Derry City 1
Waterford FC 2
Simon Collins reports from the Brandywell
WATERFORD TOOK ANOTHER big step towards cementing third spot with a crucial victory over Derry City at the Brandywell on Friday, thanks to first-half goals from Dessie Hutchinson and Gavan Holohan.
It was the Blues third win of the season over the Candystripes as they moved eight points clear of Kenny Shiels’ men who will concede defeat in the race for Europe.
Hutchinson handed the visitors a deserved lead after nine minutes when he linked up with Noel Hunt before firing into the net from 10 yards.
Dean Shiels got Derry back on terms just after the half hour mark when he finished from close range, but Holohan struck on the stroke of half-time with what proved to be the winner.
Shiels claimed the pressure was all on Waterford to cement third spot in the build-up to the match but it was the home side who were under the cosh during the opening stages.
Waterford’s Sander Puri found Hutchinson in space on the right flank on seven minutes and his dangerous cross was met by the head of Gavan Holohan at the front post.
However, Aaron Splaine did enough to put him off and he headed over the bar.
Two minutes later and the ball was in the back of the Derry net as Hutchinson got onto the end of a sublime pass from Noel Hunt and planted the ball high into the net from 10 yards.
It was no more than the Blues deserved and Puri came close to a second on 23 minutes when he turned Gavin Peers inside the penalty area but his shot was deflected narrowly over the bar by Darren Cole.
From Garry Comerford’s resultant corner, Izzy Akinade rose highest but directed his header wide of the far post.
Despite Waterford’s dominance Derry found an equaliser when Hucthinson failed to clear Rory Hale’s fizzed cross and Shiels was on hand to slot in the loose ball from close range for his first goal for the club.
Gerard Doherty breathed a sigh of relief when Hunt’s drilled free-kick from 35 yards hit the side netting on 38 minutes.
Waterford regained the initiative in stoppage time when Holohan raced into the box and his shot took a wicked deflection past Doherty off the outstretched leg of Cole at the near post.
9’ GGOOOOAAAALLLLL - Dessie Hutchinson finished off a great ball from Noel Hunt with a left-footed finish from ten yards (0-1) pic.twitter.com/QdAG9Kd3TM
— Waterford FC (@WaterfordFCie) August 17, 2018
Waterford started on the front foot in the second half and Akinade raced past Peers with ease but Doherty got a touch to his shot to deflect it wide of the far post.
At the other end Roy did superbly to get in behind the Waterford defence after a long punt upfield from Cole.
The striker beat two defenders when cutting back onto his left foot but sent his shot wide of the target from just inside the 18 yard box.
Doherty produced a crucial block at point blank on 64 minutes when Akinade steered Hutchinson’s cross towards goal.
Hunt somehow powered his header over the crossbar from six yards when Rory Feely found him superbly with a cross from the right.
Waterford midfielder, Puri slotted the ball through the legs of Cole before his was shot saved by the feet of Doherty with five minutes remaining,
City substitute, Jamie McDonagh did well to find Roy on the penalty spot and the Scotsman’s flick cannoned back off the crossbar in the final minute as the hosts pressed for a late equaliser that never materialised.
DERRY CITY: Doherty; Cole, Peers (McDonagh 87), Seaborne, McHattie; Ronan Hale, Splaine (Fisk 70), Rory Hale, Shiels; McEneff; Roy.
WATERFORD FC: Connor: Feely, Browne, Webster, Comerford; Holohan, Hery, Hutchinson (Keegan 85), Puri; Hunt, Akinade (O’Halloran 76)
Referee: Paul McLaughlin.
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Might meet again in the final dont think we all can go through that again beat scotland first then new zealand who still scare me
@Sèan: NZ are always capable of bearing anyone. I agree, I don’t want to play SA again but I think they might struggle against France. France are more than a match for them up front and better behind the scrum. I fancy France to win that one, even without Dupont.
@rayridge….if there was an award for bellend of the weekend you would undoubtedly have it on your mantlepiece
The IRFU are writing a letter asking can’t we be the 33rd team, oh sorry that was the FAI. The IRFU are writing a letter can’t New Zealander Ben O’ Keefe be the referee if we get to play New Zealand in the quarter finals. #benyoubeauty
@Ray Ridge: Good man Ray
@Ray Ridge: he was a great ref for SA , gave them a lot of soft penalties in that second half
@Ray Ridge: what do you get from this BS.
@chris mcdonnell: if he called if for SA he gets an excuse?
@Owen ODonoghue: and as the over head camera showed a few times, they were the first to engage..
Delighted rassie was on the losing side,with his ridiculous shining lights at his team.he almost ruined a good Munster team when he was in charge of them…s.a rugby is terrible to watch with bash bosh up the middle ,dreadful stuff altogether. I hope France wind up meeting them and send them home ! And I hope the stamp on jvdf’s hand is being looked at and consequences dished out.nasty stuff
Can see us getting close to a final with that lineout.
@tom o neill: The lineout will be fixed. Remember Kelleher has only a small amount of game time this season and Sheenan looked good when he came on.
@tom o neill: we just beat the world champions with that lineout, we won a grand slam with the same lineout. We have some of the URC champions and the champions cup finalist in that lineout. We don’t seem to have lost too many games so far with that lineout.
@chris mcdonnell: I’d say we beat them in spite of that lineout might be more constructive?
Whatever happened to jamrag?