Monaghan United 0 - 0 Bray Wanderers

• Peter Hughes
• Sat, Nov 06 2010


The sending off of Bray Wanderers goalkeeper Matt Gregg in the 89th minute provided a dramatic finale to this Airtricity League promotion/relegation play-off, but the incident came too late to have an impact on the outcome of what started as a fine attacking game but by the end had become a dour, tense affair.

First Division Monaghan United will look back on a string of missed chances and at least one strong but unavailing penalty appeal in a first half in which they dominated their Premier Division opponents.

Bray came into the game in the second period but were unable to penetrate a Monaghan United defence in which the towering Brian Gartland was utterly dominant. Wanderers were bright in the opening minutes, Graham Kelly driving just over the crossbar and the skilful Jake Kelly weaving bright patterns down the left flank before driving in a cross-cum-shot which Paul Whelan had to intercept, chesting the ball behind for a corner.

However, Monaghan shrugged off their shaky start and eventually took a grip on the game, pinning the visitors back in their half with a series of long but accurate balls from deep. One of these sent Philly Hughes racing clear in the box, and there were loud Monaghan appeals for a penalty when the striker went down with Shane O’Connor in close proximity. But referee Damien Hancock was unimpressed.

Hughes audaciously attempted to score with a 40-yard volley in the 12th minute, and Gregg in the Bray goal, as startled as anyone by the attempt, had his work cut out to turn the ball to safety. From a Hughes knockdown, Sean Brennan had a much better scoring opportunity but he fluffed his shot from ten yards.

Chris Shields stole into the United box to glance a header just off the target, but it was a rare first half opportunity for Bray. Cathal O’Connor sent a shot fizzing just wide, and in the final minute of the period Hughes broke clear and struck a sweet half-volley on the run only for Gregg to make a magnificent instinctive save.

Wanderers had much more of the play after the interval, but the succession of free-kicks and corners they won floundered on the defensive rock that was Gartland. Chris Shields drove over the crossbar near the hour mark for Bray, but chances were at a premium for both sides. Hughes, lively for Monaghan in the first half, was a a peripheral figure until the 74th minute, when he slipped clear of Danny O’Connor but sent his shot a foot outside the post.

With a minute left on the clock, Gartland spotted the run of Darragh Hanaphy and launched a superb ball out of defence which set the fleet-footed United substitute on a clear run to goal. Gregg came storming out of his area and took Hanaphy down with a challenge that left referee Hancock with no option but to flash the red card.

Wanderers withdrew striker Shane O’Neill to accommodate substitute goalkeeper Brian Kane, and had to see out four additional minutes of time in which United strafed their box with crosses but couldn’t fashion the clear-cut opportunity that might have seen them turn their late numerical advantage to profit.

Monaghan United: Sava; Whelan, Gartland, McMahon, Grimes; Brennan (Hanaphy 53), Tierney, Byrne, O’Connor (Costigan 84); Bermingham (McNeill 65), Hughes.
Subs not used: Quirke, McCrossan.

Bray Wanderers: Gregg; Doyle, D O’Connor, S O’Connor, Massey; Zambra, G Kelly (Shaw 68), Dempsey, J Kelly; Shields, O’Neill (Kane 89).
Subs not used: Tresson, Tuohy, Byrne.

Referee: Damien Hancock