AIRTRICITY LEAGUE PROMOTION/RELEGATION FINAL, FIRST LEG Monaghan United 2 Galway United 0:ON A fine evening at Gortakeegan – before a good-sized attendance of 700 – the home side got the desired result in an entertaining game last night.

Monaghan started the first leg strongly and took the lead after just 14 minutes when Michael Isichi netted from close range after great work down the right by Seán Brennan.

And Monaghan tried hard to make their home advantage count again after, however Brennan missed a sitter from close range.

Declan ‘Fabio’ O’Brien also came close to making it 2-0, but somehow his close-range header went narrowly wide and a few other opportunities were missed.

Bobby Ryan and Alan Murphy always posed a threat for the Tribesmen, but the half ended with Monaghan holding a narrow lead.

The second half continued in the same pattern, with the home side missing a number of chances – O’Brien missing one in which he was set up by substitute Paul Byrne but shot wide after he seemed to get his feet mixed up.

However, as the game wore on, Galway looked more dangerous, but, on 70 minutes, an off-the-ball scuffle resulted in Monaghan’s Eric Foley and Galway’s Seán Gavin – who had impressed after coming on after half-time – receiving their marching orders.

Late in the game, a loose ball that seemed to be going out of play hit a corner flag at the Galway United end. It was kept in play by Jordan Keegan and crossed for Brennan who netted from close range to give Monaghan a 2-0 lead to take into the second leg in Galway on Friday night. It may be enough to put them into the top level of Irish football for the first time since the 2001-2002 season.

MONAGHAN UTD: Sava; Whelan, Grimes, Brennan (20 mins), Collins, A Byrne, Foley, Isichi (P Byrne, 55, McDonagh 85), Keegan, (Marks 88) Brennan, O'Brien. Red Card: Foley (72)

GALWAY UTD: Winn, Kelly, Sinnot, Sum, Caldwell (Walsh 89), Gaughan, Gu Kim (Gavin ht), Sibanda (Silvera 76) , Ryan, Gilmore, Murphy. Red Card: Gavin (72).

Referee: Derek Tomney(Dublin)