Déise suffer defeat away to the Exiles
Waterford senior football manager Ephie Fitzgerald and his backroom have a lot to ponder after a disappointing league campaign. Photo: Eddie Dee
It was a tale of two opposites at McGovern Park in Ruislip on Sunday last as the London footballers breathed new life into their National League promotion hopes whilst a hapless Waterford lost once again in disappointing fashion.
It has been a disastrous National Football League for Ephie Fitzgerald’s side as they were ripped apart by London in a wind-assisted first-half, and although they worked in the second-half, the six-point winning margin at the finish was just.
Michael Maher’s side led the Déise by 13 points with half-time approaching, only for two late first-half goals by the visitors, leaving the home team looking anxiously over their shoulder.
Just two weeks earlier on the same piece of west London real estate, the Exiles had led Leitrim by 12 points only for Barry McNulty to kick them to an incredible victory with six two-pointers (five from play).
Lightning couldn’t strike twice, could it? The answer, to the relief of London’s supporters, was an emphatic no, and for the Waterford faithful, they’ll be wondering what the rest of the year will hold.
The final margin of the Exiles’ victory over Waterford was six points, but it could quite easily have been more.
London were brave; they took the game to Waterford in the second period into the wind rather than opt for a ‘protect what we have ’ approach - and with a touch more luck could easily have had another two or three goals.
Shay Rafter opened the scoring – off his right boot – with the pattern of the first half quickly apparent. Given the wind, the visitors were prepared to curb their attacking instincts in preference for damage limitation.
A soft free for some London backchat allowed Stephen Curry to open the Déise’s account, but a quick-fire brace from Joe McGill had the Exiles back in front. The first of those came from Sean O’Donoghue’s rampaging run.
McGill, who has been excellent for London in this campaign, rattled an Exocet off John Sheridan’s crossbar – and James Davis knocked the rebound over the bar.
Barely a minute later, the ball was worked to Ciaran Diver on the left, and he sliced through the Waterford defence before sending an unstoppable shot whistling past Sheridan (1-4 to 0-1).
The impressive Conor Murray replied, but London had found their groove and Conor O’Donohue sold a delightful dummy before firing over.
Rafter wasted no time in taking the free and quick, as flash was goalwards bound. He had Michael O’Reilly in support, and the North London Shamrocks man beat Sheridan.
O’Donohue launched himself to block Curry’s shot, and Rafter fisted over at the other end to make it 2-6 to 0-3. Curry knocked over a free only for Davis to reply with a well-taken two-pointer.
The home side followed that with their third goal directly from Sheridan’s kick-out.
Rafter forced a turnover with the ball moving swiftly, and McGill played in Davis to raise the home side’s third green flag of the half. That came in the 33rd minute, making it 3-8 to 0-4.
But Waterford were to provide a sting in the tail as Curry sent over a free – and then followed it up with a goal. Although McGill hit back, the visitors weren’t done, and Conor Murray sent a rocket past Andrew Walsh. That reduced London’s advantage at the break to 3-9 to 2-5, and for the home support evoked painful memories of Leitrim.
A good start to the second half was imperative for both sides, albeit for very different reasons. Conor Murray put a two-point attempt wide, as did Rafter and Curry with efforts from frees.
Josh Obahor, who had an outstanding game under the high ball, was also unable to find the target. Curry broke the stalemate in the 42nd minute before Dermot Ryan put another Waterford orange flag effort the wrong side of the uprights.
Conal Gallagher’s 46th-minute score was of huge significance for the Exiles, as it got the chains moving again.
A brilliant Obahor catch set in motion an attack which would end with Diver pointing, and London had weathered Waterford’s early second-half wind-assisted storm.
Diver added another point after McGill was desperately unlucky to rattle the Waterford woodwork for a second time with a raspier. Diver added his third point of this purple patch, and London led 3-13 to 2-6.
The visitors rallied to close the gap to 3-14 to 2-9, only for Obahor and O’Reilly to combine for McGill to bisect the uprights. McGill added another to his tally, and the home side finally looked like they’d done enough.
But points from Adam Murray and Curry kept London honest, as the game entered four added minutes. Darragh Walsh sent over a superb two-pointer, but it came too late to have an impact.
Andrew Walsh; Stephen Henry, Matt Moynihan, Sean O’Donoghue, Conor Coggin 0-1, Conall Gallagher 0-1, Conor O’Donohue; Liam Gallagher, Joshua Obahor; Joe McGill 0-5, Daniel Clarke, Michael O’Reilly 1-0; Ciaran Driver 1-3, Shay Rafter 0-3, James Davis 1-3 (1’tp).
Jack Power for Henry (43min), Marc Friel for Conal Gallagher (58min), Nathan Feeney for Davis (63min), Liam Crowley for Goggin (67min), Liam Murphy for Obahor (67min).
Josh Sheridan; Billy Hynes, Darach O Cathasaigh, Conor O Cuirrin; Conor Murray 1-1, Adam Crawford, Michael O’Brien; Michael Curry, Caoimhin Walsh; Darragh Walsh 0-3 (1’tp), Dermot Ryan, Liam Mulligan; Alan Dunwoody 0-1, Stephen Curry 1-6 (0-3f), Glen Power.
James Walsh for Power (27min), Tony Martin for Cathasaigh (43min), Conor Fennell 0-1 for Mulligan (47min), Adam Murray 0-1 for Caoimhin Walsh (63min).
Ian Howley (Dublin).
