Chance for Mervue Utd to secure First Division status

Date Published: 21-Oct-2010

Stephen Glennon

MERVUE United could secure their First Division status for another year should they defeat Monaghan United in their penultimate league game at Terryland Park on Saturday evening (7pm).

Indeed, facing into the second last weekend of the season, Tom French’s charges may not even need to claim a result – for if Salthill Devon fail to win away at Cork City Foras at Turner’s Cross the following day, then Mervue will avoid the relegation play-offs regardless.

That said, Mervue United, one suspects, will want to win their last home game of 2010, although given that Monaghan are desperately chasing automatic promotion – they are a point behind Derry City at the top – they can’t afford to leave Terryland Park with anything less than a victory.

However, Mervue United – without the suspended Eric Browne for this one – will draw comfort from the fact that in their first league meeting of the season, the sides finished level at 1-1 apiece in Galway back in early May.

Monaghan did win 4-0, though, in their second league meeting at Gortakeegan at the end of July.Meanwhile, Salthill Devon must win away at Cork City to keep their slim hopes of avoiding a relegation play-off alive.

That looks unlikely – given their 3-1 home defeat and 1-0 away loss to the same opposition early in the season – and, realistically, they will now be targeting the relegation play-off game against Cobh Ramblers next month as a means to securing First Division football for 2011. Kick-off at Turner’s Cross on Sunday is 3pm.