Crumlin United 0; Waterford United 0
The amateurs of Leinster Senior League outfit Crumlin United should be looking forward to a quarter-final draw following this game played in Richmond Park on Friday night last but they squandered two glorious chances in the second half and as a result the teams set up a replay at the RSC on Tuesday.
It came as no surprise that the Waterford manager Stephen Henderson was far from happy after the full-time whistle. “We are very lucky to still be in the cup. We worked very hard because we gave the ball back to them every time we had possession. Our passing was very poor all through and we will have to improve for the replay,” admitted the United boss.
That said, Waterford had three decent chances during the course of the first period and could have gone in for their interval cup of tea leading but alas it was one of those evenings for a team who were trying to make it six victories on the spin.
One change
The Waterford side showed one change from the team that had beaten Kildare County the previous week. Dave Warren did not feature as he was injured during the course of that game so Willie John Kiely played wide right with David Grincell up front with top scorer Graham Cummins.
Kevin Waters got in a cross from the left after seven minutes which was met by Grincell at the near post but he headed wide. The young striker popped up inside the penalty area once again after 21 minutes, this time to meet a right-wing cross from Alan Carey, but again he could not keep his header on target.
Kiely and Carey combined two minutes later to get the ball into the path of Cummins who had his back to goal but when he turned and let fly from close range his shot went flying over the crossbar.
Crumlin got into the game after that chance and they began to get a firm grip in the middle of the park. Martin Cramer and especially James Lee started to spay the ball around in fine style. Daniel Loughran got in an angled low strike from the left side of the penalty area on 27 minutes but his effort went narrowly wide. Ten minutes later the same player watched a shot go over Michael Devine’s crossbar.
Golden chances
Crumlin should have taken the lead one minute into the second half. James Lee split the Waterford defence with a sublime pass but Daniel Loughran lost his composure inside the penalty area with only Devine to beat and shot wide. In fairness the Blues goalkeeper did move from his line quickly to narrow the angle.
Willie John Kiely moved up front with Grincell going out wide after six minutes of the second half but Waterford did not really put the home goalkeeper Gareth Sutton under any real pressure.
Alan Carey did pick out Cummins on 62 minutes but Sutton easily saved his header. One minute later Kiely met a cross from Alan Carey but his downward header struck the ground and went over the crossbar.
The only other time the visitors had a shot on target came from a free kick taken by Kevin Waters but Sutton had no difficulty getting down to save.
Stephen Larkin missed a glorious chance for Crumlin on 84 minutes when he cut in from the right to meet a beautiful through ball by James Lee. It looked a goal all over but again Devine narrowed the angle and Larkin fluffed his lines.
Crumlin were reduced to 10 men after 87 minutes when Derek Griffin put in a nasty tackle on Grincell just outside the penalty area. He was already on a yellow card and referee Niall Doyle sent him packing as Grincell was carried off on a stretcher.
That was the last action of an exciting game which was played in front of a very good attendance made up mostly of Crumlin United supporters.
Crumlin United: Garreth Sutton, Gavin Kavanagh, Derek Griffin, Paul McCabe, Ciran Kenna, Martin Cramer, Stephen Larkin, James Lee, Daniel Loughran, Patrick Lee, Jonathan Clarke. Subs: Damien Cuffe for Kavanagh (83 mins) Chris McCreevey for Loughran (89), Mark Redmond for Larkin (90).
Waterford United: Michael Devine, Alan Carey, Kenny Browne, Kevin Murray, John Kearney, Kevin Waters, Stephen Grant, Seamus Long, David Grincell, Willie John Kiely, Graham Cummins. Subs: Kieran Fitzgerald for Long (66 mins), Gary Dunphy for Grincell (88).
Referee: Niall Doyle (Dublin)
