Ucd Get The Better Of Mons In Pre-season

Monaghan United lost 1-0 to Premier Division side UCD in a pre-season friendly that was ruined by the weather conditions. With a gusting gale sweeping straight down the pitch, playing football was near impossible, with goalkeepers seing their clearances blown back past them. Nonetheless, both sides put in a solid 90 minutes, but this exercise will have been of limited use for either manager.

United started with the eleven that looks likely to strat in the season opener gainst Limerick 37 next Friday. James Hand played at left back with the impressive Eoin Lannigan on the right wing. Central midfield featured a strong pairing of Dom Tierney and Ian Maher, whilst the forward duo was Philip Sheppard and Robbie Collins, both in their second spell with the club. Brendan Kennedy got the nod in goals ahead of Danny Woods, the centre-back pairing was Aaron Mooney and Ian Malone - also in his second spell at the club. Paul Whelan filled his usual right-back berth with Darren Meenan completing the eleven on the left wing.

Playing with the galeforce wind in the first half, United had the opening chance when Eoin Lannigan swung in a dangerous cross, but nobody could connect. UCD had the next chance when they sprung the United offside, but Brendan Kennedy did enough to force the attacker wide and his shot from a tight angle hit the side-netting.

The next chance was a bizarre one, with a Kennedy clearance seeing the UCD 'keeper scramble back to his goal line, but the ball went narrowly wide.

UCD were unlucky with a couple of goalmouth scrambles before United finished the half strongly. In turn Eoin Lannigan and James Hand got to the end-line, but both times nobody could connect with their pull-back. An Aaron Mooney shot which blazed wide was the last chance of the half.

The second half saw UCD in the ascendancy, and unlike their opponents Monaghna United failed to create any chances agaisnt the wind. As usual for pre-season games the second hlaf was punctuated with substitutions. Two superb blocks from Ian Maher denied the Students before they broke the deadlock in the 80th minute. A midfielder broke forward and was not picked up as he collected the ball before pulling it back for Forsyth to score past sub 'keeper Danny Woods.

Monaghan United:
Kennedy (Woods), Hand (Williamson), Malone (McCrossan), Mooney, Whelan, Meenan, Tierney (Reilly), Maher, Lannigan (Hannaphy), Sheppard (Byrne), Collins.


Courtesy of www.monaghanunited.ie