Sligo Rovers 2 Waterford FC 3
Waterford FC kicked off their 2025 SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division with a win after a thriller against Sligo Rovers at the Showgrounds.
The Blues got the perfect start on thirteen minutes when Rowan McDonald dispossessed Matty Wolfe and fired a first time effort to the bottom corner from 22 yards.
The visitors doubled their advantage on 33 minutes when a Conan Noonan free kick was headed back across the goal by McDonald and Tommy Lonergan was on hand to head home.
Sligo got on the scoresheet five minutes into the second half when Owen Elding got on the end of a Will Fitzgerald pass and the had the chance to level the game six minutes later when Fitzgerald was pulled down inside the area. Cian Kavanagh stepped up to fire the ball towards the net but Stephen McMullan dived to his left and palmed the ball over the bar.
Waterford restored their two goal advantage minutes later when a quick break saw Noonan through and he slipped the ball under Sam Sargeant.
Sligo reduced the deficit four minutes from the end when Jad Hakiki fired home off the underside of the crossbar from an acute angle and the Blues had to endure nearly twelve minutes of injury time before referee Damian McGraith called time.
Waterford FC: S McMullan, N Bakboord (D Leahy 72'), R Burke, A Boyle, G Horton, R McDonald (D McMenamy 53'), B McCormack, P Amond, T Lonergan (M Pouwels 83'), K Radkowski, C Noonan(K White 83')
Sligo Rovers: S Sargeant, R Hutchinson, M Wolfe (F Lomboto 65'), W Fitzgerald, J Hakiki, C Kavanagh, O Van Hattum, O Denham, J Mahon, C Malley (J Doyle-Hayes 86'), O Elding
Referee: Damien McGraith
