Waterford FC secured maximum points over the Bank Holiday weekend with a 1-0 win away to Wexford FC in Ferrycarrig Park on Monday evening.
Keith Long made five changes to his side from Friday night’s win at home to Kerry FC, with Niall O’Keeffe, Eddie Nolan, Sam Perry, Serge Atakayi and Romeo Akachukwu all returning to the starting eleven for this Bank Holiday south-east clash.
The Blues started on the front foot, with Niall O’Keeffe firing wide early on, before Giles Phillips almost got on the end of a Connor Parsons corner moments later. Parsons came closest to opening the scoring for Keith Long’s side on the quarter hour mark, firing narrowly wide of Eoin Mason’s goal after cutting in from the left-hand side.
The Blues continued to see large amounts of the ball throughout the first-half, working hard to break-down a stubborn Wexford defence, with Ronan Coughlan causing headaches for the home side whenever he could. Giles Phillips looked to have the goal at his mercy after 41 minutes, only for a last-ditch Corban Piper header to clear the danger ahead of the Blues skipper.
Eoin Kenny came inches away from finding the break-through moments later, only for the young striker to see his close-range effort fire the wrong side of Sam Sargeant’s goal.
Coughlan had two chances in the opening minutes of the second-half, firstly having a set-piece effort fly over the Wexford crossbar before heading into the arms of Mason from a Parsons cross on the right-wing. Phillips had to be alert at the other end of the pitch to stop Kenny having another effort on goal, while Sargeant was off his toes quickly to deny Kenny once more after Luca Lovic’s smart through ball.
And with the next attack, the Blues finally found their breakthrough. An inswinging Connor Parsons corner kick fell perfectly to Eddie Nolan who finished from close range past Mason to the delight of the large travelling Blues support in attendance.
Kenny again was causing the Blues defence issues, again firing wide of Sargeant’s goal after a Piper lay-off. At the other end of the pitch, substitute Christie Pattisson was causing problems for the home side’s defence, cutting in from the right but his effort could only find the arms of Mason in goal.
The Blues continued to look for a second, with Coughlan and Baggley coming close late on, before the hosts had a big chance of their own; Piper firing wide from on the edge of the area. The Blues saw out the remaining minutes to pick up another deserved three points.
Waterford return to home action this Friday, as Keith Long’s side welcome Galway United to the RSC for a 7:45pm kick-off.
Wexford FC: Mason (GK); Boyle (c), Browne, O’Malley, Lynch; Webb (76’ Doran), Lovic (76’ D.Levingston), Piper, McCann, Corbally (76’ Dobbs); Kenny (76’ Furlong).
Waterford FC: Sargeant (GK); O’Keeffe, Nolan, Phillips (c), Burke; Perry, Baggley, Parsons (86’ Baker), Akachukwu (63’ Idowu), Atakayi (63’ Pattisson); Coughlan.
Image credit: Ken Sutton
