League Report: Waterford United 0 - 2 Finn Harps

Ten-man Waterford United slumped to their first defeat of the season, at the RSC on Friday night, as Damien McNulty’s first-half header and Gareth Harkin’s late goal won all three points for Finn Harps.

The home side had been the better of the two teams between both boxes for much of the game, but lacked the finishing touch needed to secure a result, especially once Shane Nolan had harshly seen red for a late challenge on Brian McGroary. Finn Harps now move onto seven points from three games after an excellent win on Suirside and are yet to concede a goal in the league.

The visitors started quickly, earning a corner with less than a minute played, and had the game’s first chance when Regan Donelon fired just wide of Matthew Connor’s goal with a 25-yard strike on seven minutes.

Waterford did eventually begin to find their feet and dictate play, largely through their captain, Brian Nolan. It was he who burst through the Harps midfield just before the half-hour mark and played in Jack Doherty one-on-one, but the front-man’s finish was too close to Ciaran Gallagher and the chance went abegging. The visitors almost punished the Blues profligacy immediately when Ciaran Coll’s overlap down the left flank saw him pick out Ruairi Keating at the far post, only for the Sligo Rovers loanee to mistime his volley.

It looked as though we were headed for a goalless interval until Waterford conceded a free-kick 30 yards from their goal. McGroary bent a teasing delivery deep into the area and Damien McNulty capitalised on some loose marking to nod home the opening goal. It was the second home game in a row that Waterford had lost a goal just before the break, and manager Tommy Griffin was left to once again attempt to rally his charges to come from behind.

He decided to introduce for the second forty-five the man who scored that late, late equaliser against Athlone on opening night, Shane Nolan. The midfielder didn’t take long to make an impact on the game, his late challenge on McGroary earning him a red card just nine minutes into the half. The tackle appeared more mistimed than malicious and a yellow card seemed more appropriate. That decision made a difficult task even more so for the hosts, who to their credit continued to play on the front foot and search for a leveller.

The game did however become more subdued and twenty minutes passed almost entirely without incident. That lull was almost broken spectacularly when Anthony O'Donnell unleashed a dipping thirty-yard effort that beat Gallagher but not the crossbar, and Shaun Corcoran’s follow-up effort was well saved by the Harps ‘keeper. That proved to be as close as Waterford would come, despite pushing increasingly further forward with every passing minute. It was this which gave Harps their second goal, as Harkin surged into space on the counter before slotting past Connor.

It capped a very measured performance from the away side, and earned a valuable three points on the road. Waterford meanwhile will be left to rue their lack of a goalscorer, their poor marking and, of course, the referee. 
 

Waterford United: Matthew Connor; Dean Reidy, Patrick Fitzgerald, Shane Dineen, Shaun Corcoran; Glenn Hawe (Shane Nolan 45), Anthony McAlavey, Brian Nolan, Anthony O’Donnell (Thomas Croke 81); Jack Doherty, Willie John Kiely (Greg Peel 70). 
Subs not used: Robert Birdsall (gk), Sean Hurley, Mark Walsh, Cormac Breslin. 

Booked: Jack Doherty (20)
Sent off: Shane Nolan (53)

Finn Harps: Ciaran Gallagher; Damien McNulty, Keith Cowan, Thomas McMonagle, Ciaran Coll; Gareth Harkin, Raymond Foy (Tony McNamee 67), Josh Mailey, Regan Donelon (Kevin McHugh 84); Ruairi Keating, Brian McGroary (Michael Funston 58). 
Subs not used: Lee McCarron (gk), Matt Crossan, Wilfried Tagbo, Garbhan Friel.

Booked: Michael Funston (59), Raymond Foy (62) 

Referee: David Keeler (Cork)

Attendance: 518

Extratime.ie Man of the Match: Damien McNulty (Finn Harps) - he was solid individually and as part of a collective defensive effort all evening and his goal changed the game.