- Alex Dunne
- Sat, Apr 22 2017
Waterford maintained their lead at the top of the SSE Airtricity League First Division table after coming away from Stradbrook Road with a point in their 0-0 draw with Cabinteely on Friday night.
In a game of little clear-cut chances, the Blues struggled to create much in front of goal, while Cabo's best chance came in the 72nd minute from a Marty Waters corner, but Sean Fitzpatrick's header went just over.
The opening ten minutes of the game saw little go by as both sides settled into a pattern of long ball play on the hard Stradbrook surface.
Waterford began the game aggressively, with midfielders Garry Comerford and Shane O'Connor both bowling over Christian Lotefa in the opening few minutes.
The first real piece of goalmouth action came in the 8th minute but a busting run from Mark O'Sullivan was halted in the box by a brilliant challenge from Lotefa.
A cagey few minutes followed with Waterford holding much of the possession but failing to create many clear-cut chances, while Cabinteely looked to aim long towards Waters to escape the pressure.
Twenty minutes in and Cabo were able to create a chance on the break after Jack Watson beat last man Patrick McClean to a high ball, but Blues goalkeeper Matthew Connor came out with a headed clearance as the away side risked being caught out on the break.
Taking your chances would become crucial, but a scuffed weak shot from David McDaid after a good run from Comerford drew a frustrated response from the away fans.
Anther break on the half hour mark saw Daire Doyle chip in behind the Waterford back line, and a volleyed cross from Watson forces Connor to dive out to claim in front of Joe Doyle in the box.
Cabinteely had the ball in the net in the 36th minute after a Waters corner was turned in by Joe Doyle, but the goal was ruled out.
Significant periods of pressure for the Blues but they just can't find the right pass when it matters, as Shane O'Connor wastes more good work with a poor ball into O'Sullivan.
A positive start to the second half for the Blues as a Dean O'Halloran cross is dropped by Cabo's Michael Kelly but he is able to recover the ball before O'Sullivan can pounce.
Cabo had a great chance in the 55th minute with a volley from Daire Doyle from 12 yards, but it went across goal and was just wide of the far post.
The game settled into a pattern of counter after counter but neither side was able to create many chances – Cabo's Lotefa working between the lines cutting out Waterford attacks, while any Cabo was regularly swamped by three or four Blues each time.
A heavy challenge by Kenny Browne on Lotefa left the Waterford defender himself hurt and sparked a brief fight on pitch as frustration boiled over from both sides.
It degenerated into a scrappy mess, with neither side really able to claim superiority, before the 72nd minute when Fitzpatrick just headed wide.
The final ten minutes brought a flurry of chances as both sides looked to snatch a late goal, with Connor making a brave stop taking a hit of Conor Keeley, before an O'Halloran chance down the other end nearly deflected in off Keeley.
Shane O'Connor tried an audacious volley from 25 yards that went just over, before one final effort on the volley from Cian Lynch from a Waters corner was shot across goal and just evaded a touch in from Jason Byrne as the final whistle blew on what was a largely dour game in South Dublin.
Cabinteely FC: Michael Kelly; Adam Harney, Conor Keeley, Sean Fitzpatrick, Kevin Knight; Jack Watson, Christian Lotefa, Daire Doyle, Evan Galvin (Jason Byrne 81); Kieran 'Marty' Waters, Joe Doyle (Cian Lynch 66).
Subs Not Used: Jack Menton (gk), Andrew McGovern, Anthony Dolan, Stephen Ball, Aaron Robinson.
Booked: Christian Lotefa (65), Kevin Knight (73)
Waterford FC: Matthew Connor, David Mulcahy, Patrick McClean, Kenny Browne (Robin Dempsey 66), Derek Daly; Dean O'Halloran, Garry Comerford, Shane O'Connor, Tom Smith; David McDaid (Anthony McAlavey 77), Mark O'Sullivan.
Subs Not Used: Matthew Sheehan (gk), Gary Whittle, Gary Delaney, Kenny McEvoy, Dean Walsh.
Booked: Tom Smith (45), Kenny Browne (65), Garry Comerford (88)
Referee: Damien McGrath
Attendance: 200 (estimate)
Extratime.ie Man of the Match: Christian Lotefa (Cabinteely FC)
