Pre-season friendly
Waterford United 2
Longford Town 1
Matt Keane reports
Waterford United ended pre-season on a winning note as two penalties from Philly Gorman gave Roddy Collins side an impressive victory against Longford Town on Saturday afternoon last to leave them in good stead ahead of Friday’s first game away to Drogheda United.
To beat a Premier League team was an excellent morale boost for the local club.
Longford defender Noel Haverty came to the rescue of the visitors on 13 minutes when David O’Leary played the ball in for Aaron O’Connor on the left side of the penalty area but his low shot was superbly cleared off the line for a corner kick.
Eoin Rhodes had a chance to put the home side in front on 23 minutes when he got his head on the end of a right-wing Anthony McAlavey delivery from a free kick but his effort flashed inches over the bar of keeper Paul Skinner.
The Blues continued their impressive start to the game with another chance on four minutes when McAlavey sent over a cross from the left that found the head of Blues skipper Philly Gorman but he just couldn’t direct his header on target.
Longford had a chance to take the lead on 33 minutes when Josh O’Hanlon slipped the ball into the path of Philip Gannon but his well-struck right-footed effort from just outside the penalty area was just wide of the target.
Waterford took a deserved lead from the penalty spot two minutes later when full back Jimmy Dermody whipped in a cross from the left that was clearly handled in the area and Gorman dispatched the penalty to the top corner of the net past keeper Paul Skinner.
Anthony McAlavey brought a fine save out of keeper Paul Skinner on 50 minutes when he cracked in a shot from the edge of the area before David O’Sullivan flashed a left-footed shot over the bar at the other end three minutes later.
The crossbar denied the Blues their second goal of the game on 68 minutes when Ian Sinnott headed the ball on inside the penalty area for Eoin Rhodes but his close range effort that had keeper Paul Skinner came crashing back off the woodwork.
Longford were level against the run of play from a set piece five minutes later when Karl Chambers sent over a corner kick from the left that wasn’t clear by the Blues defence and after Daniel O’Reilly got a touch to the back post, Mark Hughes touched home from close range.
Dylan McGuire did really well to win a Blues penalty with ten minutes remaining when he was dragged down in the area by Daniel O’Reilly and Gorman gave keeper Ian Molloy no chance with a brilliant effort.
WATERFORD UNITED: Burns (Chambers `46), Buckley (Collins `46), Dermody (Byrne `60), Sinnott, Mackey, O’Connor, McAlavey (McGuire `77), O’Brien (Murphy `33), Rhodes (Tobin `72), O’Leary, Gorman
LONGFORD TOWN: Skinner (Molloy `78), Powell (Flynn `72), Haverty (O’Reilly `72), Hughes, Dillon, O’Hanlon (McGlynn `60), O’Connor (Chambers `72), O’Sullivan, Simon, Gannon (Mulhall `72), Rossiter (McGlynn `72)
REFEREE: Andrew Mullally assisted by Adam Tszample and Pat O’Connor
