WATERFORD STUNNED SHELBOURNE in the most dramatic fashion, coming out on top of a breathless five-goal thriller.
Kerr McInroy’s stunner after just nine minutes gave the hosts a dream start but Padraig Amond, sharp as ever, levelled before the break.
Evan McLaughlin had then put the visitors in front only for JJ Lunney to strike a beautiful equaliser. And just as both seemed destined for a point, Lonergan buried a late, late header to take all three points.
With their safety essentially secure due to a significantly better goal difference than Drogheda, the Blues could well have been forgiven for looking ahead to next week’s FAI Cup final against Derry City. But this is a Graham Coughlan side so no inch was ever going to be given.
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Yet it was the in-form hosts, who boast four wins in an unbeaten five-game stretch, who grabbed the lead early on through a McInroy rocket that flew from right to left, satisfyingly clipping the inside of the post before nestling in the net.
Shels dominated and looked scintillating at times but were undone when they found themselves down to 10-men as Evan Caffrey received treatment off the pitch. The visitors were quick to take advantage of the numerical superiority as McLaughlin flew down the right before cutting inside. Having tried to tee up Amond, McLaughlin reacted quickest to slot home following a bit of pinball in the box.
Shels player of the year Daniel Kelly and left back James Norris continued to look like the main source of creativity, and on the stroke of half-time the former cut inside on his right foot and delivered an inch-perfect ball to the back post only for Seán Moore to seemingly take his eye off the ball and fail to make contact.
Having been relatively quiet by their lofty standards, the dynamic duo of Lonergan and Amond combined excellently to put their side ahead just seven minutes after the restart.
Following some neat build up play down the left side, Lonergan whipped an inswinging cross to his strike partner who, with all the pace on the delivery, just needed to glance the ball past Eddie Beach – ironically putting him level with Lonergan at the top of the scoring charts.
But looking to end the season on a high, Russell went all out attack and introduced two strikers in the shape of Seán Boyd and Mipo Odubeko hoping to rescue a point or potentially more. It was midfield stalwart Lunney who struck beautifully to level with 20 minutes remaining following a cleverly worked short corner routine.
The hosts, roared on by the majority of the 4,699 inside Tolka Park, pushed for the winner but with just three minutes remaining hotshot Lonergan pounced, just as he has done all season, to not only grab three points but put himself back at the top of the tree and earn the Golden Boot with his 16th of the campaign.
Shelbourne: Eddie Beach; Evan Caffrey (Marco Untergrabner, 39’), Odhran Casey, Kameron Ledwidge, James Norris; Jack Henry-Francis, JJ Lunney, Kerr McInroy (Mipo Odubeko, 62’); Sean Moore, Daniel Kelly, John Martin (Sean Boyd, 62’).
Waterford: Stephen McMullan; Hayden Cann, Kevin Long, John Mahon, Benny Couto; Jorgen Voilas (Joe David Ashton, 85’), Noah Mawene (Goforth Amedu, 90+2’), Evan McLaughlin (Luke Heeney, 78’), Conan Noonan; Tommy Lonergan, Padraig Amond (Dean McMenamy, 78’).
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Lonergan secures Golden Boot as Waterford's dynamic duo carry form into FAI Cup final
Shelbourne 2
Waterford 3
WATERFORD STUNNED SHELBOURNE in the most dramatic fashion, coming out on top of a breathless five-goal thriller.
Kerr McInroy’s stunner after just nine minutes gave the hosts a dream start but Padraig Amond, sharp as ever, levelled before the break.
Evan McLaughlin had then put the visitors in front only for JJ Lunney to strike a beautiful equaliser. And just as both seemed destined for a point, Lonergan buried a late, late header to take all three points.
With their safety essentially secure due to a significantly better goal difference than Drogheda, the Blues could well have been forgiven for looking ahead to next week’s FAI Cup final against Derry City. But this is a Graham Coughlan side so no inch was ever going to be given.
Yet it was the in-form hosts, who boast four wins in an unbeaten five-game stretch, who grabbed the lead early on through a McInroy rocket that flew from right to left, satisfyingly clipping the inside of the post before nestling in the net.
Shels dominated and looked scintillating at times but were undone when they found themselves down to 10-men as Evan Caffrey received treatment off the pitch. The visitors were quick to take advantage of the numerical superiority as McLaughlin flew down the right before cutting inside. Having tried to tee up Amond, McLaughlin reacted quickest to slot home following a bit of pinball in the box.
Shels player of the year Daniel Kelly and left back James Norris continued to look like the main source of creativity, and on the stroke of half-time the former cut inside on his right foot and delivered an inch-perfect ball to the back post only for Seán Moore to seemingly take his eye off the ball and fail to make contact.
Having been relatively quiet by their lofty standards, the dynamic duo of Lonergan and Amond combined excellently to put their side ahead just seven minutes after the restart.
Following some neat build up play down the left side, Lonergan whipped an inswinging cross to his strike partner who, with all the pace on the delivery, just needed to glance the ball past Eddie Beach – ironically putting him level with Lonergan at the top of the scoring charts.
But looking to end the season on a high, Russell went all out attack and introduced two strikers in the shape of Seán Boyd and Mipo Odubeko hoping to rescue a point or potentially more. It was midfield stalwart Lunney who struck beautifully to level with 20 minutes remaining following a cleverly worked short corner routine.
The hosts, roared on by the majority of the 4,699 inside Tolka Park, pushed for the winner but with just three minutes remaining hotshot Lonergan pounced, just as he has done all season, to not only grab three points but put himself back at the top of the tree and earn the Golden Boot with his 16th of the campaign.
Shelbourne: Eddie Beach; Evan Caffrey (Marco Untergrabner, 39’), Odhran Casey, Kameron Ledwidge, James Norris; Jack Henry-Francis, JJ Lunney, Kerr McInroy (Mipo Odubeko, 62’); Sean Moore, Daniel Kelly, John Martin (Sean Boyd, 62’).
Waterford: Stephen McMullan; Hayden Cann, Kevin Long, John Mahon, Benny Couto; Jorgen Voilas (Joe David Ashton, 85’), Noah Mawene (Goforth Amedu, 90+2’), Evan McLaughlin (Luke Heeney, 78’), Conan Noonan; Tommy Lonergan, Padraig Amond (Dean McMenamy, 78’).
Referee: Aaron O’Dowd.
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