Shamrock Rovers 3, Monaghan United 2: Shamrock Rovers snatched a late win at Tolka Park last night to close the gap at the top to two points. With both Cork and St Patrick's slipping up in their respective matches, the pressure was on Rovers to keep up the pressure on leaders Shelbourne.
Rovers though did not take long to get into their stride with Jason Colwell denied from a Billy Woods cross and midway through the half Mark Kenny's free from just outside the box needed a deflection to take it out of harms reach.
Monaghan finished the first half strongly with their best chance falling to Declan Field with six minutes to go. But having turned cleverly inside the box, he could only direct his shot straight at the goalkeeper.
Monaghan were left to rue that missed chance with Rovers taking the lead on 48 minutes. It came as Robbie Brunton attempted to clear out of defence, Francis charged his attempted clearance down to put himself on a one-on-one with the goalkeeper, and after taking the ball on a few yards, he finally dispatched it into the back of the net with an assured finish.
A late challenge by Trevor Vaughan on Rovers' goalkeeperTony O'Dowd resulted in him being stretchered off and replaced by Robbie Horgan on the hour.
Although Tony Grant was to extend Rovers' lead when availing of a through ball from Francis after John Carroll had stumbled on 66 minutes, United were back in business a minute later.
From Johnathan King's corner on the left, Horgan spilled the ball which rebounded off Shane Robinson and into the back of the home side's net. And further disaster visited the Rovers team when with 13 minutes to go Brunton's free from 30 yards went straight in.
But Rovers managed to claim the win with four minutes to go when Grant grabbed his second of the night after a low cross had been played in by Stephen Grant.
SHAMROCK ROVERS: O'Dowd; Robinson, Palmer, Cronin, Dunne; Woods, Colwell, Treacy, Kenny; Francis, T Grant. Subs: Horgan for O'Dowd (60 mins), S Grant for Francis (79 mins), T Cousins for Kenny (79 mins).
MONAGHAN UNITED: Browne; McDonnell, Brunton, Carroll, Murphy; McKenna, Lester, Shiels, Field, King; Vaughan. Subs: Scully for Carroll (69 mins), White for Brunton (78 mins).
Referee: D Hancock (Dublin)
