Waterford United FC 1 - 0 Longford Town FC

Waterford United emerged deserved winners from their clash with Longford Town at the RSC tonight thanks to an early Willie John Kiely goal. The home side missed a hatful of chances and despite Town manager Alan Gough starting in goal due to a lack of ‘keepers at the club, they never added to their sixteenth minute lead.

Waterford dominated the first half from the off and should have been a goal up as early as the fourth minute. Striker Graham Cummins cut inside from the left and fired a fierce shot from the edge of the Longford box against the far post and, with Gough beaten, the ball struck Paul McCarthy’s knee in front of a gaping net and bounced wide. Three minutes later David Grincell found himself in space 30 yards out and his left foot shot forced Gough into a fine save away to his left.

The home side continued to press and got the goal their play deserved in the 16th minute. McCarthy found Alan Carey on the overlap down the right and Willie John Kiely deftly flicked the full-back’s cross over Gough for his fourth goal of the season.

Waterford seemed to take their foot off the gas after the goal, however, and Longford finally fashioned their first chance of the half in the 37th minute. Derek Glynn worked some space inside the box and his shot produced a fine save from Michael Devine in the Blues’ goal.

Waterford could have scored again in the 41st minute when both Grincell and Cummins missed a Kevin Waters' corner which bounced invitingly along the six-yard box. Despite their dominance, the hosts’ wayward finishing could have seen them end the half level. Two minutes before the break Glynn, who was looking very lively, turned Carey inside out down the left and had space to curl a delicate shot against the far post with Devine rooted to the spot.

The teams emerged for the second half and picked up exactly where they left off, the visitors inviting pressure and Waterford wasteful in front of goal. The half was less than ten minutes old when McCarthy slid a through ball behind the Longford defence but Kiely, clean through, lashed a left foot effort carelessly wide of the near upright. Then, in the 62nd minute, McCarthy and Kiely combined again, with the striker rising highest to head the midfielder’s cross into the side-netting.

Longford almost made the home side pay in the 67th minute when Jason McCartney’s 30 yard free-kick skimmed just past Devine’s post. Town were really struggling to establish a foothold in the game and were relying on Glynn’s trickery between the lines.

In the last quarter Waterford went in search of a crucial second goal to kill the game off. McCarthy and Cummins linked well on the right flank and the former’s low cross was flicked on at the near post by Kiely but Gough got down well to gather. McCarthy was finding space all over the pitch and fizzed a long-range shot narrowly over before missing a glorious chance to kill the game off with two minutes to go. Waters crossed from the left and McCarthy was free eight yards out but somehow failed to guide his header on target.

One minute later it was Kiely’s turn to miss a gilt-edged opportunity. Waters again crossed from the left, this time sliding the ball low across the box and Kiely, sliding in, was only able to poke the ball wide with the goal at his mercy. Waterford seemed to have done enough to secure three points with the game into injury time but they had to survive a late scare when a long ball into their box caused a scramble and Devine had to throw himself to his right to deny Adrian Murphy. Anthony Buttimer’s whistle drew the game to a close and confirmed the Blues’ narrow but deserved victory.

Waterford United: Michael Devine; Alan Carey, Kevin Murray, Kenny Browne, Seamus Long; David Grincell (Gary Dunphy 68), John Kearney, Paul McCarthy, Kevin Waters; Willie John Kiely, Graham Cummins.
Subs not used: Declan Woodgate, Kieran Fitzgerald, Paul Carey, Joe Mulcahy.

Booked: None.

Longford Town: Alan Gough; Ray Kenny, Brian McCarthy, Stephen Gough (Michael Lee 72), Tom King; Colm Jinks, Brian Murtagh (Gary Curran 69), Adrian Murphy, Jason McCartney; Liam Lynch, Derek Glynn.
Subs not used: Owen Hoare, Darragh Concannon, Dean Clarke.

Booked: McCarthy, Kenny.

Referee: Anthony Buttimer.

Attendance: 320

Extratime Man of the Match: Paul McCarthy (Waterford United) – at the heart of most of Waterford’s best play and should have scored.