WATERFORD SURVIVED A first-half Sligo Rovers comeback to secure all three points in a goal-fest at The Showgrounds.
The visitors went ahead with just four minutes on the clock through Stanley Aborah, with John Martin making it 2-0 minutes later.
The hosts pulled level as soon as the half-hour mark thanks to goals from Seamus Sharkey and Adam Wixted, but Bastien Hery secured all three points before 35 minutes had even passed.
Sligo’s form before the mid-season break would have given them some confidence heading into this game. The Bit O’Red picked up two wins from their previous three games.
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The Blues recorded two wins in their previous four games, and sat third in the table heading into this game.
An injury-time winner from Courtney Duffus sealed all three points for Alan Reynolds’ men in their first meeting of the season, while an injury-ravaged Rovers earned a 1-1 draw with the Blues in the RSC in April.
The visitors got off to a perfect start when Stanley Aborah fired them ahead directly from a free-kick with just four minutes played.
You’d have been forgiven for thinking Ger Lyttle’s men were still on their holidays in the early stages of the game, with Waterford doubling their lead on 19 minutes as Ismahil Akinade nodded a corner into the path of Martin, who beat Beeney in goal with his low shot.
The hosts improved as the half went on, though, and halved the deficit just before the half-hour mark when David Cawley’s exquisite ball fell perfectly for Wixted, and the former Drogheda man seized his opportunity, striking brilliantly past Connor to bring Rovers back into the game.
And the early excitement continued as the half went on with Sharkey nodded in from a corner on 30 minutes to make it 2-2.
The visitors were looking dangerous from every attack, and they were celebrating again on 33 minutes when Hery made the most of a lapse of concentration in the Rovers rearguard and fired his side ahead from the edge of the box with a slick finish.
Raff Cretaro thought he had got the equaliser for Sligo halfway through the first-half, but the linesman’s flag had been raised for offside.
The second half was a much quieter affair, although Mitchell Beeney did well to save from a close-range Akinade header on 70 minutes.
Sligo Rovers: Mitchell Beeney; Seamus Sharkey, John Mahon, Patrick McClean, Regan Donelon; Caolan McAleer (Darren Collins, 78), David Cawley, Jack Keaney, Adam Wixted; Greg Moorhouse (Liam Kerrigan, 62), Lewis Morrison (Raffaele Cretaro, 53).
Waterford FC: Matthew Connor; Kenny Browne, David Webster, Dylan Barnet; Sander Puri, Bastien Hery, Stanley Aborah (Shane Griffin, 46), John Martin (John Kavanagh, 78), Dean O’Halloran; Courtney Duffus (Dean Walsh, 92), Ismahil Akinade.
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Waterford takes the spoils in Sligo despite early comeback from hosts
SLIGO ROVERS 2
WATERFORD 3
Jessica Farry reports from The Showgrounds
WATERFORD SURVIVED A first-half Sligo Rovers comeback to secure all three points in a goal-fest at The Showgrounds.
The visitors went ahead with just four minutes on the clock through Stanley Aborah, with John Martin making it 2-0 minutes later.
The hosts pulled level as soon as the half-hour mark thanks to goals from Seamus Sharkey and Adam Wixted, but Bastien Hery secured all three points before 35 minutes had even passed.
Sligo’s form before the mid-season break would have given them some confidence heading into this game. The Bit O’Red picked up two wins from their previous three games.
The Blues recorded two wins in their previous four games, and sat third in the table heading into this game.
An injury-time winner from Courtney Duffus sealed all three points for Alan Reynolds’ men in their first meeting of the season, while an injury-ravaged Rovers earned a 1-1 draw with the Blues in the RSC in April.
The visitors got off to a perfect start when Stanley Aborah fired them ahead directly from a free-kick with just four minutes played.
You’d have been forgiven for thinking Ger Lyttle’s men were still on their holidays in the early stages of the game, with Waterford doubling their lead on 19 minutes as Ismahil Akinade nodded a corner into the path of Martin, who beat Beeney in goal with his low shot.
The hosts improved as the half went on, though, and halved the deficit just before the half-hour mark when David Cawley’s exquisite ball fell perfectly for Wixted, and the former Drogheda man seized his opportunity, striking brilliantly past Connor to bring Rovers back into the game.
And the early excitement continued as the half went on with Sharkey nodded in from a corner on 30 minutes to make it 2-2.
The visitors were looking dangerous from every attack, and they were celebrating again on 33 minutes when Hery made the most of a lapse of concentration in the Rovers rearguard and fired his side ahead from the edge of the box with a slick finish.
Raff Cretaro thought he had got the equaliser for Sligo halfway through the first-half, but the linesman’s flag had been raised for offside.
The second half was a much quieter affair, although Mitchell Beeney did well to save from a close-range Akinade header on 70 minutes.
Sligo Rovers: Mitchell Beeney; Seamus Sharkey, John Mahon, Patrick McClean, Regan Donelon; Caolan McAleer (Darren Collins, 78), David Cawley, Jack Keaney, Adam Wixted; Greg Moorhouse (Liam Kerrigan, 62), Lewis Morrison (Raffaele Cretaro, 53).
Waterford FC: Matthew Connor; Kenny Browne, David Webster, Dylan Barnet; Sander Puri, Bastien Hery, Stanley Aborah (Shane Griffin, 46), John Martin (John Kavanagh, 78), Dean O’Halloran; Courtney Duffus (Dean Walsh, 92), Ismahil Akinade.
Referee: Graham Kelly
‘I was at rock bottom and a friend got me a job in a supermarket. I got the call to say that I failed the drugs test’
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LOI Sligo Rovers Waterford FC