Monaghan end Everton dream

FABIO O’BRIEN hit a hat-trick as confident Monaghan United turned on the class to brush aside the challenge of Munster Senior League side Everton at Gortakeegan.

Everton came close through an early John Desmond free-kick but they were rocked by two clinical O’Brien goals in three minutes — a powerful header from John Reilly’s cross, and a deft tap-in after Paul Whelan and Sean Brennan opened up the visitors’ defence with ease. The Cork side’s defensive shortcomings were further exposed in the 35th minute when Ryan Brennan ran on to O’Brien’s knockdown to convert.

Mons manager Roddy Collins opted to give young guns Kevin Loughran and Jimmy Fallon a second half outing. Everton held a sounder defensive line and got a late consolation when a Roy Long effort was turned into his own net by United defender Aidan Collins (83). But a minute later O’Brien completed his hat-trick with an emphatic header.