Monaghan United 0 Bray Wanderers 0:Bray Wanderers soaked up plenty of pressure and survived the 89th minute dismissal of goalkeeper Matt Gregg to earn a scoreless draw in the first leg of the Airtiricty League promotion/relegation play-offs.
Bray started brightly at Gortakeegan, Graham Kelly storming forward to drive just high of the target in the opening minutes. But increasingly Wanderers were pinned back by United’s use of long but accurate passes.
Wanderers exerted more of an influence on what became an increasingly cagey second half, but all efforts to find the head of Chris Shields were stifled by the towering Brian Gartland.
A minute from time Gartland’s long ball freed Darragh Hanaphy, and Gregg’s clattering foul on the United substitute gave referee Hancock no option but to flash red. Sub keeper Brian Kane replaced Shane O’Neill but Wanderers saw out the four minutes of added time without concession.
Monaghan United:Sava; Whelan, Gartland, McMahon, Grimes; Brennan (Hanaphy 53), Tierney, Byrne, O'Connor (Costigan 84); Bermingham (McNeill 65), Hughes.
Bray Wanderers:Gregg; Doyle, D O'Connor, S O'Connor, Massey; Zambra, G Kelly (Shaw 68), Dempsey, J Kelly; Shields, O'Neill.
Referee:Damien Hancock (Dublin)