Shamrock Rovers 2 Waterford FC 1
Waterford FC battled hard but ultimately came up short as Shamrock Rovers took all three points in a highly entertaining game at Tallaght Stadium.
Keith Long reverted to five across the back as Darragh Leahy was recalled in the centre of defence alongside Grant Horton and Kacper Radkowski with Shane Flynn also starting in place of Ryan Burke.
Rovers needed to win to have any hope of landing the league title and they got the perfect start after just four minutes when a wonderful through ball from Graham Burke was picked up by Johnny Kenny and he lifted it over the advancing Sam Sargeant.
Waterford did not capitulate and they continued to work to their game plan and Connor Parsons forced a good save from Leon Pohls on nineteen minutes when he pounced on a weak Josh Honohan clearance.
Rovers doubled their advantage on 55 minutes when Dylan Watts was on hand to score from close range after a Neil Farrugia shot came back off the woodwork.
The Blues got back into the game 20 minutes from time when Podge Amond got across the defender to meet a low Ben McCormack cross for his fourteenth goal of the season and a share of the league golden boot with Patrick Hoban of Derry but he came close to the equaliser minutes later when his looping header beat Pohls but landed on the crossbar.
It was not to be and Tallaght went quiet minutes from full time when news came from the Brandywell of a Shelbourne goal to ultimately secure the title for Damien Duff's side.
