Shamrock Rovers "B" surprise Blues
Waterford United 0 - Shamrock Rovers "B" 2
An extremely young Waterford United team lost at home to an equally young Shamrock Rovers ``B'' team at the RSC on Friday night last. The Blues have now just taken two points from a possible 21 in the last seven games. Remarkably the Hoops had lost their previous nine game prior to this victory. The home side had to plan without the suspended duo of Vinny Sullivan and Willie John Kiely and the injured Kevin O'Connor. To make matters even worse the hosts lost striker Daryl Power with a nasty leg injury after ten minutes and goalkeeper Kevin Burns failed to come out for the second half because he also picked up a knock and he had to be replaced by Matthew Connor. The average age of the Waterford team was something in the region 20 years and overall they did well in this contest despite the final result. They got hit by two sucker punches and the home players were clearly distressed when the full time whistle was blown. Hopefully they will learn from this defeat.
After losing striker Daryl Power through injury inside ten minutes, the Blues did have a lot of the early possession but could have found themselves a goal down with the first opportunity of the contest.
Dylan Kavanagh won a free kick deep inside his own half and when Patrick Fitzgerald rose highest to clear the danger, it was Daniel Purdy that latched onto the ball before unleashing a cracking 25-yard right-footed effort that was superbly tipped over the bar by Kevin Burns.
Waterford had their first chance of the game with a neat footballing move on 23 minutes when left back Shaun Corcoran picked out front man Ethan Boyle in space on the left side of the penalty, who in turn laid the ball into the path of Ross Fitzpatrick but his low right-footed shot from the edge of the area was saved at the second attempt by Rovers keeper Conor O'Malley.
Andrew O'Connor, who came on for Daryl Power early in the first half, had the first chance of the second half on 51 minutes when Patrick Fitzgerald's perfect pass out to the left for Shaun Corcoran, who found O'Connor inside the area but his header went wide of the far post.
Visiting goalkeeper Conor O'Malley produced an excellent save to deny the home side the lead less than sixty seconds later when a fine move saw Conor Whittle picked up possession of the ball out on the right and his first time cross to the back post found Ethan Boyle but his point blank header was kept out superbly. The breakthrough goal on 76 minutes came against the run of play when Chris Lyons broke down the left channel to cross into the area from Cian Kavanagh, who swept the ball past Matthew Connor from close range.
It was a hard goal to take for the Blues side that were on top in the game but they could have found themselves two goals down with four minutes remaining when Daniel Purdy sent over a cross from the left that found the head of Mark Sandford but his glancing effort was just wide of the far post. The visitors did however score again in injury time when Chris Lyons played in Daniel Purdy who drilled the ball past Matthew Connor from inside the penalty area. Next up for this young Blues team is another home game this Friday against Finn Harps.
WATERFORD UNITED: Burns (Connor '46), Whittle, Fitzgerald, O'Donovan, Corcoran, Walsh, Nolan, Coad (Breslin '78), Fitzpatrick, Boyle, Power (A. O'Connor '10)
SHAMROCK ROVERS B: O'Malley, D. Kavanagh, Lyons, Doolin (C. Kavanagh '62), Watson, D. Purdy, Confrey (Onwubiko '77), Whelan (Sandford '77), Heaney, Kelly, Vuille
Referee: Eoghan O'Shea (Tipperary)
