Waterford FC 2 Derry City 2

Waterford FC came within five seconds of ending their losing streak in style at the RSC as they came from behind to lead two one deep in injury time but the football gods decreed it was not to be as Derry City found an equaliser with the last touch of the game in the SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division.

Graham Coughlan made three changes with goalkeeper Stephen McMullen returning to the starting line up after 5 games with Arlo Doherty, Will Johnson made his first start in place of Dean McMenamy while Luke Heeney started in place of Sam Glenfield who was suspended.

Heeney was in the wars after a clash of heads with Adam O Reilly inside two minutes forced him off for treatment and the home side were nearly sliced open moments later when Jamie Stott got on the end of a free kick but he somehow missed the target.

Waterford had a huge opportunity to break the deadlock on 17 minutes when Tommy Lonergan latched onto a loose defensive ball but a touch too many allowed Eddie Beach to get the block on the shot and from that clearance they fell behind when Jordan Houston fouled Michael Duffy. A quick free from Brandon Fleming caught the Blues napping as he sent James Clarke away down the left and he had time to pick out Kevin Dos Santos with a low cross and the Portuguese winger got the touch beyond McMullan.

Waterford did respond with some intensity and it was Beach who was the busier of the two keepers for the rest of the game as he got a vital punch to a pinging free kick from Couto and he denied Padraig Amond in injury time when he stood tall to parry a shot from the Blues’ captain.

Seconds before the half time whistle, he was rescued by Fleming who cleared the ball off the line after Amond got a touch on another Couto cross that seemed destined for the net.

The home side took the game to Derry from the start of the second period and levelled the game on the hour mark when Lonergan scored his third penalty of the season after John Mahon was fouled by former Blue James Olayinka.

They kept pressing forward with John Mahon going close with a header on 74 minutes before the RSC erupted nine minutes from time as Kevin Long rose highest to power a Couto cross beyond Beach to put the Blues in front.

As the game wound towards a finish Waterford kept the visitors at bay but a final attack produced the equaliser as Flemings cross was met by Henry Rylah and he headed home to break Waterford hearts.

Waterford FC: McMullan, Houston (McMenamy 25′), Mahon, Long, Couto, Cann, Heeney, Johnson, Noonan (Voilas 86′), Lonergan (Barrett 90′), Amond

Derry City: Beach, Cotter, Barr, Stott, Fleming, O Reilly, Olayinka, Clarke (Rylah 83′), Duffy (Markey 83′), Akinyemi (Thomas 60′), Dos Santos (Dummigan 71′)

Referee: Daryl Carolan