Monaghan United were beaten 2-0 by visitors Finn Harps at Kingspan Century Park in the eircom League of Ireland Division 1 on Monday night. The scoreline did not flatter the visitors, who also hit the post twice in the game against a Monaghan United side without several players through injury.
With Stephen Finnegan, Pater D'Arcy, Aaron Mooney and Mickey Kerr all missing through injury and Ciaran Friel on army duty in the Lebanon, manager Mick Cooke did not have a lot of options in team selection. Nonethless, striker Willie Doyle was dropped to the bench with former Finn Harps player Darren Meenan given the chance to impress against his former side.
Finn Harps had the first chance of the game, when their number 9 Stephen Parkhouse easily turned Barry Burke on the edge of the box, but his shot was saved by Alvin Rouse.
At the other end, Robbie Farrell had a shot that went wide, while Ian McCluskey was unable to pull the ball back when released down the right of the box.
Towards the end of the half Finn Harps turned the screw. Alvin Rouse stretched well to palm a Shaun McGowan cross away from the direction of Conor Gethins. A low driven cross from McGowan was puit over by Gethins from point-blank range, although a United defender must have gotten a touch as a corner was awarded.
The best chance came at the very end of the half: Shaun Holmes released Barry Curran down the left and his cross was hammered against the post by Gethins, with Alvin Rouse diving full lenght to deny Parkhouse from the follow-up.
The second half began with United more comfortable with no real chances for either side, although Gethins was a thorn in the side of the defence.
On the hour mark, Cian Mackey and Robbie Farrell combined down the left, with Farrell unleashing a powerful shot that was narrowly wide of James Gallagehr's left hand post.
Finn Harps made the breakthrough in the 75th minute. Barry Burke completely misjudged a flick-on on the right touchline which bounced over his head. Conor Gethins latched on to the ball and drove towards the United goal. Paul Whelan did well to make up the ground on the speedy Gethins and got a touch on his cross. However, his ball into the box was met on the volley by substitute Chris Breen who scored past Rouse.
Good work from the outstanding Gethins saw him elude Whelan and nutmeg Barry Burke on the endline before pulling the ball back for Pakhouse who struck the post when he should have scored.
United almost equalised when Alvin Rouse released Brian Gannon who drove forward before releasing Robbie Farrell in the inside-right channel. Farrell's powerful drive was well saved by Gallagher.
In the closing minutes Finn Harps made the points safe. Brian Gannon failed to cut out Shaun Holmes cross and Parkhouse headed home unchallenged.
Monaghan United: Alvin Rouse; Thomas Heffernan, Kevin Williamson, Paul Whelan, Barry Burke; Stephen Feeney, Ian McCluskey, Brian Cannon, Cian Mackey; Robbie Farrell, Darren Meenan. Subs: Willie Doyle (for Heffernan, 56mins); Finbar Heffernan (for McCluskey, 85mins).
Finn Harps: James Gallagher; Sean Roddy, Jonathan Minnock, Declan Boyle, Eloka Asokhu; Tony Shields, Barry Curran, Shaun McGowan, Shaun Holmes; Stephen Parkhouse, Conor Gethins. Subs: Chris Breen (for Curran, 66mins); John O'Loughlin (for Gethins, 80mins)
