Monaghan United - 1 Shelbourne - 0: This was not the easy task table-toppers Shelbourne may have expected when they travelled to bottom-of-the-table Monaghan yesterday. The biggest crowd of the season at Century Homes Park saw their relegation-threatened side gain a deserved win with the key score coming in the 78th minute when Derek McGrath scored with a diving header from a cross by Eddie Maier.

The injury-hit condition of Bobby Brown's squad had necessitated the inclusion of local teenager Jim Murphy at right back, but the youngster proved to be the man of the match.

Shelbourne had an early scare when Monaghan's Darren McKenna went down in the goalmouth amid loud claims for a penalty from home fans. Monaghan then came well into the game, but Shelbourne had chances in the 18th minute, when Pat Fenlon shot over when well placed, and in the 25th when Jim Gannon pushed the ball against the outside of a post after sliding in on a Stephen Geoghegan cross.

In the 33rd minute the home side threatened when McKenna was put through by Derek McGrath, but three minutes later they had a let off when Geoghegan got the better of two defenders but could only push the ball wide under pressure.

Monaghan had another break in the second minute after the break when centre back Brendan Place slipped in the box but goalkeeper Gareth Downey, on loan to Monaghan from Shelbourne, scrambled the ball away from Geoghegan.

Trevor Vaughan for Monaghan and John Burns for the visitors failed to convert chances before McGrath missed an excellent opportunity when he shot weakly when set up with an open goal by McKenna.

Maier also missed a great chance in the 49th minute when put through by Paul Shiels. In the 64th minute only a great save by Downey from Burns averted a goal and in the 77th minute Pat Fenlon shot just over. The winning goal came a minute later.

In heavy Shelbourne pressure the nearest they came to a score was in the 82nd minute when John Burns' free kick rebounded off a post. The final act came two minutes into injury time when Fenlon's fierce volley from two yards was blocked by Downey's body.

MONAGHAN: Downey, J Murphy, Place, Brunton, McDonnell, Maier, Shiels, McGrath, King, McKenna, Vaughan.

SHELBOURNE: Williams, Hutton, Doherty, McCarthy, Heary, Fenlon, Gannon, Hoolihan, Burns, Geoghegan, Byrne. Subs: Britton for Geoghegan (77 mins); Crawford for Gannon (81 mins).

Ref: E Barr (Dublin).