Monaghan United 4 - 2 Waterford United

• Peter Hughes
• Sat, Oct 02 2010


Monaghan United produced a comeback to savour at Gortakeegan when they dug deep to turn a 0-2 half-time deficit into a stunning 4-2 victory to give them a major advantage over First Division promotion rivals Waterford United at Gortakeegan.

This was a game that followed two different scripts, Waterford the dominant first half force but Monaghan resurgent and unstoppable after the interval when they turned the match on its head with a purple twenty-minute scoring patch.

That outcome looked improbable when Waterford shocked the home team with a clinical third minute goal. Alan Carey’s sweeping crossfield pass saw Liam Kearney slip past Monaghan full-back Aidan Collins and supply a pinpoint cross for Willie John Kiely to head home.

Mick Cooke’s side, looking initially jaded after their recent cup exertions, suffered another setback on 11 minutes, when Karl Bermingham fell awkwardly in the box when attempting a shot and had to be replaced by Sean Brennan.

Although they enjoyed plenty of possession, Monaghan struggled to forge chances against the disciplined and close-marking visitors. Waterford were waiting their chance to extend their lead, and it came on 29 minutes with almost a facsimile of their opener – Carey picking out Kearney, who swept in another perfect cross, this time for Vinny Sullivan to break his recent scoring drought with the easiest of headed finishes.

It took Monaghan until well after the half-hour to get their attack functioning, but they almost pulled a goal back when Alan Byrne headed down for Philly Hughes to strike a sweet half-volley that beat Kevin Burns in the Waterford goal but cannoned out off the inside of the post.

Encouraged, United produced another slick attacking move, Shane Grimes advancing from his full- back berth to strike a rising shot that Burns palmed clear with an admirable reaction save, Brennan meeting the loose ball with a header that looped wide. In the 44th minute Waterford wasted a great chance to seal the game.

Sullivan put John Kearney in the clear and the midfielder seemed odds-on to score until Sean Brennan came from nowhere to make a vital interception for Monaghan.

Stephen Henderson’s men were made to rue that miss in a second half which the home side completely dominated, producing wave after wave of attacking football. Alan Byrne had an effort hacked away close to the goal-line by Michael Coady in the 64th minute, but the initial breakthrough for Monaghan came from the penalty spot after Sean Brennan was brought down in the box by Coady.

Philly Hughes coolly converted. A minute later Brennan was only denied an equaliser when his glancing header was kept out by Burns’ flying save. Six minutes later Monaghan were on level terms. Cathal O’Connor, who was dominating midfield, exchanged passes with Hughes and carried the ball deep into the box before slipping it home under the body of Burns.

Waterford were reeling from the game’s dramatic turn-around, and the hitherto impressive Burns erred badly in the 78th minute when he missed his attempted claim of O’Connor’s cross, leaving Brennan with an open goal into which to plant his header.

Waterford tried to muster a response, but they were carved open by O’Connor in the 84th minute, although his final ball took a fortuitous deflection off a defender to fall the way of Hughes who stabbed home for his second of the match.

Monaghan United: Sava; Collins, McMahon (Whelan 82), Gartland (Lynch 46), Grimes; O’Connor, Tierney, A Byrne, Clancy; Bermingham (Brennan 11), Hughes.
Subs not used: Hanaphy, Costigan.

Waterford United: Burns; Carey, Long, Murray, Coady; Purcell (Walsh 74), J Kearney, Dunphy (Waters 82), L Kearney; Sullivan (Murphy 74), Kiely. Subs not used: O’Sullivan, Konopka.

Referee: Phil Caschera