolded didn’t disappoint. Some of Cork’s passing in the early stages was threateningly incisive and Gavin Kavanagh finished off a flowing move in the 19th minute with a shot that went narrowly wide via a deflection.

However, the on-form Hughes began to pull the strings in attack, creating a good chance for Sean Brennan and coming close himself when Barry Clancy carved the Cork defence open. In the 31st minute Brennan flashed in a cross from the right and Hughes rose impressively to power a header beyond Cork’s Mark McNulty. The striker should have bagged his brace four minutes later but after dispossessing Kavanagh and skipping past Neal Horgan, he drove his shot high of the target.

In the final minute of the half McNulty, who had endured some uncertain moments early in the game, redeemed himself when he pulled off a spectacular fingertip save to deny Brennan, who had flashed in a mean shot from close to the end-line.

Brennan came agonisingly close again soon after the resumption. Liberated by Cathal O’Connor, he cut into the box and brought another fine save from McNulty. Latching on the rebound, Brennan beat the City keeper with his second attempt but saw his shot clip off the far post.

The tide of the play slowly but surely turned in Cork’s favour after that. Barrett just missed getting his head to Billy Woods’ deep cross, and Graham Cummins ran beyond the Monaghan defence to find the net in the 69th minute, only to be adjudged offside.

United’s Gabriel Sava saved well from Cillian Lordan as Cork upped the tempo. McNulty made a brave diving save at the feet of Barry Clancy to deny United what would have proved the clincher on the break, but the force was with the visitors as the match entered its last ten minutes.

Davin O’Neill tested Sava again with a low shot, and with five minutes remaining Barrett burst through on goal but never had the ball fully under his command and poked his shot wide.

Monaghan United: Sava; McMahon, McNeill, Byrne, Costigan; O’Connor (Bermingham 68), Tierney, McCrossan, Clancy; Hughes, Brennan (Grimes 84).
Subs not used: Donnelly, Hanaphy, McKevitt

Cork City Foras Co-op: McNulty; Lougheed (Morrissey 80), O’Halloran, Kavanagh, Horgan; Woods, Duggan, Lordan, O’Neill; Barrett, (Cambridge 70), Cummins.
Subs not used: Piechnik, Turner, Mulcahy.

Referee: Declan Hanney