Waterford needed two second half goals from Wassim Aouachria and Phoenix Patterson to salvage a 3-3 draw with Treaty United and progress 7-4 on aggregate in the promotion semi-finals at the RSC on Saturday evening.
After the Blues won 4-1 at the Market Fields on Wednesday, Tommy Barret's team went 3-1 up at half-time and they were one goal away from pulling off a comeback that seemed unthinkable before kick-off.
Two scored penalties by Marc Ludden and a close range finish from Lee Devitt meant that the Shannonsiders were dreaming of the impossible at the interval.
The goals are just a snapshot of a crazy game that began with Success Edogun sprinting forward and forcing a low save from Paul Martin at the far post.
The Shannonsiders were relentless and a foul on Ludden by Tunmise Sobowale resulted in Paul Norton pointing to the spot.
The ball went in off the inside of the post and Treaty made it 4-2 on aggregate in the ninth minute.
A mistake from Jack Lynch after a Ludden free-kick led to Shane Griffin snatching the ball for Waterford. The Blues broke down through Patterson and in a two on two situation, he squared to Aouachria and he laid it off for Tunmise Sobowale, who fired into the top corner.
Treaty responded to the set-back by powering numbers into the Waterford half and a shot from Jack Lynch inside the area was blocked on the line by Sobowale.
The Shannonsiders stayed up the pitch and they got a second penalty after referee Paul Norton ruled that Richard Taylor brought down Edogun inside the area.
Ludden put this straight down the centre and Treaty made it 5-3 on aggregate with 26 minutes played in the first half.
Waterford tried passing the ball around to control the tempo, but Treaty stole it back and a cross from Ludden was poked in at the back post by Devitt
Just over sixty seconds were gone in the second half and Sean Guerins collided with Griffin inside the area.
Another penalty was given and Aouachria sent Jack Brady the wrong way, and Waterford breathed a major sigh of relief.
This gave the Blues a two-goal aggregate cushion in the semi-final and it seemed to visibly settle the team.
They immediately started playing with a sense of freedom, and this pushed Treaty right back into their own half.
The new found confidence paid off when Junior Quitirna picked out Patterson and the quick-footed winger cut inside before curling into the top corner, making it 3-3 and 7-4 on aggregate.
Treaty forced a number of half-chances late in the game, and each one of these was comfortably dealt with by Waterford.
The Blues will now face the winners of Galway United and Longford Town, with the promotion/relegation final against UCD the prize.
Waterford FC: Paul Martin (Brian Murphy 87); Darragh Power, Richard Taylor (Alex Baptiste 37), Niall O’Keeffe, Shane Griffin, Wassim Aouachria (Eddie Nolan 87), Raul Uche (Dean Larkin 74), Junior Quitirna, Tunmise Sobowale (Timi Sobowale 74), Killian Cantwell, Phoenix Patterson.
Treaty United: Jack Brady; Marc Ludden, Sean Guerins, Callum McNamara, Joe Collins (Stephen Christopher 57), Lee Devitt (Joel Coustrain 87), Success Edogun (Enda Curran 57), Martin Coughlan (Fionn Doherty 73), Matt Keane (Willie Armshaw 57), Mark Walsh, Jack Lynch.
Referee: Paul Norton
