Waterford United 9 - 0 Tralee Dynamos

• Brendan White
• Wed, May 12 2010


Waterford United brushed aside a poor Tralee Dynamos side in the RSC on Tuesday evening to book their place in the quarter finals of the EA Sports Cup.

The Blues strolled into a 3-0 lead inside half an hour and the score line could easily have been doubled with a host of chances missed. Tralee had their chances just before half time but wasted opportunities ended any hopes of a comeback.

After just ten minutes, Waterford opened the scoring with the first of a couple of quality goals on the night. Alan Carey’s sweeping ball from the back found Kevin Waters on the left. Having beat the offside trap, he pulled the ball back to George O’Callaghan on the end of the box, and he scuffed a half volleyed into the bottom left corner to open the scoring.

Waterford put the game beyond Tralee with two goals in the space in a minute on the half hour mark. George O’Callaghan collected a loose ball in the box following a Kevin Waters cross. He beat two men and slotted the ball low to the bottom right corner.

Almost immediately, the next goal arrived. James O’Sullivan collected the ball on the halfway line and ran at the Tralee defence before slotting Gareth Cambridge through one on one with the keeper. Cambridge rounded O’Shea to score to put the Blues into a position of sheer dominance.

To be fair to Tralee they had two chances just before half time, and had they taken either, they may have had a bigger say in the game. Peter W McCarthy and Damien Diggins both spurned great chances with both ballooning over the bar from inside the penalty area.

Five minutes after half time and it was 4-0. Cambridge tried a quick free kick but the defender cleared. His clearance however only fell to O'Callaghan on the edge of the box. He feigned a shot, but instead passed to the right to James O'Sullivan, who controlled and superbly dinked the ball over the keeper for one of best goals of the match.

In the next fifteen minute, The Blues went goal crazy, adding another five goals. Firstly George O’Callaghan completed his first Waterford hat-trick. Liam Kearney played the ball down the left wing to Kevin Waters, who beat his man and got his cross it. O’Callaghan was waiting and scuffed the ball home from three yards.

Number six arrived just three minutes later. Gareth Cambridge collected the ball on the left wing and whipped in a superb cross where it met the head of John Kearney who powered a looping header into the top left corner.

O’Callaghan grabbed another goal four minutes later. David Grincell and Gareth Cambridge exchanged passes on the half way line and set O’Callaghan away one on one again. O’Callaghan rounded the keeper, but cheekily waited until the defenders had retreated, before firing home his fifth.

Seven became eight with ten minutes remaining. Substitute Timmy Purcell got to the end line before pulling back to David Grincell inside the box to grab his first of the game.

Man of the Match O’Callaghan then helped himself to his fifth of the game three minutes later. Liam Kearney drove out of defence before unleashing O’Callaghan who, one again, was one on one with keeper. Rather than try round the keeper, he choose placement and scored Waterford ninth of the night.

O’Callaghan went in search of a double hat-trick, with a lot of encouragement from the small crowd, but with no such luck.

Tralee were happy to hear the final whistle in a game that could have ended up with more goals but for missed chances. In the end it was very easy for a Waterford side that afforded the luxury of resting a number of players.

Waterford United: Kevin Burns; Paul Carey, Alan Carey, John Kearney, Liam Kearney; James O’Sullivan, Gary Dunphy (Timmy Purcell 77), George O’Callaghan, Kevin Waters; David Grincell, Gareth Cambridge.
Subs: Chris Konopka, Paul McCarthy, Vinny Sullivan, Willie John Kiely.
Booked: None

Tralee Dynamos: Derek O’Shea, Peter W McCarthy, Jeffrey Roche (Peter T McCarthy 32), Damien Locke, Kevin McCarthy, Theo Diggins, Joe Hurley, James Sugrue, Damien Diggins (David Conway 63), Chris Kerins, Eddie Duggan (Jamie McIntyre 73).
Subs: Robert Birdsall, Eoin Cassidy
Booked: K McCarthy, Peter W McCarthy

Referee: Sean Grant (Wexford)

Extratime Man of the Match: George O’Callaghan.