Waterford FC 1 Sligo Rovers 0
Matt Keane Reports
Waterford FC and Sligo Rovers played out a thrilling encounter at the RSC on Sunday afternoon.
Played in blistering heat in front of 500 spectators the only goal of the game arrived on 53 minutes.
Cian Kavanagh unleashed a thunderbolt from 20 yards and it was a goal that would grace any game on the planet.
Matthew Connor and Kyle Ferguson collided in mid-air and both had to leave the field.
Their replacements, Paul Martin and George Forrest played superbly and Paul Martin produced two wonderful saves late on as the visitors went in search of an equaliser.
Overall, this was a fantastic display by Marc Bircham's charges and the home supporters went home in a very happy mood.
After a cautious start by both teams the game burst into life on 12 minutes, Regan Donelon swept over a deep cross that Blues keeper Matthew Connor could only get a touch to and the ball dropped to Mark Byrne at the far post, the Sligo Rovers winger pull the ball back to Johnny Kenny six yards from goal, the striker fired his shot goal wards but Connor recovered to make a magnificent one handed save.
On 19 minutes the home team suffered a double injury as both goalkeeper Matthew Connor and centre back Kyle Ferguson collided in mid-air, and both required lengthy treatment and both had to leave the game with head injuries. Paul Martin replaced Connor in the goal and George Forrest came in for Ferguson at centre back.
On 31 minutes the home team went close to opening the scoring, Anthony Wordsworth delivered a cross from the left and the diving Cian Kavanagh just failed to make contact with his head.
Two minutes later the Blues went close again, Shane Griffin set up Anthony Wordswoth but his shot from 20 yards whistled wide of the far post.
A minute later Jeremie Milambo went down the left on a run that took him deep into the Sligo box, his low cross was almost turned into his own goal by Donelon but the Sligo defender was relieved to see the ball trickle out for a corner kick.
The home team were looking dangerous at this stage and on 42 minutes Blues striker John Martin had the home support on their feet but his right foot drive only found the side netting.
With the second half only three minutes old referee David Dunne deemed that Luke McNicholas committed a foul as he picked up a back pass from Garry Buckley and awarded Waterford a free kick 6 yards from goal, the free kick was indirect and when Anthony Wordsworth lashed the ball into the roof of the net the referee quite rightly disallowed the goal.
Waterford opened the scoring on 53 minutes. John Martin played a clever ball down the left for Cian Kavanagh, the big striker turned inside Garry Buckley before driving a wonderful right foot strike high into the roof of the net beyond the diving McNicholas from 20 yards.
Sligo Rovers manager Liam Buckley rang the changes mid-way through the second period making five substitutions. One of those was Romeo Parkes but the big inform striker was well marshalled by the excellent Eddie Nolan. On 80 minutes Sligo came within a whisker of an equaliser.
Jordan Gibson whipped in a corner kick that found the head of Colm Horgan, his header crashed against the foot of the post and bounced back into the arms of the grateful Paul Martin.
At the other end Cian Kavanagh found himself in the clear with only McNicholas to beat but the keeper saved well as the big striker tried to round him.
As the action flowed Parkes found space in the box but his left foot strike forced a good save from Martin. The blues keeper was in the action again with only 3 minutes left on the clock. Romeo Parkes raced clear of the home defence but Martin came to the rescue once more saving at the striker’s feet.
In stoppage time the fresh legs of Parkes saw him race clear, however Jack Stafford made a remarkable recovery to whip the ball off the toe of the striker as Waterford hung on to claim all three points.
Waterford FC - Matthew Connor {Paul Martin ‘22}, Darragh Power, Kyle Ferguson {George Forrest 22’}, Shane Griffin, Anthony Wordsworth, Cian Kavanagh
{ Tunmise Sobowale ‘88}, Junior Quitima { Isaac Tshipamba ‘82}, John Martin, Niall O’Keeffe, Jeremia Milambo {Jack Stafford ‘68}, Eddie Nolan.
Sligo Rovers. - Luke McNicholas, Lewis Banks, Jordan Gibson, Niall Morahan { Colm Horgan ‘64}, Walter Figueira { Romeo Parkes ‘64}, Mark Byrne, Shane Blaney, Regan Donelan, David Crawley {Seamus Keogh ‘64}, Johnny Kenny, Garry Buckley.
Referee . David Dunne,. Assistants Allen Lynch, and Ciaran Delaney.
