Report: Waterford 2 - 0 Sporting Fingal

Goals from Willie John Kiely and Vinny Sullivan in either half gave Waterford United a deserved 2-0 victory Sporting Fingal at the RSC. After a week to forget, the Blues responded with their best performance of the season to close the gap on leaders Dundalk to two points.

The game started tentatively as the sides traded shots. The passing was pretty but the forward play was as incisive as Jamie Redknapp’s punditry. Gareth Cronin’s switch to an aggressive 4-4-2 formation put a spring in The Blues’ step but Dave Rogers controlled the early exchanges while Karl Byrne provided the attacking threat for the away side.

Indeed, Byrne should have broken the deadlock with the game’s first opportunity on the quarter hour. A long ball from Brian Kelly caused havoc in the United area and with Robbie Clarke and Packie Holden both waiting for the other to clear the danger, Kelly darted between them and only Holden’s quick reactions denied the Fingal player.

The Blues returned fire immediately. A rejuvenated Vinny Sullivan teed up David Breen whose 35-yard piledriver went straight at Steve Williams. Breen was at the centre of the action again on 24 minutes when Foley’s inswinging corner found the centre-back but his header ricocheted between him and Williams and went just over.

Within a minute Waterford were in front. This time Foley’s corner was dropped by a Teflon-gloved Williams and Kiely stabbed the ball home.

Waterford began to find a groove after that and camped themselves in the Fingal half. They were clearly enjoying it as evidenced by Breen’s cheeky, disbelieving smile after a Ronaldinho-esque outside of the boot pass that landed on Foley’s big toe.

However, with the wind at their backs, the home side couldn’t add to their advantage and Kiely’s 45th minute drive over the crossbar was as close as they got to troubling Williams further.

Breen almost doubled Waterford’s advantage just after the break but his header from Foley’s corner was a powder puff effort that Williams made a meal of. It was the calm before the storm as Fingal finally woke from their slumber.

Joe O’Neill’s 54th minute corner sailed through to Rogers whose goalbound effort was deflected wide by a desperate Luke Fitzpatrick challenge. The away side continued to lay siege to Waterford’s goal and from the resulting O’Neill corner, Holden clawed the ball around his post to continue the flurry of corner kicks. A minute later, Peter Hynes, who battled hard all evening, stole in behind Kieran Fitzgerald but Holden got a touch to the striker’s left foot effort.

When Waterford did relieve the pressure they should have been celebrating a second. Fitzgerald’s ball was adroitly dummied by Sullivan but an onrushing Kiely saw his shot bravely saved by Williams. Almost immediately Fingal were battering Waterford again. Brian Kelly’s high ball was covered in snow by the time Packie Holden punched it to Dinny Corcoran but the substitute skied his effort over.

After that flurry of activity, the game died down and the entertainment was confined to the stands when a group of young Sporting Fingal fans taunted the similarly aged Blues’ supporters. After the obligatory taunts were exchanged, the Bebo-less groups seemed to be at a loss as to what should happen next without access to a computer.

The game itself was put to bed in the 76th minute when another dangerous Foley corner found an unmarked Sullivan whose header left Williams flatfooted before hitting the back of the net. The Blues should have added a third when Robbie Clarke landed a cross on Luke Fitzpatrick’s forehead. With the goal gaping, the former Saint Pat’s man somehow contrived to direct his effort over the bar. By that stage, Sporting Fingal had long since raised the white flag.

Waterford United: Packie Holden; Kieran Fitzgerald, David Breen, Kenny Browne, Robbie Clarke; Dave Warren (Luke Fitzpatrick 40), Karl Bermingham (Stephen Quigley 63), Paul McCarthy, Michael Foley;  Vinny Sullivan, Willie John Kiely (Gary Dunphy 89).
Subs not used: Kevin Waters, David Grincell.

Booked: Fitzgerald (45+1), Sullivan (48), Fitzpatrick (69).

Sporting Fingal: Steve Williams; Derek Tyrrell, Dave Rogers, Aidan Collins, Brian Kelly (Brian Gannon, 78); Jim Crawford (Dinny Corcoran, 53), Paul Caffrey, Colm James, Joe O'Neill; Karl Byrne, Peter Hynes.
Subs not used: Stephen Caffrey, James Hussey, Paul Malone.

Booked: Hynes (61)

Referee: Graham Kelly.