Blues suffer lone goal defeat at hands of league leaders
Waterford FC's Dean McMenamy has a shot at goal during his side's clash with Shelbourne in the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division at the RSC on Thursday night. Photo: Inpho/Ken Sutton.
Waterford FC were dealt a first home defeat in five games as Will Jarvis capitalised on a rare defensive mistake to ensure that Shelbourne will go into the mid-season break on top of the SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division table after a 1-0 win over the Blues in front of 2762 supporters at the RSC.
It was the Shelbourne movement that caused the hosts problems in the opening quarter with Will Jarvis nearly finding the key to unlocking the home defence on nine minutes. The left-sided player latched onto a neat pass from Liam Burt before cutting into the area only to see Sam Sargeant parry away his shot.
Mark Coyle continued the threat for the visitors with another opening on 14 minutes when he peeled off his marker to meet a teasing Evan Caffrey right-wing corner at near post, but he fired inches wide of the target.
Padraig Amond was just wide with a glancing header after a good Darragh Power delivery six minutes later before some last ditch defending saw defender Gavin Molloy take the ball off the head of the Blues’ centre forward after another Power cross on 26 minutes when he looked certain to score.
Waterford lost midfielder Rowan McDonald to injury on the half-hour and it was his replacement Niall O’Keeffe that did well to block out a Liam Burt effort on 43 minutes that resulted in a flag kick that saw the latter pick out the run of Evan Caffrey, but his shot on the run just cleared Sargeant’s crossbar.
Ben McCormack latched onto a ball that broke off O’Keeffe for the first second-half chance on 52 minutes, but his shot failed to trouble keeper Conor Kearns before Padraig Amond was just off target with a free-kick two minutes later after a foul on Christie Pattisson.
It was a gift that saw the league leaders take the lead three minutes later. Niall O’Keeffe’s ball back to Grant Horton saw the defender slip under pressure from Will Jarvis, who raced clear on goal, and with only Sam Sargeant to beat, he finished cool as personified to the right-hand corner.
That goal took the sting of out Waterford, who were holding their own up to that point, before Connor Parsons having a half chance for his side in a rare moment on 78 minutes when he cut in from the left, but his shot was well held by Conor Kearns.
Former Waterford player Matty Smith did have the ball in the back of the net for Shelbourne three minutes later when he followed up after Sam Sargeant had kept out a fine Will Jarvis effort, but his finish was ruled out for offside before Padraig Amond was also denied a late equaliser by an assistant's flag.
