Shelbourne FC 2 Waterford FC 1

Waterford FC continued their good run of form with a disciplined performance but headed back down the M8 with nothing after conceding yet another injury time goal in their SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division clash at Tolka Park.

Graham Coughlan made just one change to the side that took all three points against Drogheda United on Monday evening as he welcomed back Jordan Houston after injury and it was Conan Noonan who dropped to the bench.

In a moving tribute before kickoff, Waterford captain Padraig Amond and Shels captain Paddy Barrett brought two wreaths into the centre circle ahead of a minutes silence in memory of Barrett’s mother Anne who had recently passed away.

And for thirty seven minutes, they held firm with a controlled display that nullified the Shelbourne attack. But the home side got the breakthrough when Harry Wood slipped the ball behind the defence for Will Jarvis who calmly slotted th eball beyond Stephen McMullan.

However, the lead lasted less than two minutes as Dean McMenamy dispossessed Evan Caffrey and sent Benny Couto away down the left and when he crossed low into the six yard box, Padraig Amond was on hand to get the vital touch beyond Wessel Speel.

The second half saw the visitors take the game to Shelbourne with Amond going close with a flicked header from Tommy Lonergan’s cross on 58 minutes and a minute later Lonergan saw another effort saved by the Shelbourne netminder.

Shelbourne substitutes injected new impetus into their game and the upped the pressure on Waterford but the defence was holding firm until the final minute of added time when another ball into the Blues area was fumbled by the home side and Sean Boyd reacted quickest to fire home the winner to give Shelbourne their first home victory of the season.

Shelbourne FC: Speel, Mbeng (Lundgren 61′), Bone, Barrett, Ledwidge, Caffrey (Boyd 79′), Wood, Coote (Chapman 79′), Lunney, Jarvis (Kelly 55′), Freitas (Odubeko 61′)

Waterford FC: McMullan, Houston, Cann, Mahon, Long, Couto, McMenamy (Barrett 73′), Johnson, Heeney (Glenfield 70′), Lonergan (Noonan 85′), Amond (Voilas 85′)

Referee: Arnold Hunter