Blues win through to last eight of Munster Senior Cup
Waterford players celebrate their win over Riverstown in the Munster Senior Cup.
Waterford FC advanced to the quarterfinals of the Munster Senior Cup with a hard-fought but well-deserved victory over Riverstown FC of Glanmire at the SETU Arena.
To their credit, the Cork side battled throughout the ninety minutes, keeping the home side at bay for 51 minutes before asking a few more questions in the dying minutes of the game when they received the lifeline of a penalty kick.
It was the first run out of the season for Eddie Nolan’s side, as Waterford sent out their Under 20’s, but they looked composed from the opening whistle, forcing several early attacks, but their final touch just eluded them.
Goalkeeper Aaron Spriggs saved very well on 14 minutes from Muhammad Oladiti, who was a big threat throughout for the home side. God work from Noah O Brien and Bobby Keohan set up Oladiti, but Spriggs was equal to the shot.
Shayne McDonald was just off target with another good effort on 26 minutes before the Blues’ first big chance arrived three minutes later.
Sean Keane found Keohan with an excellent ball and his delicate touch sent the ball into the path of Romeo Lapite who charged towards Spriggs but the Glanmire shot stopper held his ground and managed to get a foot to Lapite’s shot.
Waterford kept the pressure on with the visitors’ centre half Shane Twomey coming to their rescue with a couple a goal line clearances before the sanctuary of the dressing room brought some welcome relief.
However, Waterford got their deserved breakthrough six minutes after the restart when a Noah O Brien cross was not cleared and Oladiti was the quickest to react as he fired home from a narrow angle.
They doubled the lead inside ten minutes with their best move of the game. A marauding run down the right from Adam Coyne was matched by a perfect cross which was met by Jan Wozniack, and he powered his header to the top corner unchallenged.
Nolan emptied his bench on the hour mark with Igor Bacela, Peter Byrne, Matt Barrett, Gavin Mitchell and Jack Garrett coming in to bring fresh legs to the side.
To their credit, Riverstown refused to crumble and their raft of substitutions seemed to inject some pace into their attack.
Bacela kept the Blues lead intact with a superb save to deny Darragh Barrett’s looping header fifteen minutes from time. But Riverstown were rewarded for their endeavour, seven minutes from time when a lazy challenge handed them the lifeline of a penalty. The spot kick was very well converted by Gavin McCarthy who drilled the ball past Waterford substitute goalkeeper Igor Bacela to the bottom corner.
This seemed to inspire the Cork side who asked a few questions of the Blues with a couple of efforts, but the home defence coped with everything that Riverstown tried.
And it was Garrett who made sure of the victory with Waterford’s third in injury time after he was put through by Wozniak before calmly slotting the ball under Spriggs to the opposite corner.
Healy (Bacela 61) Coyne (Mitchell 61), McDonald, Keane (Barrett 61), Cala, Oladiti (Byrne 61), Wozniak, Keohan, O Brien, Lapite, Cass (Garrett 70)
Spriggs, Anderson (Brown 57), S Yelverton (O Sullivan 73), Twomey (Leonard 63), McCarthy, Barrett, R Yelverton (Morley 86), O Herlihy, Goggin (Barrett 63), Behlouli, Barry
John S Walsh (Waterford)
