Galway United 1 Waterford FC 0
The 17 year heartbreak for Waterford FC at Eamonn Deacy Park continues as a goal ten minutes from time ensured all three points stayed in the West.
Waterford manager Keith Long had made three changes prior to the game with Grant Horton coming in for the injured Andy Boyle while Ryan Burke replaced Kyle White in a straight swop and James Oliyanka made his first start in place of Rowan McDonald. But he was forced into another change ahead of the game when Tommy Lonergan pulled up in the warm up so Maarten Pouwels came into the starting line up.
As was expected, the Blues had to cope with a Galway long ball game and the early stages were also spent defending a number of Killian Brouder long throws but there were no defensive issues for the visitors.
An early shot from Conan Noonan was high over the bar while a Ryan Burke cross was headed backwards by Grant Horton but there was no trouble for Evan Watts in the Galway goal.
Galway’s best effort of the half came on 36 minutes when a Brouder shot from the top of the area was not held by Stephen McMullan but Horton cleared the Waterford lines.
A free kick on the edge of the area provided Padraig Amond with a chance straight after the break but Watts was well placed to save easily. McMullan was called into action again in the 69th minute as he smothered a powerful shot from Bobby Burns who gathered a breaking ball from a corner at the top of the box.
Waterford were undone by Galway substitutes David Hurley and Vincent Borden who combined to secure the breakthrough. Hurley floated a corner kick into the six yard box where Borden rose to power home the header and secure all three points for the Tribesmen.
Galway United: E Watts, C Byrne, R Slevin, K Brouder, S Walsh (D Hurley 58′), G Cunningham, M Dyer (C Tollett 88′), P Hickey, R Burns (R Donelon 77′), J Keohane (V Borden 58′), J Essua
Waterford FC: S McMullan, N Bakboord, G Horton, K Radkowski, D Leahy, R Burke, D McMenamy, C Noonan, J Oliyanka (S Glenfield 83′), P Amond, M Pouwels
Referee: P McLaughlin
