Blues striker Mark Walsh heads for goal against Shelbourne at Tolka Park on Friday night last.
Waterford United are back on the bottom of the league table following this defeat in Tolka Park on Friday night last. Having beaten Cabinteely the previous week hopes were high that the Blues may be capable of avoiding finishing in the dreaded eighth position but coupled with this defeat and Cabinteely’s win against Cobh Ramblers they are back in the least desirable position.
The post denied Shelbourne the lead on three minutes. Daire Doyle sent in a cross from the right that broke into the path of central defender Sean Heaney but after his left-footed shot came crashing back off the right-hand post, the offside flag ruled out the follow up finish that found the net.
The breakthrough goal arrived for the home side on 27 minutes when full back Adam O’Connor, who was sent off when the sides met at the RSC, sent over a cross from the right where James English was on hand to sweep a right-footed shot past Robert Birdsall from 14 yards.
This goal really spurred Shelbourne into action as they created another chance from a free on 37 minutes when Gareth Coughlan stepped over the ball just outside the penalty area but his low right-footed shot saw Birdsall get down well to his right side to save.
Anthony McAlavey had a golden opportunity to level the tie for Roddy Collins’ side three minutes before the sound of the half time whistle when he raced onto a through ball from Cory Galvin but despite taken the ball around keeper Greg Murray, he couldn’t find the net from an acute angle.
The half time team talk from Blues boss Collins went out the window totally within a minute of the restart as Shelbourne scored a second goal when Gareth Coughlan got space out on the right side of the area before slipping the ball in for James English, who beat keeper Robert Birdsall with a shot from 16 yards.
That goal left the visitors with a mountain to climb but they did have a good chance to pull one back on 69 minutes when Cory Galvin got some space out on the right side before whipping the ball across the race of goal but Mark Walsh just failed to connect.
Aaron O’Connor did have a good chance to find the back of the home net six minutes later when he raced onto a through ball from Cory Galvin.
The game was up for the Blues when central defender Colum Nugent received a straight red card for a two-footed tackle on Sean Heaney four minutes from time.
Carl Walshe completed the scoring for Shelbourne with a third goal that sealed the deal sixty seconds later.
SHELBOURNE: Greg Murray, Adam O’Connor, Evan Osam, Ryan Robinson, Sean Heaney (Jake Donnelly `85), Daire Doyle (Paul Andrews `85), Gareth Coughlan (Conor Earley `71), Colm Crowe, Carl Walshe, James English, Dylan McGlade
WATERFORD UNITED: Robert Birdsall, Shaun Corcoran, Dean Reidy (Robbie Buckley `33), Colum Nugent, Shane Mackey, Ethan Boyle, Evan Galvin (Brian Nolan `85), Aaron O’Connor, Adam Prendergast (Mark Walsh `56), Anthony McAlavey, Cory Galvin
Referee: Robert Hennessy (Limerick)
