“We would have lost this game last season” - Noonan
Waterford's Conan Noonan takes on the Shelbourne defence during their clash at the RSC.
After signing permanently for Waterford FC from Shamrock Rovers, attacker Conan Noonan admitted that Friday’s draw over Shelbourne in the SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division was a game that his side would have lost last season.
Noonan turned provider with a brilliant 55th-minutre free-kick that was headed home by Tommy Lonergan as that goal cancelled out John Martin’s first-half strike as the Blues were left happy with a share of the spoils.
Speaking after the game, Noonan said: “I think that we were fully deserving of a draw in the end. I think that a win probably would have flattered us, but I think that we worked really hard for it and we full value for it in the end.
“I think against a team like Shels, who are one of the best teams, in the league that it’s going to happen where they are going to be on top and they were. Obviously you would like to be the team on top, but we have to realise where we are as a team.
“Last year I think we would have lost that game and be two or three down in the first-half, but I think that it was important to get in half-time at 1-0 as it allowed us to tweak a few things. I think that we came out in the second-half a lot better.
“The last 15 or 20 minutes, we were defending, but I don’t think that they had many clearcut chances. I think that we were deserving of a draw like I said at the end.”
Noonan added: “It was a sloppy goal to give away and it was kind of the same goal that we gave away against Shels last season. We found a way to get something out of the game tonight.
“I had a chance that nearly went in and Podge has a chance with a header where he is unlucky so we did have our own chances. We dug in and the boys at the back, John and Hayden, were immense. They defended for their lives.
“I think that’s maybe something that we lacked last year in terms of that box defending, and I think that everyone that came on were brilliant so I’m delighted for everyone that we got a positive result.
“I think that the three changes brought a different energy and it showed how committed everyone is to the cause. I think that everyone will be going home tonight feeling that they’d giving everything. That’s all we can do.”
Looking ahead to Drogheda, Noonan said: “We know that it’s going to be a tough game next week. It has to be the same every single week. That commitment and effort. We’ll have games where we’ll dominate the ball, but sometimes you have to just get something out of the game and that’s what we done.
“I think people can see we’ve a lot of changes here. The backline is a fully new one, and you can see that determination not to allow the ball enter the net. It sounds simple, but it’s important. We have to work so hard to limit teams to have as many chances.
“We know that Drogheda away is probably one of the toughest away games in the league. It’s a tight pitch and they are very, very good at what they do. They are the games that we’re going to have to win this year, which we will try do.
“I think that we have to go pose our style where as last year maybe we played to their strengths. I felt we played like them instead of playing our own game. Hopefully we can go up there and show a bit of what we’re about. We’re really looking forward to it.”
