- Dave Donnelly
- Fri, May 22 2015
Gareth Coughlan's second-half penalty was the highlight of a poor night's football as Shelbourne beat Waterford 1-0 at Tolka Park.
Coughlan struck firmly and decisively past Blues goalkeeper Matthew Connor to reward the home side for their one period of sustained dominance in front of a cagey crowd of 691.
Shelbourne manager Kevin Doherty stuck with the same starting line-up that's earned consecutive victories over Cabinteely and Athlone Town in the last two weeks.
Waterford boss Roddy Collins made one change from the side that beat Cabinteely last week, with Dylan Mernagh returning at centre-half in place of Patrick Fitzgerald.
A fractured opening few minutes saw Waterford's more attacking approach rewarded with early half-chances: Seán Heaney did well to track Willie John Kiely's run and head clear before young midfielder Ethan Boyle sliced wide from the edge of the box.
Boyle, playing behind the more advanced Ross Fitzpatrick in an otherwise flat 4-4-2, was the first half's star performer as a one-man defensive screen in front of the back four, ensuring the home side were afforded litte fluency in the attacking third.
Shels did manage to engineer the first clear chance of the game, though there was an element of fortune the way Gareth Coughlan scuffed his shot into path of Philip Hughes, but the big striker could only drag his shot on the turn wide of the goal.
The fluency that had characterised Waterford's early play soon gradually disappeared as both teams reverted to aimless long balls, and both Kiely and Shels striker Mark Sandford will have accumulated enough air miles to afford a nice trip away during the summer break.
Collins switched winger Bobbi Donoghue into central midfield in place of Fitzpatrick in an attempt to regain some control of the football, but the home side were having more joy with their marginally more direct approach.
Shels were unlucky not to take the lead when Shamrock Rovers loanee Heaney – up for a set-piece – caught the ball flush, left-footed, from 25 yards and the goalposts shook as his volley crashed back off the crossbar.
A small band of travelling supporters made all the noise during the first half while the home crowd were practically silent throughout – a symptom of the anxiety surrounding the club on and off the field – and their team emerged in the second half determined to give them something to shout about.
The route one style that just about sufficed first half was replaced by a determination to pass the ball through midfield, and it led to the first chance of the second period when good interplay between Hughes and Craig Walsh saw the latter find full-back Alan O'Connor in the box, but he sliced his shot wide.
Moments later, it was winger Dylan McGlade's turn to miss from a narrow angle; he hit the post from point blank range after Coughlan's right-wing cross managed to sail through unchallenged.
As the ball broke clear, however, Walsh drew a foul on the edge of the box and referee Simon Rogers pointed immediately to the spot, with Coughlan powering home from 12 yards.
Doherty sought to press the advantage immediately with the introduction of the energetic Alan O'Sullivan for Hughes and the youngster showed his value by forcing a save and shooting narrowly wide within three minutes of his introduction.
Collins switched Jack Doherty up front in place of Glen Hawe in an effort to play more football in the right areas of the pitch and, together with substitute Brian Nolan's calm presence in midfield, the away side were able to build more patiently through midfield.
It was Nolan who registered Waterford's first chance of the second half as he found himself on the end of a passing move in midfield and shot from the edge of the box to force Matthew Connor into a good save.
Coughlan could have added gloss to the scoreline in the final minutes, while Walsh was denied by a strong tackle from the ever-impressive Boyle, but the game limped to a finish as Shelbourne successfully ran down the clock for their third victory in three.
Shelbourne: Greg Murray; Evan Osam, Adam O'Connor, Ryan Robinson, Sean Heaney; Craig Walsh, Daire Doyle, Gareth Coughlan (Colm Crowe 84), Dylan McGlade; Philip Hughes (Alan O'Sullivan 55), Mark Sandford (Conor Earley 68).
Subs Not Used: Eric Donnelly (gk), Alan Kehoe, Jake Donnelly, Darragh Gannon.
Booked: None.
Waterford United: Matthew Connor; Shaun Corcoran, Dean Reidy (Mark Walsh 87), Dylan Mernagh, Shane Dineen; Bobbi Donoghue (Sean Hurley 68), Ross Fitzpatrick (Brian Nolan 55), Ethan Boyle., Jack Doherty; Glen Hawe, Willie John Kiely.
Subs Not Used: Robert Birdsall (gk), Patrick Fitzgerald, Shane Mackey, Mikie Rowe.
Booked: R. Fitzpatrick (28), Hurley (75), Boyle (90).
Referee: Simon Rogers.
Official attendance: 651
Extratime.ie Man of the Match: Ethan Boyle (Waterford United).
