Monaghan United 2 - 0 Wexford Youths

Two goals for Monaghan United were the only highlights in this game of two dull halves,  which seen the Mons take three crucial points and add to the excitement at the top of the First Division table. 

The dreadful weather at Gortakeegan did nothing but aid the dismal play in both halves of this match between Monaghan United and Wexford Youths. The difference in the league positions between these two sides wasn’t obvious for much of the 90 minutes. Monaghan were playing without the suspended Sean and Ryan Brennan and the Wexford Youths’ squad was depleted with injuries.

The first half started with pressure from Monaghan United with a free kick in the 3rd minute taken by Eric Foley, who chipped  it in to Jordan Keegan in the box which forced the Wexford defence into action to clear for a corner which was subsequently hit directly at Packie Holden.

Then, in the 5th minute, Fabio O’Brien somehow managed to send the ball wide after he got on the end of a cross in the box from Keegan and that was one in a line of many recent misses for Fabio but fortunately for Monaghan, in the 7th minute of the game O'Brien put an end to his recent goal drought. Eric Foley placed the ball perfectly in the Mons attacker's path and he easily outran the Wexford defence to sweetly strike the ball past Holden. 

Wexford came more in to the game and nine minutes in they forced Gabriel Sava into action, which rarely happened for the rest of the game, when some great passing on the wing between Danny Furlong and Shane Dempsey set up a shot for Furlong. The shot was struck well and forced a save from Sava which bounced back from his hands and the attempted clear from Alan Byrne led to a dangerous cross through the Monaghan box.

Shane Grincell got a touch to it but he didn’t connect with it well enough to prevent it from going wide.

The majority of the  remainder of the first half was full of wasted chances for the Mons, desperate shots from Wexford Youths and lots of scrappy play from both sides  as the poor weather conditions worsened. The faithful attendance hoped for a better second half.

Unfortunately for the spectators, the second half was probably poorer than the first.  In the 50th minute there was a bit of excitement and great play from Monaghan United as Shane Grimes, Fabio O’Brien and Jordan Keegan’s passing on the wing had the Wexford defence beaten. Shane Grimes then put in a dangerous low cross into the box and half-time replacement Michael Isichei reached it at the far post but his sliding shot from a tight angle went wide. 

Wexford’s best chance came in the 77th minute as Shane Dempsey struck a great shot but was hit directly at Gabriel Sava who took it easily. There was plenty of unthreatening strikes from both sides in the second half but Monaghan finally sealed the win in the 82nd minute when John ‘Rocco’ Reilly’s rocketing shot was struck perfectly past Packie Holden and into the bottom corner of the net.

It wasn’t exciting and it wasn’t pretty but Monaghan got their three crucial points to keep them in the exciting promotion race in the First Division.

Monaghan United: Gabriel Sava, Paul Whelan (Michael Isichei 45), Shane Grimes, Aidan Collins, Alan Byrne (C.), Eric Foley, John Reilly, William McDonagh, Declan O’Brien (Paul Byrne 72), Jordan Keegan (David Byrne 85), Keith Quinn.

Subs Not Used: Jason Marks, Mark Grace, Phillip Byrne, Jake Rossiter

Bookings:  McDonagh (39) Quinn (40)

Wexford Youths: Packie Holden, Mark Phelan, James Darmody, Shane Nolan, Martin Kehoe, Shane Dempsey, Ben Ryan, Tom Elmes (Eoin Kinsella 86) , Danny Furlong, Darragh Walsh, Dave Grincell (Karl Keogh 45)

Subs Not Used: Patsy Malone, Sean Allen

Referee: Conor Fitzgerald

Extratime.ie Man Of The Match: John Reilly