SSE Airtricity Premier Division
Waterford FC 3-0 Bray Wanderers
Waterford FC moved back to third in the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division table after a 3-0 win at home to Bray Wanderers played in front of a 2024 attendance at the RSC.
Faysel Kasmi scored his first and second goals for the club with a strike from Derek Daly in between ensured the Blues got back to winning ways after two defeats on the road.
Blues boss Alan Reynolds made four changes to the side that lost to St. Pat’s and he saw his side start brightly as striker Courtney Duffus laid the ball off into the path of Kasmi, but the midfielder fired over the crossbar.
Belgian Kasmi then shot was straight at Wanderers’ keeper Aaron Dillon, before John Martin fired a left-footed shot wide of the near post during the opening 25 minutes of the contest.
Blues captain Paul Keegan saw his curling effort rolled narrowly wide of the far post, before the visitors should have taken the lead.
Gary McCabe’s deflected effort fell into the path of midfielder Ronan Coughlan on 29 minutes but he fired wide with the goal at his mercy from inside the six-yard box.
Blues keeper Lawrence Vigouroux came to the rescue soon afterwards when former Blues midfielder Cory Galvin turned provider for McCabe down the right but his strike was superbly saved.
Izzy Akinade saw his looping effort strike the post in first half injury time, before John Kavanagh forced Dillon into a smart save as the Blues ended the first half on the front foot.
And the Blues continued after the break and grabbed the lead eight minutes into the second half through Faysel Kasmi. The midfielder saw his first effort blocked by a wall of Bray Wanderers players before firing his second effort past the dive of Dillon.
The Blues continued to push and added two further goals in the final ten minutes to seal with points. Kasmi was involved again as he saw his strike blocked but Derek Daly was on hand to fire right footed past Dillon.
And the Blues weren’t finished yet when, deep into stoppage time, Kasmi ensured it was a night to remember with a superb low strike into the bottom corner after he took a pass from Dean O’Halloran to put the gloss on a 3-0 win.
Waterford FC: Lawrence Vigouroux; John Kavanagh (Dean Walsh), Kenny Browne, David Webster, Garry Comerford; John Martin (Dylan Barnett 76), Faysel Kasmi, Paul Keegan, Derek Daly; Izzy Akinade, Courtney Duffus (Dean O’Halloran 82).
Bray Wanderers: Aaron Dillon; Daniel McKenna, Hugh Douglas, Conor Kenna, Kevin Lynch; Ronan Coughlan, Ryhs Gorman (Sean Heaney 60), Paul O’Conor, Cory Galvin; Gary McCabe, Jake Kelly (Daniel Kelly 60).
Referee: Anthony Buttimer
