Galway United 4 Waterford FC 3
Waterford FC showed a huge improvement but ultimately came up short again as they came out on the wrong side of a seven goal thriller at Eamonn Deacy Park in the SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division.
Jon Daly wrung the changes after Friday's battering in Dundalk, with five players coming into the starting lineup, including a first ever league start for 18 year old Alan Zborowski. Padraig Amond was restored up front, Benny Couto returned at left full, Sam Glenfield started in midfield while Trae Coyle replaced Jess Dempsey on the left flank. Tommy Lonergan, Cian Barrett, Conor Carty and Deam McMenamy joined Dempsey on the bench.
There were three changes for John Caulfield as Matty Wolfe, Kris Twardek and Stephen Walsh came in with Francely Lomboto, Al-Amin Kazeem and Ed McCarthy dropped to the bench.
But the visitors found themselves behind again in the early stages as Aaron Bolger beat the defensive line with a great ball out to the right where Kris Twardek latched onto it and strode into the penalty area before slipping the ball past Stephen McMullan.
Waterford levelled the game on thirty five minutes when Gianfranco Facchineri flicked the ball back into his own net and the goal spurred the Blues.
They went in front just three minutes later when Jorgen Voilas flicked on a McMullan free kick and it was Amond who latched on to the ball and blasted to the net.
They should increased the lead two minutes before the break when a similar move saw Conan Noonan get behind the defence but Evan Watts stood firm to block the shot.
Galway levelled the game two minutes into added time when Luke Heeney was judged to have fouled Bolger and David Hurley stepped up to send McMullan the wrong way.
Galway went back in front just after the hour as Twardek notched his second as he took advantage of poor defending and as Waterford pressed forward seeking an equaliser, the Tribesmen scored their fourth with a breakaway that ended with Frantz Pierrot slotting home.
There was still time for more drama when Benny Couto was upended by Wasiri Williams and Kevin O Sullivan pointed to the spot. Tommy Lonergan fired high to the net.
Galway United: E Watts, A Parker (W Williams 80'), J Keohane (E McCarthy 46'), K Brouder, S Walsh (F Pierroty 54'), A Bolger (F Lomoto 80'), D Hurley, K Twardek, G Facchereni, M Wolfe (C Barratt 69'), L Devitt
Waterford FC: S McMullan, A Zborowski, H Cann, R Mansfield, B Couto, S Glenfield, L Heeney (D McMenamy 77'), T Coyle (T Lonergan 69'), C Noonan, Jorgen Voilas (C Carty 69'), P Amond
Referee: Kevin O Sullivan (Cork)
Waterford FC Coverage on WLR is thanks to John Murphy Carpets
