| farneymen are made to sweat
 By
Graham Clifford
This was supposed to be a stroll in the park for Monaghan but instead
the high-flying table-toppers escaped from Ruislip on Sunday happy just
to have picked up the two points.
On the sideline the Farneymen manager Seamus McEnaney grimaced when
London’s Chris Donnellan punched into the net with five minutes
to go to narrow the gap between the sides to six points.
The crowd sensed an upset as the Exiles continue to improve with every
game under the watchful eye of manager Noel Dunning.
Ultimately though it was Monaghan’s accuracy in front of goal that
saved them from what would have been a shock defeat with man-of-the-match
Thomas Freeman proving to be the key difference between the sides.
The Magheracloone Mitchells clubman finished the day with six points
four from frees and his all-round play sent panic waves throughout the
Exiles defence every time he won the ball.
To their credit though London’s backs fought tirelessly from start
to finish on a Ruislip pitch which looked in as good a state of health
as it has for months.
Monaghan who have been scoring for fun in the League so far this year
averaging over 18 points a game found less space against London than they
had against Clare, Roscommon, Longford and Carlow. Their haul of 16 points
was the lowest they’ve managed to score in this year’s League
season thanks largely to London’s battling consistency.
Indeed London looked to have the edge in the opening exchanges winning
midfield and looking slick in their attacking build-up. In the second
minute St. Brendans Niall Clinton kicked over the first of his five points
from a free just outside the 21-yard line.
It took the Farneymen eight minutes to register their first score when
Thomas Freeman went on a mazy run cutting through the Exile’s defence
before being fouled. He picked himself up, dusted himself down and knocked
over his side’s opening score from the resulting free.
Monaghan moved up a gear kicking four points without reply from Thomas
Freeman, his brother Damian as well as full-forward Shane Smith and centre-forward
Stephen Gollogly.
Supporters of the Exiles feared the game was slipping away from them until
Clinton hit a brace of frees in the 24th and 31st minutes to narrow the
gap. However a Paul Finlay free for the visitors and further scores from
Thomas Freeman (2) and Shane Smith earned Monaghan a 0-9 to 0-3 lead at
the change of ends.
With Noel Dunning’s words ringing in their ears London emerged buoyed
by their first-half performance.
Thomas Freeman did score from play in the second minute of the half but
this was followed by a 17-minute barren spell for the Ulstermen as London
hit a purple patch.
Clinton pointed in the 42nd and 48th minutes to narrow the gap to five
points, 0-10 to 0-5.
Louthman Clinton was impressive all round but two missed frees during
London’s ascendancy meant Monaghan were always that bit too far
ahead.
Substitute Nicolas Corrigan finally ended Monaghan’s mini-drought
with a point in the 54th minute after London’s backs failed to close
down the Peter Stringer look-a-like. His score acted as a catalyst for
the visitors and Stephen Gollogly picked up his second point of the day
soon after.
The chase appeared to be up for London until midway through the half when
Monaghan midfielder Paul Finlay picked up a second yellow card for a high
tackle on Conor Beirne.
Down to 14 men Monaghan looked shaky and when the comeback kid Chris Donnellan
punched into the net after great work from Eamon Brennan and Paul O’Donoghue
whispers of an upset spread through the crowd.
Monaghan regrouped though and stabilised their rocking ship with insurance
points through substitutes Rory Woods and Paul Meegan to maintain their
100 per cent record in the division. |
