Monaghan recovery faces stiff test

Monaghan recovery faces stiff test

Bobby Browne’s Monaghan United achieved their best result of the season to date with the comfortable 3-0 defeat of Athlone Town three weeks ago, but face an altogether stiffer test against second-placed Bray Wanderers at Century Homes Park this evening (Tuesday).

The home side languish third from bottom of the First Division table after a bitterly disappointing opening series of results, during which they often yielded late goals to deny themselves invaluable points.

Monaghan struggled early on last season before launching a sustained fightback in the latter stages of the campaign, and Browne will want a similar recovery this time around.

On the last meeting between the sides, Bray emerged on top on a 2-1 scoreline, going two goals to the good before Trevor Vaughan’s penalty reduced the deficit.

And Vaughan has been leading the charge for the Ulster side throughout the season. He has scored nine goals already, making him the joint leading scorer in the division, and it could have been even better had he not missed two penalties during the season.

Bray’s underage international striker John Flood is injured for tonight’s game, so the veteran Kieran O’Brien, affectionately known as “Tarzan”, could come into the side alongside another underage star, Eamon Zayed.

Wanderers are just a point behind leaders Finn Harps, and with the Donegal men facing a home tie against eight-placed Dundalk this evening, they will aim for all three points in an attempt to maintain their pursuit of the current pacesetters.


www.eleven-a-side.com