Waterford FC 3
Treaty United 3
Waterford FC win 7-4 on aggregate
Second half goals from Wassim Aouachria and Phoenix Patterson saw Waterford FC come from 3-1 down to draw 3-3 with Treaty United in a pulsating second-leg played in front of 2585 supporters at the RSC to book their place in the SSE Airtricity First Division playoff final.
The visitors needed the first goal of the second-leg, and it arrived from the penalty spot on nine minutes. Tunmise Sobowale brought down Treaty skipper Marc Ludden on the left-side of the area, and the latter assumed responsibility from the spot to beat Paul Martin, who guessed right, but couldn’t keep the ball that found the net with the aid of the post.
Waterford scored a levelling goal after 22 minutes when Sobowale made amends from the concession of the spot-kick as a great sweeping move saw Raúl Uche played the ball square to Wassim Aouachria, who spotted the darting run of the form, and he powered a right-footed strike high to the net past Jack Brady.
Beyond belief of the majority of the strong 2585 attendance, Treaty were awarded a second penalty four minutes later when Success Edogun was pushed over by Richard Taylor, who was lucky to see a yellow card for the infringement, and Ludden beat Martin from 12 yards once again.
The home defence was guilty of more poor defending that yielded a third goal for the visitors on 28 minutes. Marc Ludden found space out on the left to put in a teasing cross that Taylor couldn’t deal with, and Lee Devitt steered the shot past keeper Martin.
Waterford certainly needed the first goal of the second-half, and they got it from the penalty spot on 49 minutes. Great link up play with Niall O’Keeffe, Phoenix Patterson, and Shane Griffin combinining before the latter was brought down by Sean Guerins, and Wassim Aouachria notched the spot-kick.
It was a moment of brilliance that saw the home side get back on level terms five minutes later when O’Keeffe slipped the ball into the feet of Junior Quitirna, who in turn fed Patterson on the left, and he curled a super right-footed effort to the far post past a helpless Jack Brady. The Blues will face either Galway United or Longford Town in the playoff final - at a venue to be decided - on Friday next, November 4.
WATERFORD FC: Paul Martin (Brian Murphy ’87), Tunmise Sobowale (Timi Sobowale ’74), Kilian Cantwell, Richard Taylor (Alex Baptiste ’38), Darragh Power, Niall O’Keeffe, Shane Griffin, Junior Quitirna, Raul Uche (Dean Larkin ’74), Phoenix Patterson, Wassim Aouachria (Eddie Nolan ’87).
TREATY UNITED: Jack Brady, Jack Lynch, Callum McNamara, Sean Guerins, Marc Ludden, Joe Collins (Stephen Christopher ’58), Lee Devitt (Joel Coustrain ’87), Martin Coughlan (Fionn Doherty ’73), Mark Walsh, Matt Keane (Willie Armshaw ’58), Success Edogun (Enda Curran ’58).
Referee: Paul Norton (Dublin).
