League leaders St Patrick’s Athletic were quietly confident of taking full points from second-from-bottom Waterford United at the RSC last night but, not for the first time this season, the erratic Blues raised their game against top opposition.
United broke the deadlock three minutes before half time when Darryl Kavanagh swung over a free from the left and Paul McCarthy reacted superbly to direct a powerhouse header past goalkeeper Barry Ryan from just outside the six-yard box.
The Saints almost equalised eight minutes into the second half when Stephen Paisley headed a Keith Fahey free off the butt of the near upright and Anto Murphy booted the rebound wide.
However, the visitors keep piling on the pressure and a dreadful mistake by Pat Flynn on 63 minutes gave Dave Mulcahy an opening to break clear and he unleashed a powerful drive on the run from ten yards that gave goalkeeper Dean Delaney no chance.
But the Blues kept their shape and concentration and they were back in front inside two minutes when Vinnie Sullivan’s glancing header from a clever Willie John Kiely cross from the right went in off the upright.
St Pat's manager John McDonnell made three changes to the side that defeated Derry City last time out with Dave Rogers, Alan Kirby and Kevin Cornwall replacing Gary O’Neill and Michael and Colm Foley.
Still smarting after United’s loss to bottom of the table rivals Bray Wanderers, Blues boss Gareth Cronin introduced Kavanagh, Ray Scully and new signing from Aberdeen, Kiely, for Alan Mulcahy, Shane Harte and Robert Brosnan.
There were several clear-cut scoring chances in a first half during which United were forced to defend furiously for long periods. After 12 minutes, Dave Warren floated over a ball from the left that was knocked back by Sullivan into the path of Kiely but the young player from Abbeyside, Dungarvan, chipped the ball over the bar from 8 yards.
On the quarter hour, Fahey steered in a free from the right wing but Mark Quigley side-footed over the Waterford bar when the ball could so easily have ended up in the net.
United’s goal was fortunate to remain intact following a hectic goalmouth melee in the 24th minute, and Sullivan should have scored at the other end on 39 minutes but his shot ricocheted off a defender for a corner.
Waterford United: Delaney, Flynn, Hedderman, Browne, Breen, Warren, Kiely (Brosnan, 79 minutes), McCarthy (Hayes, 94 minutes), Sullivan, Kavanagh, Scully (Lordan, 84 minutes). Substitutes not used: O’Shea, Holden.
St. Patrick’s Athletic: Ryan, Brennan, Paisley, Mulcahy, Maguire, Rogers, Kirby (Keane, 60 minutes), Fahey, Cornwall (O’Connor, 50 minutes), Murphy, Quigley. Substitutes not used: Clarke, Foley, Gibson.
Referee: Alan Kelly, Cork.
