Match Reports - Monaghan United
Rovers 0 Monaghan United 2
Before
the game Rovers manager, Don O'Riordan spoke of the need to get something
from this game. Another defeat and even the most optimistic of Rovers fans
would have thrown in the towel for this season. Monaghan gave an early warning
of what was to come with the first shot of the game going well over Ciaran
Kelly's goal. Then Ian Rossiter had to get across goal to break up a Mon's
attack, but before Rovers could get into the game Monaghan Killed it off as
a contest with two goals in the first fourteen minutes. First McKenna got
in behind Micheal McNamara who could only foul him and the referee pointed
to the spot. Nick Scully gave Kelly no chance, hammering the ball past him.
Within five minutes Monaghan were two up when the ball broke free in midfield
and Paul Smith picked it up and was criminally allowed to run unchallenged
into the left side of the box before shooting across Kelly. Fourteen minutes
gone, game over!
Rovers
have been too poor in front of goal this season to come back from two down
even with most of the game to play. They did have a couple of good chances
to get back in the game, both from the head of Barry O'Dwyer, first after
a shot from Rafael Cretaro hit off the back of a defender and went out for
a corner. Owen O'Donoghue got a touch at the near post and O'Dwyer was waiting
at the back post but could not direct the ball inside it. O'Dwyer had another
great chance from an Andrew McLoughlin free-kick on the right but couldn't
get the ball down under the crossbar. Monaghan also had a chance to increase
their lead when Mark Huchinson lost the ball on the left of midfield to Eddie
Meir but in the end the Monaghan player had too much time and shot tamely
into Kelly's arms.
Steve
Feeney came on at the start of the second half for McNamara as Rovers, to
their credit, kept trying to get back in the game, but made little impact
on the Monaghan defence. McTiernan was relegated to shooting from long distance
early on in the second half, although Huchinson did hit the outside of the
post from a free-kick on the edge of the box. Then within five minutes there
could have been three goals, first when Danny O'Leary in the Monaghan goal
miss-hit a long ball to the edge of his box off Paul McTiernan but Luther
Watson was slow to react and O'Leary recovered to send Monaghan down the other
end. They looked for the second goal and got in far to easily on the left
side. Kelly blocked the shot and luckily it ran behind an inrushing Mon's
player, and went down the other end again. And this time O'Leary lost a high
ball into his box. It fell to McTiernan for Rovers best chance of the game
but his shot hit a Monaghan player standing just off his goal line and wide
for a corner.
The
game continued to be very competitive, Kelly saved Rovers again as Smith ran
far to easily through the Rovers defence. Kelly getting at his feet to grab
the ball, Gerry Carr who came on for Aubrey Dolan had a great shot when the
ball fell to him on the edge of the box. But a Monaghan player managed to
get his head on it to send it over the bar, Luther Watson also had a great
chance chasing a through ball but O'Leary was determined to stop Rovers from
scoring and he done just enough to stop Watson getting the ball on target,
Garth Gorman came on for Andrew McLoughlin and was in the war's immediately
getting a kick in the face as he tried to head a ball, he later got a whack
of the ball in the face as he chased down the ball, but his many critics couldn't
fault his efforts, Cretaro had the last chance of the game when O'Leary spilled
a free-kick from Ian Rossiter but again he couldn't get the ball on target
and O'Leary had the last laugh on the Rovers supporters behind his goal who
taunted his effort thought out the second half as once again he finished on
the winning side against Rovers. Goal scorer Scully was sent off near the
end for a second bookable offence and Hutchinson was also booked for Rovers.
From the Sligo Champion:
Monaghan United 0 Rovers 1
SLIGO Rovers opened their eircom First Division account by banking three points against Monaghan United at Century Homes Park on Sunday afternoon last.
A goal from striker, Paul McTiernan, introduced as a second-half substitute,
was enough to deliver a win for Don O'Riordan's charges in their first fixture
of the league programme.
O'Riordan had plenty of reason to reflect with satisfaction on his decision
to replace David O'Dowd with McTiernan in the 61st minute, as the astutely timed
substitution changed the course of the match decisively in Rovers' favour.
McTiernan-a long term injury victim who made his return to action in the First
Division Cup-made an immediate impact and a Monaghan defence, which had been
relatively comfortable up to that point, struggled to come to terms with his
pace.
Seven minutes after coming on, McTiernan settled the game with the only goal.
He deftly controlled a long Steve Gavin pass from the left wing, before executing
a brilliant lob beyond advancing goalkeeper, Paul Flood.
Up to that point, this had been a rather dull encounter, played before a crowd
of no more than 250 and defences were very much on top.
Monaghan, beaten by Rovers in the First Division Cup earlier in the season,
barely raised a threat on Rovers goal throughout as Mark Hutchison and the recalled
Jim Sheridan dealt easily with anything which did come their way.
United clearly missed the influence of experienced team captain, Trevor Vaughan,
while Rovers also cut off the Monaghan mid-field supply line to front runners,
Darren McKenna and twenty-one-year old, Paul Smyth.
In a dull first-half, Rovers best opportunities to break the deadlock came from
corner kicks struck at pace by Gareth Gorman. Two of these caused problems for
the Monaghan rearguard, but Steve Gavin and David O'Dowd both failed to keep
their attempts on target.
Rovers lost their concentration a little towards the end of the first-half and
McKenna almost latched onto a long ball, which Sheridan left for 'keeper, Ciaran
Kelly. Kelly just managed to get the ball away from the Monaghan striker and
was then equally fortunate as it fell to Smyth, who was off balance and shot
wide.
At the hour mark, the game needed an injection of inspiration and it came when
David O'Dowd was called ashore for McTiernan. The former Boyle Celtic marksman
found time and space in the penalty area hitherto untapped and he capped a good
input with a well taken winning goal.
That strike stung United into something of a rally and in the 74th minute, Smyth
cleverly flicked the ball into the path of Paul Shiels, but Rovers 'keeper Kelly
advanced from his line to clear. Monaghan appealed for a penalty from referee,
Eddie Barr, as Kelly followed through and brought Shiels to the ground, but
the Dublin official waved away the claims.
Seven minutes from time, Rafael Cretaro took the ball down on his chest on the
edge of the area and shot on the turn to bring a good save from Flood.
Rovers almost surrendered their lead in the last minute, when some hesitant
defending allowed Paul Smyth to work his way into a menacing position and it
took a last-ditch interception by Mark Hutchison to save Sligo and put the ball
behind for a corner.
United's last hope of salvaging a point faded when Graham Doyle headed over
from the resultant flag-kick.
Monaghan United: Flood, Maheady, Scully, Doyle, Shevlin, Mieir, Byrne, Shiels, Lester, Smyth, McKenna. Subs- Field for Byrne (68 mins), Parsons for Mieir (76 mins).
Sligo Rovers: Kelly, Rossiter, Hutchison, Sheridan, O'Donohoe,
Gavin, Dolan, Brady, Gorman, O'Dowd, Cretaro. Subs- McTiernan for O'Dowd (61
mins), McLoughlin for Brady (68 mins), Watson for Cretaro (84 mins).
Referee: Eddie Barr (Dublin).
Rovers 2 Monaghan United 0
After last weekend's surreal "away" match
at the Showgrounds Rovers finally had their first official home game of the
season this weekend. Manager, Don O'Riordan has said that he will use the First
Division cup as preparation for the season and he made seven changes from the
team which drew with Galway United last week. Ian Rossiter and Sean Flannery
returned after suspension and Andy Brady and Brenden Gallen made their first
team debuts, while Andrew Mc Loughlin, Steve Feeney and John Healy returned
to first team action. The changes seemed to work in the early stages as Rovers
were well on top. Sean Flannery made his presence felt early in the game as
he headed over the bar from a good position. His strke partner, David O'Dowd
was then denied by a brave save by the Monaghan United keeper, Flood. Rovers
had an narrow escape shortly afterwards when Meiers lob was cleared off the
line by Hutchinson. Rovers then took the lead after some persistant pressure.
The ball fell to Andy Brady on the edge of the box and as he surged into the
penalty area he was taken down. The referee pointed to the spot and Ian Rossited
sent Flood the wrong way to give Rovers the lead. 
The visitors finished the game stronger and Rovers had another lucky escape when Steve Feeney had to get back to clear off the line as the visitors pushed forward looking for an equaliser. Shortly afterwards a dangerous corner found Meier in the box but with the goal at his mercy he guided his header over the bar. Whatever was said in the dressing room at half time Rovers picked up the pace again in the second half, however their domination of possesion was not reflected on the scoreboard. In fact Monaghan had the first real chance of the half when Mc Kenna shot across the face of the goal from a decent position. It was Rovers who increased their lead, however with a very simple goal. Gareth Gorman swung in a corner from the left and the ball fell to David O'Dowd at the edge of the box. He reacted quickly to place a well hit shot into the net from twelve yards out.
Rovers were never really in trouble after this but the game ended as a contest when the visitors were reduced to ten men with little more than ten minutes remaining. There had been some niggly tackles in the game but nothing too sinister but when Doyle fouled Gorman he was shown the red card by the ref. There were no further chances for eithr side and they will meet again in the opening game of the league season at the beginning of August. Rovers have now made a decent start to this competition picking up four points from a possible six. They lie second in the table of the Northern section, two points behind Finn Harps. This should ensure that next weeks North West derby is set up nicely.
Rovers: J. Healy, I. Rossiter, S. Feeney, M. Hutchinson, B. Gallen, R. Cretaro, A. Dolan, A. Brady, A. Mc Loughlin, S. Flannery, D. O'Dowd.
Subs: Gorman for Mc Loughlin, O'Donoghue for Brady, Gaffney for Cretaro
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