Monaghan United 0 - 1 Derry City

• Peter Hughes
• Sat, Oct 30 2010


Derry City confirmed their claim to the Airtricity League First Division championship before a travelling retinue of over 2,000 exultant supporters at Gortakeegan, a Mark Farren goal ten minutes from time seeing them sign off their campaign with a victory.

But Waterford United’s win over Shelbourne ensured that Monaghan United earned their place in next week’s promotion play-offs despite an alarming loss of form in the final weeks of the season.

The after-match celebrations as the Championship trophy was presented to Derry captain Farren befitted the Candystripes’ coronation – but the game that preceded it was a huge disappointment. Derry winger James McClean’s cross-cum-shot in the 6th minute that Gabriel Sava in the Monaghan goal had to touch onto the post promised a first half full of chances, but the contest went steeply downhill after that. Patrick McEleney with a low drive that fizzed wide on the half-hour was City’s only notable chance of the period.

Monaghan dominated possession for long passages of the half but created little, crosses from Cathal O’Connor and Barry Clancy proving meat and drink to the imperious Derry defence, for whom the elegant Mark McCrystal was keeping United striker Philly Hughes frozen out of the game.

Derry almost snatched the lead just after the interval, McClean bursting clear down the left flank and flicking a delicate pass through for the inrushing Farren, who was only denied by Sava’s alert advance from his line.

Alan Byrne’s fearsome right-foot drive that flew wide in the 58th minute signalled a strong period of Monaghan pressure, but Gerard Doherty in the Derry goal was superb, dealing with cross after cross, and bursting from his line to deny Ian McNeill after the Monaghan substitute was put in the clear by Shane Grimes’ beautifully weighted pass from deep.

Derry introduced David McDaid for the last quarter, and he was denied a clear avenue on goal by a blatant professional foul from Alan Byrne which earned the United midfielder a booking.

United’s Darragh Hanaphy tested Doherty with a shot from the edge of the box, but Derry broke quickly upfield and stretched the home defence to breaking point. Overlapping Emmet Friars skipped past Cathal O’Connor’s challenge and angled a perfect cross to the near post, Farren stealing in to steer the ball into the corner of the net.

Monaghan almost equalised form the resumption, McNeill unleashing a 20-yard drive that clipped the top of the crossbar. Derry, however, looked progressively more likely to add to their lead in the final minutes, and should have done just into added time, McDaid finding acres of space in the Monaghan penalty area but sending his ten-yard first-time drive from Patrick McEleney’s cross over the bar.

Monaghan United: Sava; McMahon, Lynch, Gartland, Grimes; O’Connor, Tierney, Byrne, Clancy; Hughes (McNeill 64), Hanaphy.
Subs not used: Whelan, McCrossan, Costigan, Quirke.

Derry City: Doherty; McCallion, S McEleney, McCrystal, Friars; Molloy, Harkin (McDaid 67), P McEleney, McClean; Sharkey, Farren (McCauley 88).
Subs not used: Ferry, Lafferty, Parkhouse.
Referee: Phil Caschera (Dublin)