Mervue United -v- Monaghan United

• Terry Flaherty
• Thu, Apr 28 2011


Monaghan United make their first visit to Fahy’s Field on Friday night as Mervue United play host to Roddy Collins unbeaten side at the Galway venue. Kick-off 7.45 p.m.

Both sides entered the game in contrasting form – Mervue have lost their last three, while Monaghan have won their last three. Collins’s team have had an excellent start to the new campaign most recently knocking Premier Division Dundalk out of the EA Sports Cup on Monday. After eight games they remain undefeated in league and cup and occupy a healthy second place in the table, one point behind leaders, Cork City, but with a game in hand.

Mervue season got off to a flying start, but since the exciting 5-3 away win over Wexford Youths, things have not gone so well, losing to Limerick (2-0) and Athlone (1-0) and bowing out of the EA Sports Cup to Derry City (2-1). Last Friday night, despite dominating the game against Athlone for large periods, the lack of a clinical finisher cost them a result as the concession of a soft goal early in the second half handed the home side another 1-0 win.

Johnny Glynn will be without captain Damien O’Rourke once again as he suffered a re-occurrence of his Achilles injury and will have to undergo an MRI scan. Nicky Curran, Mike Tierney, Noel Varley and Jason Molloy are all injury doubts ahead of the game, while John Mountney will play for the Irish International Schools side on Thursday after playing his first full 90 minutes in the Brandywell against Derry City on Monday.

Glynn, is looking forward to facing Roddy Collins high flying side “we are looking forward to Monaghan’s first visit to Fahy’s Field, Roddy Collins has got them off to a great start after taking over in difficult circumstances. We will obviously be underdogs going into the tie but if we can get it right on the night, we can upset them”.

Mervue have a fairly good record against the Northerners since entering the First Division in 2009 having recorded their first LOI win with a 2-1 win in Gortakeegan Park in March 2009, while also taking four points in their three meetings last season.

Monaghan will travel west looking to set the record straight after last season’s 2-1 defeat in Terryland Park at the end of the campaign, as goals from David Goldbey and Rory Gaffney guaranteed Mervue’s place in the First Division which effectively ended their title dreams and also automatic promotion to the Premier Division.

Mervue Utd
Injured: Damien O’Rourke (achiles)
Doubtful: Nicky Curran (calf), Jason Molloy, Mike Tierney (knee), Noel Varley (shin)
Suspended: None.

Monaghan Utd
Injured: Alan Byrne
Doubtful: None
Suspended: None

>Referee: S Templeman
Paddy Power Odds: Mervue Utd 9/2, Draw 5/2, Monaghan Utd 4/7
Extratime prediction: A 1-1 draw.