Waterford United 0 - 3 Ipswich Town
Credit: Extratime Team (ETPhotos)
Ipswich ran out 3-0 winners in an entertaining friendly with Waterford United at the RSC tonight. A goal from Kevin Lisbie in the first half and two second-half strikes from Owen Garvan sealed a comfortable win for the English club but the Blues gave them a tougher game than the scoreline suggests. The Roy Keane circus was in full swing at a packed RSC as everybody scrambled to get a glimpse of or an autograph from the former Ireland midfielder.
Ipswich began the game on the front foot and immediately set about pressurising their hosts’ defence. Kenny Browne had to intervene to clear a Lisbie cross after John Kearney gifted the forward possession. The first real chance fell to the home side however, in the 5th minute Kevin Waters crossed from the left and debutant Paul Walsh headed across goal and wide at the back post. Waterford were holding their own in terms of chances but Ipswich were beginning to lead in the possession stakes. Visiting goalkeeper Richard Wright made his first save on 13 minutes when Waters drilled a low 30-yard free-kick into his chest.
Waterford had another sight of goal on the half-hour mark when Waters once again delivered from the left and Wright and Dave Warren both challenged before the ball was scrambled clear. Two minutes later, David Norris drew a first save from Mick Devine in the Blues’ goal when he prodded a ball towards the corner from the edge of the box. The visitors thought they had broken the deadlock in the 32nd minute when Jordan Rhodes latched onto a lofted through-ball and lifted it over the advancing Devine. The striker’s celebrations were cut short however by the sight of the raised linesman’s flag. Waterford’s relief was only temporary as on 37 minutes Lisbie rocketed a 25-yard effort beyond the despairing dive of Devine. The forward looked pleased with his first goal since January. Barely two minutes later, the front man could have netted a second when he passed Kevin Murray but was denied by the hand of Devine. The home side played out the first-half in control of possession but behind on the scoreboard.
There were large changes to the home side for the second-half, with free-scoring front pair Willie John Kiely and Graham Cummins being introduced. The changes failed to improve the Blues’ fortunes however as Irish youngster Owen Garvan doubled the score barely two minutes into the half. Substitute Tommy Smith delivered a cross from the left which Devine only parried into the path of Garvan, the midfielder coolly rounded the ‘keeper and slotted into the unguarded net. The swelled home crowd at the RSC weren’t too disheartened by the score and their team continued to play some nice football, if a touch ineffective. On 51 minutes Cummins almost pulled a goal back when he latched onto a Paul McCarthy pass and found himself one-on-one, he was stretching to reach the ball however and could only poke at Wright before Gareth McAuley cleared. On 63 minutes Town added a third and it was Garvan’s second of the night. McCarthy lost the ball in the centre of midfield and Garvan seized upon the error and drove at the scrambling Blues defence. The youngster showed great feet to work some space and fire across Devine into the far corner from the edge of the area.
The game seemed to go a little flat for the last 20 minutes with both sides making changes and exchanging dispersed possession. Waterford’s new attack was looking very threatening and Kiely was causing havoc when he ran at the Ipswich backline, the home side just lacked a cutting edge when searching for a final ball. Kenny Browne was another standout performer for Waterford; the centre-back showed touches of class throughout the game and was one of the Blues’ best players with the ball. The final chance of the game arrived in the 83rd minute and it fell to the visitors. Substitute Jon Stead worked some space on the right side of the box and sub Waterford ‘keeper Kevin Burns flung himself to his right to tip away the strikers’ low effort.
It turned out to be a challenging run-out for Ipswich and they will be pleased with the result and performance, their hosts will be equally happy that they suffered no injuries ahead of Sunday’s crunch clash with Monaghan. The night was undoubtedly a success for the Suirside club and the facilities and organisation were favourably acknowledged by the visiting manager. Keane will take his side to his home county of Cork next and he is hoping that the gate receipts will provide a welcome boost to the club’s desperate financial position.
Waterford United: Michael Devine (Kevin Burns 64); Alan Carey (Seamus Long 45), Kevin Murray (Joe Mulcahy 45), Kenny Browne, John Kearney; Paul Walsh (Gary Dunphy 64), Stephen Grant (Paul McCarthy), Kieran Fitzgerald, Kevin Waters (Graham Cummins 45); David Grincell (Willie John Kiely 45), Dave Warren (Paul Carey 75). Subs not Used: -
Ipswich Town: Richard Wright; Alex Bruce, Shane O’ Connor (Tommy Smith 45), Gareth McAuley, Pim Balkenstein; Veliche Shumulikoski, Alan Quinn, Owen Garvan, David Norris (Liam Trotter 45); Jordan Rhodes (Jon Stead 64), Kevin Lisbie (Connor Wickham 64). Subs not Used: Shane Supple
Referee: K Callanan (Cork)
Extratime.ie Man of the Match: Owen Garvan (Ipswich). Excellent in possession and scored two superbly taken goals.
Ipswich began the game on the front foot and immediately set about pressurising their hosts’ defence. Kenny Browne had to intervene to clear a Lisbie cross after John Kearney gifted the forward possession. The first real chance fell to the home side however, in the 5th minute Kevin Waters crossed from the left and debutant Paul Walsh headed across goal and wide at the back post. Waterford were holding their own in terms of chances but Ipswich were beginning to lead in the possession stakes. Visiting goalkeeper Richard Wright made his first save on 13 minutes when Waters drilled a low 30-yard free-kick into his chest.
Waterford had another sight of goal on the half-hour mark when Waters once again delivered from the left and Wright and Dave Warren both challenged before the ball was scrambled clear. Two minutes later, David Norris drew a first save from Mick Devine in the Blues’ goal when he prodded a ball towards the corner from the edge of the box. The visitors thought they had broken the deadlock in the 32nd minute when Jordan Rhodes latched onto a lofted through-ball and lifted it over the advancing Devine. The striker’s celebrations were cut short however by the sight of the raised linesman’s flag. Waterford’s relief was only temporary as on 37 minutes Lisbie rocketed a 25-yard effort beyond the despairing dive of Devine. The forward looked pleased with his first goal since January. Barely two minutes later, the front man could have netted a second when he passed Kevin Murray but was denied by the hand of Devine. The home side played out the first-half in control of possession but behind on the scoreboard.
There were large changes to the home side for the second-half, with free-scoring front pair Willie John Kiely and Graham Cummins being introduced. The changes failed to improve the Blues’ fortunes however as Irish youngster Owen Garvan doubled the score barely two minutes into the half. Substitute Tommy Smith delivered a cross from the left which Devine only parried into the path of Garvan, the midfielder coolly rounded the ‘keeper and slotted into the unguarded net. The swelled home crowd at the RSC weren’t too disheartened by the score and their team continued to play some nice football, if a touch ineffective. On 51 minutes Cummins almost pulled a goal back when he latched onto a Paul McCarthy pass and found himself one-on-one, he was stretching to reach the ball however and could only poke at Wright before Gareth McAuley cleared. On 63 minutes Town added a third and it was Garvan’s second of the night. McCarthy lost the ball in the centre of midfield and Garvan seized upon the error and drove at the scrambling Blues defence. The youngster showed great feet to work some space and fire across Devine into the far corner from the edge of the area.
The game seemed to go a little flat for the last 20 minutes with both sides making changes and exchanging dispersed possession. Waterford’s new attack was looking very threatening and Kiely was causing havoc when he ran at the Ipswich backline, the home side just lacked a cutting edge when searching for a final ball. Kenny Browne was another standout performer for Waterford; the centre-back showed touches of class throughout the game and was one of the Blues’ best players with the ball. The final chance of the game arrived in the 83rd minute and it fell to the visitors. Substitute Jon Stead worked some space on the right side of the box and sub Waterford ‘keeper Kevin Burns flung himself to his right to tip away the strikers’ low effort.
It turned out to be a challenging run-out for Ipswich and they will be pleased with the result and performance, their hosts will be equally happy that they suffered no injuries ahead of Sunday’s crunch clash with Monaghan. The night was undoubtedly a success for the Suirside club and the facilities and organisation were favourably acknowledged by the visiting manager. Keane will take his side to his home county of Cork next and he is hoping that the gate receipts will provide a welcome boost to the club’s desperate financial position.
Waterford United: Michael Devine (Kevin Burns 64); Alan Carey (Seamus Long 45), Kevin Murray (Joe Mulcahy 45), Kenny Browne, John Kearney; Paul Walsh (Gary Dunphy 64), Stephen Grant (Paul McCarthy), Kieran Fitzgerald, Kevin Waters (Graham Cummins 45); David Grincell (Willie John Kiely 45), Dave Warren (Paul Carey 75). Subs not Used: -
Ipswich Town: Richard Wright; Alex Bruce, Shane O’ Connor (Tommy Smith 45), Gareth McAuley, Pim Balkenstein; Veliche Shumulikoski, Alan Quinn, Owen Garvan, David Norris (Liam Trotter 45); Jordan Rhodes (Jon Stead 64), Kevin Lisbie (Connor Wickham 64). Subs not Used: Shane Supple
Referee: K Callanan (Cork)
Extratime.ie Man of the Match: Owen Garvan (Ipswich). Excellent in possession and scored two superbly taken goals.
About Dean Hayes
Dean covers Waterford United and, due to a challenge from Gareth, writes in an increasingly Gonzo style. Having found himself with a considerable surplus of a culinary herb, Dean founded sister 'site extrathyme.ie some years … View Full Profile