Waterford United 6 - 0 Carrigaline United

• Dean Hayes
• Sat, Jun 13 2009


Waterford United advanced to the fourth round of the FAI Cup this evening with a 6-0 thrashing of Carrigaline United. The away side never got into the game and Waterford dominated from start to finish. Top-scorer Willie John Kiely bagged two, as did strike-partner Graham Cummins and there was one apiece for Joe Mulcahy and David Grincell.

The first chance of the game fell to the visitors when Dean Kelly played in Wayne Bruton just inside the Waterford box in just the second minute but Michael Devine reacted well to smother the shot. Two minutes later and the home side had an almost identical chance with an identical result, Willie John Kiely stole in behind the defence but couldn’t steer his effort beyond Sean Mellet in the Carrigaline goal. The opening goal arrived in the seventh minute and it came through Waterford’s most reliable source. Kieran Fitzgerald hooked a high ball over the top of the visitors’ defence and the ball bounced on the right side of the box before being met by Kiely, who beautifully lifted the ball over Mellet into the far corner of the goal. One minute later the Blues’ other front man Graham Cummins raced away down the left before dragging the ball inside Kalen Spillane and shooting wide from a very tight angle.

Waterford were exerting heavy pressure now and creating numerous good chances. In the 12th minute Kiely cut inside Roy Coughlan but he shot straight into the arms of Mellet. Carrigaline were really struggling to establish a foothold in the game and the home side continued to pile on the pressure. 25 minutes in Kiely dropped deep to receive the ball, the striker then slid a delicate ball through for Cummins who scooped the ball over the ‘keeper but saw it drift wide. The inevitable second Waterford goal came on 28 minutes. Spillane left a back-pass too short and Kiely reacted instantly to gather the ball, round Mellet and tap in to an empty net. Kiely was involved again four minutes before the break when he was played through once again by Kevin Waters but this time his lofted effort drifted wide. Carrigaline looked like they’d escape from a torrid first-half with a two goal deficit but just a minute before the interval Waterford struck again, and it was a fine move. Kiely received the ball and laid it off for Paul McCarthy on the edge of the box, he flicked it on first time for the incoming Joe Mulcahy to rifle a shot into the top corner from the right side of the box.

Waterford were forced into a change at the break as substitute goalkeeper Kevin Burns replaced Devine, who had taken a knock to the leg. They could have afforded not to send anyone on in his place given the lack of threat from the Cork side. The second half was barely a minute old when Cummins charged down the right side of the Carrigaline box and shot across Mellet and well wide with Kiely free in the middle. Four minutes later it was Kiely’s turn to charge into the box, he cut inside before back heeling cleverly for Waters, but the winger struck his effort wide. The Suirsiders were spurning chances regularly and on 54 minutes Cummins found a gap on the edge of the box but his low shot was well blocked by the advancing ‘keeper, the ball fell between Mulcahy and Kiely and the former fired against the post with the latter blocking his view of the goal. Three minutes later Kiely was withdrawn to give David Grincell some game time as Kiely will be suspended for the visit of Athlone next week.

The home side didn’t add to their first-half lead until the 68th minute when Calem Jones was adjudged to have pulled down Grincell inside the box. Cummins stepped up to send the ‘keeper the wrong way and put his side four up. With sixteen minutes remaining, the all-action Cummins latched onto another wayward back pass but was forced wide after rounding Mellet, the big strikers cut-back was met with a fresh air shot by Mulcahy. Cummins notched his second of the game on 83 minutes, Grincell sliding the ball through the center for the Cork man and he shimmied past the last defender before sliding the ball under Mellet into the far bottom corner. The two combined once more for Waterford’s sixth goal in the 86th minute, this time trading roles. Cummins surged down the left, outpacing the defenders as he bore down on goal before drawing the ‘keeper and squaring for Grincell to slot home from two yards.

It was a game that never threatened an upset once the first whistle went and a much appreciated return to winning ways for the home team given their recent form. They welcome Athlone in their next league game on Friday night and can now look forward to the draw for the next round of the FAI cup.

Waterford United: Michael Devine (Kevin Burns 45); Seamus Long, Kenny Browne, Kevin Murray, John Kearney; Joe Mulcahy (Gary Dunphy), Paul McCarthy, Kevin Waters, Kieran Fitzgerald; Willie John Kiely (David Grincell 57), Graham Cummins. Subs not Used: None.

Carrigaline United: Sean Mellet; Roy Coughlan, Calem Jones (Keith McGovern 78), Ruairi O’ Halleron, Kalem Spillane; Tony Houlihan, Wayne Bruton (Alan O’ Driscoll 45), John Rogers (Trevor Long 68), Hugh Shields; John Harrington, Dean Kelly. Subs not Used: Will Lombard, Wayne Murray, David Manley.

Referee: K Callanan (Cork)

Attendance: 320

Extratime.ie Man of the Match: Graham Cummins; never stopped running and creating, a constant threat.