Bank Holiday Monday to forget for the Blues
Waterford FC head coach Keith Long applauds the travelling fans after the game in the Ryan McBride Brandywell. Photo: Inpho/Lorcan Doherty.
Waterford FC slipped to a second 3-0 defeat to Derry City at the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium this season in the SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division with all the damage done inside the opening half-hour as the Blues conceded three times on a Bank Holiday Monday to forget.
In a lively opening three minutes, it was the hosts that created the first chance. Will Patching sprayed the ball out to the right for Paul McMullan before continuing his run to meet the resulting cross, but his header went over with Padraig Amond testing Brian Maher at the other end with a shot from distance.
It was a blistering Derry move that yielded the breakthrough goal on 11 minutes. Patching started the move with a super ball down the left for Ben Doherty, who feed the ball into the path of Michael Duffy, and he beat Sam Sargeant with a cracking left-footed effort at his near post.
With Waterford down to ten men as Amond received treatment for a head injury, Derry took full advantage of the extra-man from a corner-kick on 21 minutes. Will Patching sent in a right-wing delivery that found the head of the unchallenged Mark Connolly and he powered a header to the far corner.
Ben McCormack cracked in a 28-minute effort from the right-side that cleared Brian Maher’s crossbar as he tried to bring his side back into the game, but it got even worse for Keith Long’s men as the hosts added a third two minutes later.
Paul McMullan took possession of a loose Waterford clearance 30-yards from goal before spotting the run of Pat Hoban and he beat Sam Sargeant for the fifth-time this season with a first-time right-footed shot to the bottom left-hand corner.
Connor Parsons nearly scored a stunner to bring his side back into the game on 41 minutes when the winger took possession of the ball on the left-side, but his 20-yard strike that had Derry keeper Maher beaten came crashing back off the far upright.
Blues Head Coach Keith Long made a double swap at the break as he tried to get his side back into the contest with Padraig Amond having an opportunity deflected effort was wide of the right-hand post before Darragh Power had two efforts – the second well saved by Maher on the hour mark.
There was a length nine-minute stoppage in the midway point of the half as Derry’s Patrick McEleney was forced off with what looked like a nasty left shoulder injury after landing awkwardly in a challenge with Blues’ midfielder Ben McCormack and that break in play killed the game as the second-half ended in stalemate.
