Waterford United 1 - 0 Longford Town

• Adrian Flanagan
• Wed, Sep 30 2009


Waterford United returned to winning ways in the League of Ireland First Division on Tuesday night when they defeated Longford Town at the RSC thanks a lone goal from former Limerick FC midfielder Paul Walsh.

It took the home side less than 13 minutes to break the deadlock when a long ball over the top from Seamus Long saw Paul Walsh beat the offside trap and after cutting into the penalty area, he brilliantly drilled the ball under the body of keeper Aaron Shanahan.

Willie John Kiely had an appeal for a penalty turned down less than sixty seconds later when he got on the end of a Dave Warren pass but when it seemed as if defender Brian McCarthy had pulled him down in the area, referee Sean Grant waved play on much to the annoyance of the United bench

Kiely had a decent chance to double his sides advantage on 21 minutes when he got on the end of a Walsh right-wing cross but after turning onto his left-foot, he fired inches over the crossbar from the edge of the penalty area.

The visitors should have levelled the tie on 27 minutes when Michael Foley whipped in a free kick from the right-wing and although Liam Lynch got on the end of the delivery, he somehow managed to fire over the bar from close range when it looked easier to score.

A delightful ball over the top from Kevin Waters less than two minutes later saw Dave Warren stick out a right-foot, however keeper Shanahan produced a fine save to deny the midfielder before the Blues lost right-back Alan Carey to injury after 41 minutes.

Longford started the second half very brightly and they could have equaliser just a minute into the half when former Blues midfielder Michael Foley turned provider for Derek Glynn but his blazed wide under pressure from defender Seamus Long.

Visiting goalkeeper Aaron Shanahan gifted Willie John Kiely a chance to extend Waterford’s lead on 67 minutes but the net minder redeemed himself when he tipped the strikers long range effort around the post. From the resulting Dave Warren left-wing corner kick, Kevin Waters glancing header just missed the inrushing Kevin Murray at the back post.

After some Paul Walsh did superbly well out on the right touchline on 88 minutes, his cross was met inside the penalty area by Kevin Waters but his effort was brilliantly blocked by Longford defender Ray Kenny and from Warren’s corner, Vinny Sullivan had a close range effort superbly saved by Aaron Shanahan.

WATERFORD UNITED: Devine; Carey (Fitzgerald `41), Murray, Long, Kearney; Walsh, Warren, Grant, Waters, Kiely, Sullivan (Mulcahy `90)

LONGFORD TOWN: Shanahan; Kenny, McCarthy, McMillan (Lee `H/T), Cronin; McCartney, Gough, Curran (D. McKenna `68), Foley; Glynn, Lynch (King `57)

Referee: Sean Grant (Wexford)

Attendance: 310

Extratime.ie man of the match: Paul Walsh (Waterford United: Got the vital goal)