Defensive inabilities prove oh so costly for Waterford FC again
Waterford's James Olayinka goes into this tackle with Cork City's Greg Bolger.
Keith Long may have left the RSC building but the defensive frailties in this Waterford FC team continue to stick out like a sore thumb as the inability to keep a lead and a cleansheet continued in the Munster derby against Cork City in the SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division at Turners Cross on Easter Monday.
It was another game where things seemed to be going to plan for the Blues as Tommy Lonergan’s 53rd-minute goal had his side leading up to a point where defender Navajo Bakboord inexplicably failed to stay on his feet when bringing down Cathal O’Sullivan for Evan McLaughlin’s leveller on 89 minutes.
With the Shed End of the Leeside venue hopping, there was still the worry from a Waterford viewpoint that could concede again, and that’s exactly what happened in the sixth minute of added time, substitute Kitt Nelson struck for the winner to break hearts once again in the dying moments.
After Ryan Burke had a teasing cross cut out following a good ball from Tommy Lonergan on three minutes, the home side broke from the resulting corner-kick with Alex Nolan sprayed the ball out wide left for Cathal O’Sullivan, but he blazed left-footed over.
Burke was in the thick of the action once again on eight minutes when the left-back, who was coming back into the team after dropping to the bench in the humiliation to Sligo, took a pass from Trae Coyle, but his 25-yard effort flew wide of Tein Troost’s goal.
The Blues interim Head Coach Matt Lawlor was dealt a massive blow on 15 minutes when Trae Coyle was forced off injured to be replaced by Navajo Bakboord before both Dean McMenamy and Greg Bolger were cautioned by referee Rob Hennessy.
Padraig Amond glanced a header after a Grant Horton delivery wide of the target on 38 minutes in what was a very cagey opening half with clearcut chances at a premium until a big one came the way of the hosts.
Charlie Lyons lofted the ball forward from his midfield position that saw Cathal O’Sullivan get clear, but his first-time left-footed shot was superbly kept out by a one-handed stop from Stephen McMullan much to the delight of the travelling faithful.
The Munster derby swung big time in favour of the Blues as they found the breakthrough on 53 minutes when some good play out on the right saw Conan Noonan slip the ball into the feet of Tommy Lonergan, and he slipped a left-footed shot past keeper Tein Troost for his second league of the campaign.
Ryan Burke went close to doubling the lead for his side five minutes later when he took a pass from goalscorer Lonergan out on the left-side, but his well-struck left-footed strike flew just inches wide of Troost’s far post.
The Waterford defence were putting their bodies on the line with Kacper Radkowski, Andy Boyle and Burke doing well to cut out the danger when Milan Mbeng advanced down the right on a couple of occasions during the midway point of the half.
Cork City were forced into shooting from distance with Rio Shipton, who replaced Greg Bolger, firing wide of McMullan’s goal on 76 minutes before Stephen McMullan came out in a crowd of players two minutes later to pluck a Bernardo Couto corner out of the sky.
Andy Boyle threw his body on the line to block a goalbound effort from Milan Mbeng on 83 minutes and when the ball broke to Rio Shipton, Darragh Leahy’s vital touch took the ball out for a corner-kick that well cleared by McMullan.
As the contest ticked into the 89th minute, a moment of absolute madness from Waterford full-back Navajo Bakboord saw him foul Cathal O’Sullivan in the area to concede a fifth penalty this season after he had played the ball forward leaving referee Rob Hennessy with no option but to award a penalty.
In front of the Shed End of Turners Cross, midfielder Evan McLaughlin took possession of the ball before hammering it straight down the middle of Stephen McMullan’s goal to give his side a leveller that they never looked When you consider the run that the Blues are on at the moment, the ending was predictable. Referee Hennessy added six minutes of added time and just going into that final minute, Cathal O’Sullivan got the better of Kacper Radkowski in a duel before crossing for Kitt Nelson to hammer to the roof of the net.
James Olayinka nearly pulled a rabbit out of a hat with seconds remaining in the tie when Dean McMenamy's left-wing delivery was cleared into his path, but the former Arsenal academy player saw his thunderous effort from 25 yards came crashing back off the crossbar with the final whistle sounding to disbelief for 370 Waterford faithful in the St. Anne's End of Turners Cross.
Troost; Mbeng, Crowley, Lyons, Couto; Bolger (Shipston 65), McLaughlin, Murray; Daniels (Nelson 65), O’Sullivan (Anderson 90+5), Nolan (Fitzpatrick 57)
McMullan; Horton, Radkowski, Boyle, Burke (Leahy 79(; Olayinka, Coyle (Bakboord 17), McMenamy, Noonan (Glenfield 79); Lonergan (Pouwels 84), Amond.
Rob Hennessy (Dublin).
