Monksland United 0 Willow Park 0
Monksland United versus Willow Park at Cushla Park last Sunday morning ended in a draw but the big surprise was that the game ended scoreless. Scoring chances were in double figures as the big two in Athlone locked horns in a local derby. The home team were on top in the opening half but Willow fought back and might have struck for a late winner. Both teams remain unbeaten in the Senior Division as Mullingar Town set the early pace at the top.
Monksland had three good chances up to the midway point of the opening half but none were taken advantage of. The first corner kick was earned by the home team while Willows first chance saw Guido Bertelli have a shot saved by Cathal Hannon. United then took control and Dylan Jinks had the first of a number of good chances when heading wide. The next chance saw the number nine fire just wide of the target as the Willow keeper advanced. Aidan Reilly then shot wide following good approach work from Matt Scally and Jinks. Next chance for Jinks saw him denied by Conor Devaney on the edge of the penalty area. The Willow keeper also frustrated Reilly as the home pressure mounted. Ryan O’Connor had the best chance for the visitors but put a right wing cross from Mark Nicholson wide.
The second half was more evenly contested. Willow came back into contention and had the first chance when substitute Joe Awana was denied by Hannon. The home keeper also saved an O’Connor free kick. Jinks had the first United opportunity when heading wide. O’Connor and Scally came close at either end as the game remained delicately balanced. Just after the hour mark, the woodwork rescued Monksland as O’Connor’s free crashed off the bar with Bertellis header then saved. Having survived, United had further opportunities to claim the win and Jinks could easily have claimed a hat trick in a five minute spell of pressure. After 76 minutes Jinks fired over and had another good chance moments later after Devaney had dropped the ball.
The final chance was the best and should have seen the deadlock finally broken. Brian Francis played a lovely ball from midfield to release Jinks. With only the keeper to beat a goal looked inevitable, but somehow the shot was sent wide instead. It was the last time either team came close to scoring as the remaining minutes headed towards an inevitable conclusion. Home sub Keith O’Reilly fired over but Willow had the United defence under some pressure in stoppage time from set pieces. Three corner kicks were forced in quick succession but without reward. The final whistle brought an entertaining contest to a conclusion without a goal. Jinks firing wide late on with only the keeper to beat was the best chance but other opportunities should have been taken advantage of too. Willow would have been happy with a share of the spoils but Monksland will rue all those missed chances.
