Waterford FC 1 Shelbourne 1

Waterford FC came from behind to secure a deserved share of the spoils against Shelbourne in their SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division opener at the RSC.

Jon Daly handed debuts to seven players as he looked to get off to a perfect start but Shelbourne dominated the opening quarter with a solid display of controlled passing and the home side found themselves under the cosh from the opening whistle.

A couple of early corners were well dealt with by the Blues but it was another series of poor defending that handed former Blue John Martin the opener on thirteen minutes.

After the ball bobbled around the area, Mipo Odubeko tried an overhead kick but his mishit fell to Martin and he slotted the ball home.

The Blues did come in to the game in the latter stages of the first half but failed to register a shot on target.

However, a triple change on 52 minutes proved to be inspirational and Waterford were level within three minutes. A free kick won by Trae Coyle was pinged into the six yard box by Conan Noonan, where Tommy Lonergan’s glancing header flew past Wessel Speel into the net.

Confidence was rising with the home side and they pressed forward with another Noonan free kick headed just wide of the upright by Podge Amond before the midfielder himself tested the visitors with another shot that flashed outside the woodwork.

Waterford FC: McMullen, Couto, Mahon, Barrett (Glenfield 52′), Carty (Voilas 52′), McLaughlin (Coyle 52′), Amond, Noonan, Heeney, Cann, Lonergan

Shelbourne: Speel, Ledwidge, Wood (Lundgren 80′), Martin (Freitas 66′), Odubeko (Boyd 83′), Casey, Kelly (Jarvis 66′), Henry-Francis, McInroy, Mbeng, Barrett

Referee: Lucas Keating (Cork)