Winger Ryan Lambe takes on the Cork City defence
Waterford United are right back in contention for the league title following this superb victory over Cork City at the RSC on Saturday last. The Leesiders defeated the Blues 4-2 on the opening day of the season but Gary Power’s outfit certainly gained revenge in this encounter.
The previous week Waterford came away from Belfield with all three points after beating UCD 3-0 so they are now right up there battling for honours.
Justin Croke, who scored two goals in the UCD match was the goalscoring hero once again as he popped up with the all-important goal after 73 minutes.
Cork City created the first chance from a set piece on six minutes when Ronan Hennessy sent in a corner kick from the right that was flicked on at the near post.
The visitors had another chance on 14 minutes when James Fitzgerald whipped in a free kick from the right side of the penalty area but Cian Leonard’s decent left-footed effort from 12 yards went over.
Power came to the rescue of the Blues on 31 minutes when James Fitzgerald turned provider for Cian Leonard on the right-side of the penalty area but his acute angled right-footed effort from close range was saved by the legs of the netminder.
The Blues first attempt at goal arrived three minutes later when Ryan Lambe sent in a brilliant cross from a short corner kick that found Jordan Molloy at the back post but he just couldn’t connect with the ball.
Sean Roche could have done better with a chance that came his way on 53 minutes as the home side started the second half on the front foot when the attacker got his head on the end of a left-wing Eoin Wall delivery but he couldn’t direct his header on target as the ball flashed wide of the far post.
Roche hooked a left-footed shot inches wide of the target after latching onto a long ball from Jordan Molloy on 66 minutes before Justin Croke stepped over a free kick 25-yards centre of the goal two minutes but his effort went inches wide of Giltiman’s left-hand post.
After dominating the second half of the tie, the Blues got a fully deserved breakthrough goal on 73 minutes when Jordan Molloy sent in a superb free kick from the right to the back post where Justin Croke ghosted in to touch the ball home much to the delight of the home supporters.
The visitors went close to levelling the tie in the final minute when James Fitzgerald whipped in a corner kick from the right that found the head of the unchallenged City defender Mark Brosnan but his effort flashed just inches wide of the near post.
Central defender Tunmise Sobowale was immense as the Blues withstood six minutes of added time. The held their shape well and battled for every ball in a triumph that will give them great hope going forward as a unit in what was a quality performance from Power’s troops.
WATERFORD UNITED: Eoin Power, Adam Feeney, Shane Ryan (Samuel Hickey `76), Tunmise Sobowale, Darragh Corcoran, Eoin Porter, Ryan Lambe, Jordan Molloy, Sean Roche (Tommy Teer `74), Eoin Wall (Gearoid Murphy `74), Justin Croke
CORK CITY: Ian Giltiman, Dylan Scott, John Browne, James McSweeney, Mark Brosnan, Brian Mulcahy, Ronan Hennessy, Alex Byrne, Cian Morley, Cian Leonard (William Armslow `71), James Fitzgerald
Referee: Paul Butler. Assistants. Christopher Maher and Sean Purcell
