Friendly: Waterford United 0 - 3 Sligo Rovers

Sligo Rovers ultimately eased to a 3-0 victory against a hard-working Waterford United at the RSC, courtesy of a first-half goal from Dinny Corcoran and strikes from Daniel Ledwith and new-boy Morten Nielsen in the final twenty minutes. 

The visitors were on the pitch early ahead of the kick-off and seemed to start the game before Waterford too, Morten Nielsen squandering a chance in the box after only 15 seconds. They didn't have to wait too much longer for the opening goal though, with Dinny Corcoran taking full advantage of Waterford's slow start with ten minutes played. David Cawley clipped a pass through for his front-man, who took the ball on the turn and finished past Matthew Connor in the Waterford goal. 

Estonian international, Sander Puri, was a thorn in the hosts' right side for most of the first half. His quality on the ball and the overlapping of Danny Ledwith posed repeated problems for the Blues' defenders. It was Ledwith's cross which forced Connor into action on the half hour mark, as he just managed to divert the ball away from Corcoran's head. 

The home side were reduced to hopeful attempts from poor positions and rarely looked capable of forcing the underworked Ryan Coulter into action. The first half rather petered out, with Sligo knocking the ball around from back to front without much purpose.

As is customary with pre-season friendlies, the second forty-five saw a raft of substitutions on both sides and a game which had been of candlelight intensity flickered almost to nothing. The introduction of Keith Ward for Sligo was the most significant of the many changes, and it was he who created his side's second.

Finding space for a cross down the right, his delivery was converted by fellow substitute Eoin Wearen's powerful header. Waterford never looked like mounting a comeback, but they did at least show some signs of resistance. The home side harried and hassled and tried to play football, but simply couldn't match Sligo's quality. 

Ward very nearly had a second assist on 81 minutes, as he sent Raffaele Cretaro in behind the Waterford back-line, but the forward's finish was too close to substitute 'keeper Robert Birdsall, who made a good save. 

Birdsall wasn't quite so convincing seven minutes later, however, when he spilled Ward's hard drive into the path of Morten Nielsen and the ex-Chelsea academy player tapped home a third for the visitors. 

All in all, it was a worthwhile run-out for both sides and provided some lukewarm entertainment for the modest crowd inside the RSC on a cold, windy evening in Waterford. 

Waterford United: Matthew Connor (Robert Birdsall 58); Anthony O'Donnell, Brian Nolan (Aaron O;Connor 46), Shane Dineen (Dylan Mernagh 46), Craig Burns (Shane Mackey 58); Dean Reidy, Shane Nolan (Cormac Breslin 71), Glen Hawe, Bobbi Donoghue (Ross Fitzpatrick 89); Greg Peel (Willie John Kiely 46), Anthony McAlavey. 
Subs not used: Mikie Rowe, Roy Butler, Sean Hurley.

Booked: Shane Dineen (43), Shane Mackey (85).

Sligo Rovers: Ryan Coulter; Alan Keane (Gary Boylan 71), Stephen Folan, Jake Dykes, Danny Ledwith; Kevin Devaney (Raffaele Cretaro 60), David Cawley, John Russell (Steven Beattie 60), Sander Puri (Keith Ward 60); Morten Nielsen, Dinny Corcoran (Eoin Wearen 63). 
Subs not used: Richard Brush (gk), Gary Armstrong, Regan Donelon, Ruairi Keating, Ryan McManus. 

Booked: Danny Ledwith (44)

Referee: Jim McKell

Extratime.ie Man of the Match: Keith Ward (Sligo Rovers) - Ever-creative upon entering the game and had a hand in both second-half goals.