Unseasonally mild conditions greeted the two sides who met eager for battle in Dangan early yesterday morning. The students were desperate for points as, although they still have the luxury of games in hand, they are deep in relegation trouble.
The teams made full use of the solid underfoot conditions and played some exciting football early on. Mervue made most of the running through the middle where Sumit Chawla and Shane Maher were getting through a mountain of work. The first real chance fell to the visitors on the 13th minute when a strong Eamon Feeney run and shot was too hot for NUIG ‘keeper Johnny Burke as he spilled the ball but redeemed himself and covered it, a split second before Mervue striker Colie Kelly was about to make contact.
Minutes later Kelly turned provider as his cross found winger Darren Smith but he mishit and the ball came off a defender and wide. Mervue were well on top and they finally capatilised on the 19th minute. A Brendan Mooney inswinger was controlled by Kelly, he laid it off to Smith who threaded the ball back to Shane Maher who blasted the ball to the top corner of the net, a well worked move finished with an unstoppable shot.
The goal only served to wake the students up, however. They pressed forward and gave much needed support to striker Derek O Flaherty who was left too isolated for the early part of the game. The game evened up for the remainder of the opening half, when on the 39th minute the students managed to level with a goal out of nothing. A lapse in concentration in the Mervue rearguard saw a two on one develop in the box as the ball broke to striker O’Flaherty for a tap in goal, the last major incident of the first period.
The second half opened like the first, fairly even. Then on 52 minutes an individual effort from Rory Bluett put NUIG back in front when his shot cum chip from all of 30 yards beat the best efforts of Mervue custodian Nigel Walsh. The surprise win looked on but the goal caused the students to perhaps become too defensive as Mervue took total control in the possession and territory stakes. Countless crosses were sent in but to his credit Johnny Burke in the NUIG goal dealt comfortably with them.
Mervue pressed and yet couldn’t find the target. Dangerous midfielder Sumit Chawla was sent up front to partner Kelly. He began to cause real problems for an NUIG defence which was at times creaking. Tempers flared as both sides fought desperately and referee Ger Cahill was forced to step in several times and issue a few cautions as the situation threatened to boil over. Thankfully it didn’t and as time ran out it looked like NUIG might hold on. However on the 85th minute Mervue struck for a deserved equaliser. The policy of flooding the NUIG box paid off as central defender Ger McGrath got on the end of a cross and headed it back to Shane Maher. He controlled quickly and shot low to the corner to give his side a share of the spoils, no more than they deserved.
NUIG: Johnny Burke, Eoin O Loughlin, Richie Byrne, Eoin Murphy, Robert Moloney, Rory Bluett, Derek O Flaherty, Vinny Carrigan, Chris Monaghan, John Lavin, Tristan Ryder. Subs: Sean Whyte for Monaghan (51 ),Paul McDaid for Carrigan (70 ), Tom French for Lavin (81 ).
Mervue United: Nigel Walsh, Dermot Dooney, Brendan Mooney, Colin Lynskey, Ger McGrath, Sumit Chawla, Eamon Feeney, Shane Maher, Dara King, Colie Kelly, Darren Smith. Subs: Robert Connolly for King (65 ), Aaron Finnerty for Dooney (83 ).
Referee: Ger Cahill.
