Shamrock Rovers 3 Waterford FC 2

Waterford FC’s unbeaten run came to an end as two moments of madness cost them dearly in a game where a draw would have been a fair result as Shamrock Rovers showed their class to come from behind twice to take all three points at Tallaght Stadium.

Graham Coughlan named an unchanged starting eleven for the fourth successive game with Jordan Houston returning to the bench after missing three games though injury.

Waterford had the first shot on target on 20 minutes when Evan McLaughlin fired straight at Ed McGinty before Stephen McMullan had a similar save moments later.

Waterford took the lead on 35 minutes when a throw in on the right was flicked on by Padraig Amond for Tommy Lonergan who looped a high ball into the Rovers’ area where Benny Couto’s excellent touch found McLaughlin. He took a step to the left and blasted a ball to the roof of the net.

The home side levelled the game just before the hour when Aaraon Greene reacted to the ball coming back into the area and lifted the ball over McMullan.

However, the lead was restored by the Blues a minute later when Noah Mawene’s cross fell to Couto and when he turned onto his right he slotted the ball into the bottom right hand corner.

However, the game turned on 71 minutes when Jake Mulraney, who had only come on four minutes earlier, combined with fellow substitute John McGovern as he got behind the defence on the left adn crossed low for McGovern who had a simple task of slipping the ball home.

In an identical move four minutes Rovers went in front. Again Mulraney got behind Cann and when he fired across the area the ball was bundled over the line by McGovern for his second.

Waterford did have a great opportunity to level the game on 85 minutes but McGinty produced a save out of the top drawer to deny Lonergan after he reacted quickest when an Amond header came back of the crossbar.

Shamrock Rovers: McGinty, Lopes, Grace, Cleary (C O Sullivan 87′), Watts, Healy, Byrne (Razi 67′), Brennan (Mulraney 67′), Fitzgerald (Sobowale 61′), Greene (McGovern 61′), Burke

Waterford FC: McMullan, Cann, Mahon, Long, Couto, Mawene (Heeney 76′), McLaughlin (Glenfield 63′), Noonan (Faria 76′), Voilas (Houston 76′), Amond, Lonergan

Referee: Aaron O Dowd