Bray People

Ashford send Senior Cup invaders packing

Ashford turn on the style against Monksland in LFA Cup

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ASHFORD ROVERS 5 MONKSLAND UNITED 1

ASHFORD Rovers made an impressive start to the season on Sunday with an emphatic 5-1 win over Monksland United in the LFA Cup game at Ballinalea Park.

The home side started the game in the perfect way as they opened the scoring on the seventh minute with a strike from striker Jack Geraghty.

Ashford were dominating possession in the opening ten minutes and creating lots of chances and on the tenth minute they doubled their lead with a goal from their midfield powerhouse Robbie Eyre.

Monksland snatched a goal back against the run of play on the 11th minute.

This goal gave the away side the confidence to seek an equalising goal before the end of the first half which meant the Ashford defence were under severe pressure towards the end of the first half with attempts on goal from Monksland strikers Danny Byrne and David O’Brien, but unfortunat­ely for the away side they couldn’t find the back of the net.

Ashford started the second half much like they started the first as they dominated possession again and it looked like only a matter of time before they grabbed their third goal.

Andy Earls was causing a lot of problems for the Monksland defence down his left side.

Earls almost grabbed his sides third on the 48th minute with a bullet of a shot from long range but his shot just grazed the post, much to the delight of the Monksland keeper Cathal Hannon who was rooted to the spot and wouldn’t have gotten down to his left side in time to prevent the goal.

The home side finally got the goal they were craving on the 52nd minute with Robbie Eyre nabbing his second of the game.

Jack Geraghty again linked up with Eyre on the edge of the penalty area as he chipped the ball into the midfielder.

Eyre took the volley on first time and looped the ball over Hannon who made an attempt at trying to keep the ball out but the linesman was in a great position to see that the ball had crossed over the line and the goal was awarded.

Five minutes later the home side had their fourth goal with Jack Geraghty getting his second goal.

Andy Earls had been a nightmare to defend against for the away side throughout the entire game as the Monksland defence just couldn’t match his pace and power on the ball.

Earls made a great run down the left wing on the 57th minute before cutting inside and whipped a ball into the danger area that met the head of Geraghty who couldn’t miss.

The away side were looking at the linesman for offside but the decision never came. 4-1 to Ashford on the hour mark with little chance of a comeback from the travelling side.

Credit to Monksland who even after going three goals behind never gave up hope, winger Brandon Campbell had a couple of chances in-front of goal late on in the game but just couldn’t find the back of the net.

His best chance came on the 67th minute when he beat Ashford’s offside and went one on one with keeper Cathal Moody but Moody pulled off a great save before Campbell could pull the trigger.

Substitute Joel Vlaar’s goal in the 82nd minute made sure of an Ashford victory with a sweet volley from six yards out.

Vlaar was standing in the centre of the penalty area and reacted first to a well-delivered cornerkick to smash home the victory for his side.

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 ??  ?? Jack Geraghty of Ashford Rovers shoots for goal against Monksland United.
Jack Geraghty of Ashford Rovers shoots for goal against Monksland United.
 ??  ?? Robbie Eyre scores Ashford’s third goal of the afternoon.
Robbie Eyre scores Ashford’s third goal of the afternoon.

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