Waterford FC 0 Shelbourne 1
Waterford FC fell to their first defeat of the 2025 League campaign as Shelbourne produced a solid display to take all three points at the RSC. And they had to play the final half hour with just ten men after the dismissal of left back Ryan Burke.
Keith Long was forced into two changes with Ben McCormack and Grant Horton ruled out so Dean McMenamy and Darragh Leahy started in their place while Damien Duff had the luxury of naming an unchanged side.
Both sides started well with the keepers tested early but the breakthrough for the champions came on 14 minutes when Sean Boyd skipped between Leahy and Conan Noonan, raced into the area before slipping the ball to Mipo Odubeko who calmly slotted home.
Waterford did have a few half chances but neither goalkeeper will look back on the game having had much to do.
Burke fired a decent effort on 24 minutes while Andy Boyle met a Noonan free kick but was also off target.
Waterford's best chance came on 54 minutes when Noonan got clear on the right and when he delivered the ball into the danger area, the ensuing scramble was eventually blocked by Mark Coyle who denied Tommy Lonergan not once but twice.
The game ended as a contest just after the hour when Burke was shown a straight red for a tackle on Evan Caffrey after he let the ball get away from him.
Waterford FC: S McMullan, N Bakboord (S Glenfield 77'), K Radkowski, A Boyle, D Leahy, R Burke, R McDonald (L Roberts 87'), D McMenamy(K White 77'), C Noonan, P Amond, T Lonergan (M Pouwels 77')
Shelbourne FC: C Kearns, S Gannon, P Barrett, S Bone, K Ledwidge, M Coyle (E Chapman 78'), K McInroy (JJ Lunney 67'), E Caffrey (A Coote 67'), H Wood (J Norris 78'), S Boyd (J Martin 83'), M Adubeko.
Referee: Paul Norton
