Last Saturday Graham Cummins became the first Waterford United player to score a hat-trick in league football since Vinny Sullivan bagged three, also against Monaghan United, in 2008 (a game Waterford won 5-0).
The tall stand-in frontman signed from Cobh Ramblers also became the first Blues player to score four goals in a game since Daryl Murphy against Kilkenny City in the FAI Cup at the RSC in 2004 (which Waterford won 7-2).
It is worth noting that Cummins signed for the Blues as a centre-half and as recently as two weeks ago United manager Stephen Henderson admitted that Graham does not like playing up front but due to the small nature of the squad he was asked by the boss to help out Willie John Kiely.
Last week, the affable Cummins scored a brace against Finn Harps, so maybe just maybe he may get to like playing in a striking role.
“This is beyond belief really,” he beamed afterwards. “We had a pre-match meal and ‘Hendo’ and John O’Sullivan asked me if I was going to score two goals once again and double by tally in two games. That would be a million-to-one chance, I replied, so to score four goals is hard to take in.
“As we came off the field one on the Monaghan player came up to me and shook my hand before admitting that he was embarrassed by the heavy defeat. I told him he shouldn’t be because I knew we would hammer some team sooner rather than later.
“We have created loads of chances in every game we have played to date and it was only a matter of time before some team would be on the end of a defeat like this and unfortunately from a Monaghan point of view it was them who had to suffer today.”
When asked which of the four goals pleased him most, Graham said: “Without doubt my header. It was a great cross by Alan Carey and I knew it was going into the net the second I made contact with the ball. When you get a cross like that all you have to do is get a good connection to the ball and keep it on target. Yeah, that was a special goal I have to admit.
“We now go to play Limerick on what is a very tight pitch and Pat Scully is beginning to make his mark down there but for now all I am going to do is enjoy this day with the rest of the lads and try and take in what I have done. It is a very special day indeed.”
Henderson thrilled
Stephen Henderson’s face also hosted a broad smile but nevertheless he was keeping his feet on the ground. “I told you recently that Graham did not like playing up front but I have won him around. He is a smashing lad. I enjoyed working with him at Cobh and just like all of the players I brought to this club he is loving every minute of it here at the RSC.
“I heard you asking him which of the goals he enjoyed the most and I have to agree that his header was out of this world… You don’t see enough of that in football these days. It was a great cross by Alan and goals like that excite supporters and I hope the people here today will remember that goal, and indeed all of the goals for a long time to come.”
But the Blues boss (pictured) also had some down-to-earth views on the victory. “We had a long hard chat at half-time. Don’t get me wrong. There was no shouting or roaring but we knew we should have had the game wrapped up at that stage. Thankfully they took on board was said and when Graham scored two minutes in the second half I knew we would score quite a few goals.
“At times however we began to showboat and we tried to gift them a goal or two and I don’t like that. That sort of stuff will have to be stamped out. We play Clonmel Town in the Munster Senior Cup semi-final on Wednesday and we will go all out to win that game before we get our minds on the game in Limerick.”
