eircom National League First Division

Date	20/10/2002
Score (Blues First)	1 - 1
Venue	Century Homes Park, Monaghan
Kick Off	3.00 pm
Attendance	85 not a mistake
Weather	cold and wet
Referee	E. Barr
Goal Scorers	Vinny O'Sullivan
Cards	Yellow: Frost
Pitch	Looked good from stand

For the second week in a row the Blues were playing a team at the bottom of the league and with last weeks slip up at home to Kildare the team had a chance to put the record straight and show why we are top of the league. Results over the weekend could not have been better and the chance was ours to open up a three point gap at the top.

Jimmy decided to change around his team after the disappointing performance last weekend. Three changes in midfield though have to be questioned. The team got an ear lashing last week which they deserved but maybe they should have been given another chance or maybe make one change in the middle of the pitch. Jimmy's gamble didn't pay off as the team never jelled, and the weather was terrible, freezing cold and driving rain. Wayne made three super saves in the first half which kept us in the game in the opening half an hour, and when Vinny got on the end of a corner to strike the ball off a Mon's player and into the net on the 44th minute the Blues really took the lead against the run of play.

The second half was to be a backs to the wall affair for the whole team as we failed to string three passes together and gave away the ball cheaply at every opportunity. Monaghan's equaliser was well deserved and it was only the introduction of Darryl Murphy near the end that gave the Blues any hope. Murphy was outstanding in his time on the pitch and it's now time to give him a start and see what he does for 90 minutes.

8 supporters made the long journey to Century Homes Park and left disappointed with the performance, on what must have been the worst conditions in Ireland for many a year. The 5 hour journey home felt twice as long. Over the next two weeks the Blues face Harps and Dundalk in the RSC and after the last two matches we have to seriously raise our game if we are to stay top of this division. against the big teams we seem to play better though and I still expect us to pick up 4 points and still be top of pile when we travel to Limerick in 3 weeks time.