It was the visitors that created the first chance of the derby on three minutes when Mark O’Sullivan played through Ronan Hurley on the left-side of the penalty area, but he dragged a left-footed shot wide of Matt Connor’s near post.
The Blues had a strong penalty appeal turned down by referee Ray Matthews when Michael O’Connor looked as if he was dragged back in the area by Cork defender Dan Casey, but the official from Kingdom of Kerry was unmoved before the ball was cleared.
O’Connor forced the first save from either keeper on 23 minutes when he took a pass from Zack Elbouzedi on the right-side of the penalty area, but his low shot from 16 yards was straight down the throat of City keeper Mark McNulty.
A good Waterford move down the right brought another save from McNulty two minutes later when Elbouzedi linked up with JJ Lunney and Tom Holland before receiving the ball back, but despite turning onto his left-foot, his shot was saved at the near post.
Walter Figueira carved out a real chance for himself on 34 minutes when he latched onto a Kevin Lynch ball down the left-side of the penalty area, but his goalbound left-footed shot from an acute angle was blocked on the line by Cork defender Dan Casey.
Former Blues player Kevin O’Connor went close to breaking the deadlock for the visitors five minutes before the sound of the half time whistle when he cracked in a shot from the left-side of the area, but his dipping strike from 25 yards went over the bar.
The second half was less than a minute old when the hosts had a good chance when Zack Elbouzedi put in a super cross from the right that was cleared to Michael O’Connor, but his volley was brilliantly blocked by Alan Bennett, who had replaced Dan Casey at the break.
Bennett caused a real problem in the Waterford penalty area minutes later when his goalbound effort was blocked out by Kenny Browne and from the resulting corner kick, Cork went in front on 48 minutes. Kevin O’Connor’s corner kick from the right that was met by Conor McCarthy, who powered a volley past a static Matt Connor from ten yards.
Rob Slevin had a chance for the Blues on the hour mark when Tom Holland sent in a free kick from just inside the Cork City half after a foul on Figueira and under pressure from Alan Bennett, he shot straight into the hands of Mark McNulty.
It was Mark O’Sullivan, who came back to haunt his former club as he doubled Cork’s lead on 69 minutes when Garry Buckley’s through ball wasn’t dealt with by Tom Holland that allowed the former show neat footwork to turn Rob Slevin before drilling a low right-footed strike to the left-hand corner past Connor from 16 yards.
Waterford FC manager Alan Reynolds emptied the bench soon afterwards as he brought on Cory Galvin, Sam Bone and Dean Walsh in the hope of maybe forcing some type of comeback, and they manage to pull a goal back on 88 minutes.
Rory Feely was the man that picked up the ball down the right side of the penalty area before putting in a deep cross to the back post for JJ Lunney and his header beat Mark McNulty to give the Blues some hope of grabbing something out of the game.
There was nearly an amazing equalising goal for the Blues a minute later when Kevin Lynch whipped in a cross from the left that picked out the run of Rory Feely at the back post, but his header flashed inches over as the visitors held out for victory.
WATERFORD FC: Matt Connor, Rory Feely, Kenny Browne, Rob Slevin, Kevin Lynch, Karolis Chvedukas (Cory Galvin `70), JJ Lunney, Tom Holland (Sam Bone `72), Zack Elbouzedi, Michael O’Connor (Dean Walsh `76), Walter Figueira
CORK CITY: Mark McNulty, Colm Horgan, Conor McCarthy, Gearoid Morrissey, Kevin O’Connor, Dan Casey (Alan Bennett `46), Eoghan Stokes, Conor McCormack (Alec Byrne `86), Ronan Hurley, Garry Buckley, Mark O’Sullivan (Darragh Crowley `82)
Referee: Ray Matthews (Kerry)
