Monaghan United 1 - 0 Longford Town

• Peter Hughes
• Fri, Apr 08 2011


Declan ‘Fabio’ O’Brien’s clinical finish on the stroke of half time sealed the points for Monaghan United – but it was Longford Town’s much-heralded new signing Keith Gillespie who almost stole the headlines.

Gillespie, introduced on the hour mark by Town, struck the frame of the United goal with a thunderous free-kick in the very last minute of additional time. Inspired by Gillespie’s presence – even though the former Manchester United winger’s on-the-ball contribution was minimal – Town bossed the game increasingly in the second half and an equaliser would not have flattered them.

Monaghan had started the brighter, with Paul Hunt in the Town goal called on to deal with a Sean Brennan free-kick in the first minute. Ten minutes later Hunt was forced to exert himself even more, pulling off a fine instinctive stop when Paul Whelan thundered a volley on target.

United created a steady stream of chances but wayward shooting let them down. Longford could have snatched a 24th minute lead when Des Hope met Jacques Morley’s corner with a powerful header that was diverted inches wide via a deflection off a Mons defender.

Morley himself, Town’s best performer on the night, came agonisingly close in the 34th minute. He stuck a delicious curling free-kick that had Gabriel Sava scrambling across his goal but the effort spun just around the post.

A strong Mons finish to the half saw O’Brien test Hunt with a powerful low drive from an acute angle. O’Brien went one better in the final minute of the period, spinning away from Chris Dean to meet Ryan Brennan’s cross with an accomplished finish. A Paul Whelan cross cannoned off the Longford crossbar as Roddy Collins’ side made a blistering start to the second half. But the home side’s influence on the game gradually waned, and Town were already coming strongly back into the match when Gillespie was introduced on the hour for Cathal Brady.

The presence of the ex-Northern Ireland international drifting in midfield seemed to preoccupy United, and a re-energised Town began to find profitable space in and around their opponents’ box.

Austin Skelly powered his way through in the 65th minute, but undid his good initial work with a wild finish. Thomas Hyland’s piledriver from distance carried well wide. United were presented with a great chance to seal the win in the 79th minute. A lovely bit of creativity from Sean Brennan liberated Whelan on the right and his powerful cross picked out substitute Jason Marks in space in the box. But Marks rushed his shot and sent it across the face of the goal and wide.

It was time for the Mons to live on their nerves, with Gabriel Sava called upon to keep out a Craig Walsh free-kick in the 86th minute. As the five minutes of added time commenced, Des Hope got his head to a Gillespie corner but his effort was narrowly off-target. Then, with the last seconds ebbing away, Don Tierney brought down Don Cowan some 25-yards out and Gillespie stepped up to strike a superb free-kick that cannoned off the post.

Monaghan United: Sava; Whelan, Rodgers, Collins, Grimes; R Brennan (Tierney 70), Reilly, Foley, S Brennan (Loughran 88); O’Brien, Isichei (Marks 72)

Longford Town: Hunt; O’Reilly, Hope, Deans, Cronin; Brady (Gillespie 60), Hyland, Salmon, Morley; Cowan, Skelly (Walsh 77)

Referee: Rob Daly