Battling Blues go down fighting in Derry defeat
Waterford's Rowan McDonald getting his clearance in ahead of Derry's Will Patching. Photo: INPHO/Ken Sutton
Waterford FC fought hard in their latest meeting with Derry City in the SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division, but they slipped to a fourth defeat to the Candystripes in their battle played in front of 2693 spectators at the RSC.
On an evening that saw Derry City move to the summit of the table, they got a helping hand from Blues keeper Louis Jones, who left in clanger on the hour mark that proved to be the difference at the call of time.
The Blues netminder looked to have things under control when coming to claim a hopeless header from Ben Doherty, but the loanee was judged to have carried the header over the line in the eyes of eagle-eyed assistant referee Rob Clarke for the goal that decided the contest.
It was the visitors that got that golden chance to strike the front on 35 minutes. Brian Maher’s long kick-out that was flicked on by Pat Hoban for Adam O’Reilly, who sprayed the ball out to the right for Paul McMullan, but his first-time right-footed shot at an angle came crashing back of Louis Jones’ near post.
After Cameron Dummigan had a shot from distance fizz wide of the target on 43 minutes, the Blues had their best chance of the half two minutes later only to denied by a stunning Maher save. Ryan Burke won a free out on the left that saw Baggley’s delivery fall to Radkowski, who saw his overhead kick break to Darragh Leahy, but his low shot was brilliantly kept out with Amond’s close-range rebound also blocked.
It was the same right-hand post that denied the Blues the lead on 55 minutes. Jones sent a long ball downfield that saw Amond knock the ball down for Christie Pattisson, who turned Connolly, but his left-footed strike came crashing back off the woodwork with Burke blazing the rebound into the sidenetting.
The visitors struck for the lead goal with the help of eagle-eyed assistant referee Rob Clarke on the hour mark. Cameron Dummigan’s high cross out to the left saw Ben Doherty challenge with Darragh Power that sent a header goalwards for what looked like a routine catch for keeper Jones, but he carried the ball over the line after failing to handle the ball first-time.
There was a big chance for Ryan Burke to level the contest on 90 minutes when he got free on the penalty spot to meet a Gbemi Arubi cross, but he fired a left-footed shot over the bar before the latter had the ball in the net deep in injury-time only to be flagged offside.
