Mervue Utd 1 - 0 Waterford Utd

Gary Shanahan was the match winner for a second week in a row as he scored the only goal of the game with seven minutes remaining as Mervue Utd recorded a 1-0 win over Waterford Utd at Fahy’s Field on Saturday night.


In a very open game of football played in wet conditions the only surprise was that it took 83 minutes to find a goal as both sides created several good opportunities at either end but on the balance of play the home side probably deserved the win.


The home side started brightly as Gary Shanahan twice had efforts saved by Waterford keeper Craig Hyland after Ryan Manning created both shooting chances inside the opening eight minutes.


Waterford hit back as Danny Furlong saw his brilliantly struck volley tipped over by Conor O’Malley on 13 minutes. Gary Curran headed a Conor Meade shot off the line following the resultant corner kick, while Phillip Drohan also had his effort saved by the young keeper a minute later.


Shanahan came within a whisker away from breaking the deadlock when he met Marc Ludden’s cross from the left on 26 minutes but his header flew just over the crossbar. Some good deliveries into the visitor’s box from Manning lacked a touch or a finish to open the scoring.


A Jason Molloy free-kick five minutes before the break caused panic in the Waterford box as both Michael Duffy and Barry O’Mahoney had shots blocked by the Waterford defence before the ball was eventually cleared.


Three minutes from the break and another great chance was missed after great work by Tom King down the right saw him cross to Shanahan whose first time effort flew wide of the near post as the half ended without a goal.


Mervue had a strong appeal for a penalty turned down on the resumption as Ryan Manning was upended in the box, while Jason Molloy saw his on target shot blocked away by Waterford defender Paddy Barrett.


A long ball forward released Danny Furlong through on 58 minutes but his well struck low effort was well saved by O’Malley. Then an extraordinary passage of play saw Waterford keeper Craig Hyland deny the home side three times in the space of one attack.


Manning fired the first effort which Hyland palmed away but only to the following up Shanahan who also saw his close range effort brilliantly pushed away with the ball dropping to Gary Curran who struck the ball back on target only for Hyland to push it away for a corner.


With a quarter of an hour left Waterford put a good move together as Conor Meade fed Vinny Sullivan and he struck a low drive goalwards but young O’Malley proved equal once again as he pushed it away.


With the clock running down and a share of the spoils looking on the cards Shanahan struck for his second match winner in succession. Manning did well on the right before playing a ball to sub Brendan Lavelle who picked out Shanahan and the striker finished into the far corner past Hyland for the only goal of the game.


Despite some late Waterford pressure the home side defending comfortably as O’Malley was never extended in the closing minutes and they now close the gap on the teams ahead of them in the pursuit of a play-off spot.


Mervue Utd: Conor O’Malley; Tom King, Paul Sinnott, Martin Conneely, Marc Ludden; Gary Shanahan, Barry O’Mahoney, Gary Curran, Jason Molloy (Gary Kelly 91); Michael Duffy (Brendan Lavelle 80), Ryan Manning.
Subs not used: Noel Varley, Ross Kenny, Alex Lee, Joe Woods, Konrad Kapusta (GK)

Booked: Molloy (62), Ludden (70).


Waterford Utd: Craig Hyland; Conor Whittle, Gavin Kavanagh, Paddy Barrett, Dylan Mernagh; Vinny Sullivan, Ben Ryan (Peter Higgins 72), Rob McLarney (Kevin O’Connor 55), Phillip Drohan; Danny Furlong (Paul Quilty 60), Conor Meade.
Subs not used: John Frost, Francis Rockett, Peter White, Chip Sanders (GK)

Booked: None.

Referee: Rhona Daly (Roscommon)

Attendance: 180

Extratime.ie Man of the Match: Tom King (Mervue Utd).