Roddy's outraged by betting allegation

Aidan Fitzmaurice

MONAGHAN United boss Roddy Collins believes that players who are involved in betting on their own matches as "the lowest of the low".

The FAI were concerned about irregular betting patterns on Friday ahead of the Shel-bourne vs Monaghan United game at Tolka Park, leading Fran Gavin, the most senior official in the League of Ireland, to address players from both squads before the game, which Shelbourne won 2-1.

Suspicions were raised, according to Collins, when the girlfriend of a Monaghan player, who works at a bookmakers, contacted her boyfriend to alert him to unusual betting patterns.

"When we arrived at Tolka Park I met Fran Gavin, who came into the dressing room to talk to the players," says Collins.

"Effectively the last team-talk they had before the game was from Fran, which was a horrible way to prepare for the game.

"Looking into my dressing room I cannot see one man there who would get involved in such awful behaviour. But if there is something to this, whoever is involved is the lowest of the low.

"To me, diving on the pitch is horrendous and inexcusable. But to go so far as to bet on a situation in a game is horrendous.

"I hope and pray that if anyone from either side is involved in this kind of thing that they never get to kick a ball again."