Waterford United 0 - 2 Finn Harps

A goal from Simon Treacy and an own-goal from Seamus Long saw Finn Harps run out 2-0 winners against Waterford United at the RSC on Saturday afternoon. Much of the game took place under the cloud of a serious injury to Harps goalkeeper Ciaran Gallagher, the treatment of whom saw the game stopped for over 20 minutes.

The home side began on the front foot and could have been a goal up after just four minutes. Gary Dempsey’s floated free-kick from the right should have been converted by Ben Ryan, but the forward could only find the base of the post with a free header. Peter White gathered the rebound and sent the ball back across the six-yard box for Seamus Long to head home, only for the goal to be disallowed by the linesman’s flag.

The game was played out in a very subdued manner in the afternoon sunshine and it wasn’t until the 13^th minute that Harps had a moment of attacking threat. Kevin McHugh drifted into the left channel before nut-megging Craig Burns, only to drag his finish wide of Packie Holden’s near post.

The complexion of the game was changed on 26 minutes as Long collided with Harps ‘keeper Ciaran Gallagher as they both challenged for a Dempsey free-kick.  The Ireland youth international landed heavily on the turf and remained motionless for some time. Paramedics and medical staff rushed to attend to Gallagher and referee Jim McKell soon decided to wave both teams back to their dressing rooms.

An ambulance was on hand, and had to be driven on to the pitch in order for Gallagher to be stretchered in and taken to Waterford Regional Hospital. In total, 21 minutes had elapsed before the game could be restarted.

The visitors introduced 16-year-old Shaun Patton to replace their injured custodian and if the youngster was nervous at all about the difficulty of his debut, he needn’t have been. Harps forced Waterford onto the back foot and found the opening goal of the game 47 minutes into the first-half. Simon Treacy collected the ball with his back to goal and a delicate touch allowed him to beat his man before poking a low finish beyond Holden.

With Waterford looking decidedly lethargic and uninspired, the visitors soon managed to double their lead with what surely must be a contender for the latest goal ever scored in the first half of a League of Ireland match. 21 minutes after passing the ‘45’ mark, Treacy delivered a curling corner from the left which Seamus Long headed beyond his own ‘keeper for Waterford’s second own-goal in as many home games.

The second-half was a continuation of the post-injury period theme. Harps looked supremely comfortable and Waterford seemed devoid of any attacking potency. Blues manager Paul O’Brien turned to his bench in the 54^th minute and summoned forward youth sensation, Sean Maguire. The Waterford whizkid had turned in a blistering performance on the same pitch the night before, scoring a goal for Ireland under-18s in a 1-1 draw with their Scottish counterparts.

Maguire has emerged as the Blues’ most exciting player this season and, despite his tender age of 17 and the fact that he was playing his second game in under 24 hours, the forward quickly posed the Harps back-line more problems than they had faced up that point.

This substitution also allowed Paul Phelan to switch to his favoured left wing position and Waterford suddenly found some attacking fluency. On 70 minutes, Maguire played a neat ball through to Dempsey who fell to the ground under little contact just inside the area. The referee booked the Blues’ midfielder for simulation – also their second in as many home games.

With just over 10 minutes to go, the home side were offered an unlikely lifeline. Maguire’s slaloming run was ended by what looked like a fair challenge from Harps player-manager Peter Hutton, but a penalty was signalled. Dempsey stepped-up to attempt to set up a grandstand finish to the game but Patton easily parried away his weak effort.

There was time for one last chance for the home side, in the 83^rd minute, as Dempsey played Maguire through only to see the youngster’s finish saved by the foot of Patton. That was to be the final show of resistance from the abject Blues, as the final whistle gave Harps all three points and a decent away win against a Waterford side who have now lost four of their last five in all competitions.

Waterford United: Packie Holden; Peter White (Sean Maguire 54), Craig Burns, John Frost, Seamus Long; Paul Carey, Gary Dempsey, Gary Dunphy (Jason Keane 78), Paul Phelan, Aidan McGrath (Dylan Mernagh 78); Ben Ryan.
Subs not used: Robbie Hughes, Jamie Cross, Thomas Whitty, Jack Doherty.

Bookings: Dempsey (70), Long (89).

Finn Harps: Ciaran Gallagher (Shaun Patton 45+3); Ciaran Coll, Hugh Carlin (James Doherty 86), Peter Hutton (Aaron O’Hagan 82), Thomas McMonagle; Shaun McGowan, Adam Clarke, Thomas McBride, Simon Treacy; Kevin McHugh, Blain Curtis.
Subs not used: Ciaran Greene, Barry O’Mahoney, Thomas Bonner.

Bookings: None.

Referee: James McKell.
Attendance: 225.
Extratime.ie Man of the Match: Simon Treacy.