Monaghan United 0-1 Finn Harps

• Peter Hughes
• Fri, Mar 19 2010


Goalkeeper Ciaran Gallagher’s was the name sung by the visiting Finn Harps supporters departing Gortakeegan after his second-half penalty save allowed James Gallagher’s team to secure a slender 1-0 win over Monaghan United in what was a tight, and often bruising, encounter.

Harps came greyhound-quick out of the traps and were ahead after four minutes. Davitt Walsh was body checked by Anthony Costigan outside the box, and Matt Crossan sent a fine free-kick whistling past Gabriel Sava in the United goal – a painful concession for the Mons who have been undone by a free-kick in each of their three First Division games to date.

Harps dominated the half but their chances were relatively few, although Marc Brolly struck a shot on the run in the 27th minute that brought Sava into action and Shaun McGowan glanced a header wide a minute later.

Starved of possession for most of the half, United rallied towards its end, and two excellent chances fell the way of Philly Hughes. But the normally reliable striker failed to hit the target on both occasions.

Monaghan turned the tide of the game their way in the second period, but the Harps’ defence, with captain Packie Mailey in domineering form, were miserly with the chances they conceded.

The weight of pressure eventually told, however, with Mons’ striker Karl Bermingham going to ground in the box under a heavy challenge in the 72nd minute and referee Conor Fitzgerald pointing unhesitatingly to the spot. Hughes struck his spot-kick firmly enough but Gallagher was down alertly to parry it away.

Mailey could have put the game beyond doubt for Harps in the 76th minute but he shot wildly off- target when the ball dropped to him from a corner. Gallagher saved well from Bermingham’s shot through a ruck of defenders in the 83rd minute as United pressed gamely for the leveller.

But their hopes of taking something from the match were effectively dashed in the 86th minute when defender Conor McMahon incurred his second yellow card and got his marching orders from Mr Fitzgerald, who had booked a host of players during the course of an often ill-tempered encounter.

Monaghan United: Gabriel Sava; Conor McMahon, Aidan Lynch, Brian Gartland, Anthony Costigan; Cathal O’Connor, Alan Byrne, Sean Brennan (Philip Donnelly 89), Barry Clancy; Karl Bermingham, Philip Hughes.
Subs not used: Stefan McKevitt, Niall Flynn, Darren Coleman, Dean McMahon.

Finn Harps: Ciaran Gallagher; James Doherty, Jonathan Minnock, Packie Mailey, Matthew Crossan; Marc Brolly (Seamus McLaughlin 74), Michael Funston, Shaun McGowan, Johnny Lafferty; Davitt Walsh, Kevin McHugh.
Subs not used: Liam Mailey, Gary Whoriskey, Fintan Bonner, Mark Forker.

Referee: Conor Fitzgerald