After suffering defeat on the road against Derry City in their last game, Waterford FC picked up a point from their latest trip in the SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division following a 0-0 draw against Dundalk at Oriel Park on Friday evening last.
The disappointment of conceding three poor goals at the Brandywell the week previous was replaced with a more disciplined defensive performance to get a point on the board against a Dundalk side that were just picking up their second point of the campaign.
It was a tale of two goalkeepers at the final whistle as Blues netminder Sam Sargeant produced a couple of excellent saves with his opposite number Ross Munro also coming to the rescue of the hosts in a goalless stalemate.
Sargeant was called into action to make a smart save on five minutes when Hayden Muller cracked in an effort from 25-yards, but the netminder was equal to the task to keep his right-footed effort out as the hosts went in search of the opener.
Samuel Durrant created some space for himself on 11 minutes on the left-side of the penalty area, but his effort from the top of the penalty area flew over Sargeant’s crossbar before Ross Munro saved at the feet of Maleace Asamoah five minutes later.
It was the turn of Munro to produce a stunning save on 23 minutes when Connor Parsons got free down the left before putting in a brilliant delivery into the centre, but Padraig Amond’s superb diving header was brilliantly kept out.
The home side were denied the lead goal by an excellent Sam Sargeant stop on 35 minutes when Muller sent Durrant into the clear on the left, but his left-footed effort was kept out by a one-handed stop from the netminder with Kacper Radkowski clearing the danger.
After having words with fourth official David Dunne two minutes later, Dundalk coach Patrick Clegg was sent to the stands by referee Kevin O’Sullivan before Samuel Durrant cut in once again from the left on 38 minutes only to see his curling effort go wide.
Barry Baggley had a big chance to put the Blues in front four minutes later when he got in behind the Dundalk defence to find himself in a one-on-one situation with Ross Munro, but the Scottish native was equal to the task in making a fine save.
The chances weren’t as frequent in the second-half with Padraig Amond heading wide from Ryan Burke’s cross on 52 minutes before Connor Parsons had a penalty appeal waved away on 70 minutes as both sides looked happy to settle for a point.
It was Sam Sargeant that kept his side level on 78 minutes with a brilliant stop to deny Cameron Elliott after he got past three Waterford challenges before the keeper also denied Ryan O’Kane seven minutes later with a close-range save.
There was a heart in the mouth moment four minutes from the finish when Elliott went down in the area under a challenge from substitute Niall O’Keeffe, but when referee O’Sullivan sounded the whistle, he awarded a free-kick to the Blues before cautioning the attacker for simulation.
DUNDALK FC: Ross Munro; Archie Davies, Johnson, Louie Annesley, Harvey Muller; Zak Bradshaw, Scot High; Ciaran McGuckin (Ryan O’Kane 67), Robbie Benson (Daryl Horgan 67), Samuel Durrant (Rob Mahon 76); Jamie Gullan (Cameron Elliott 67).
WATERFORD FC: Sam Sargeant; Grant Horton, Kacper Radkowski, Robbie McCourt, Ryan Burke; Harvey Macadam (Romeo Akachukwu 73), Rowan McDonald; Maleace Asamoah (Connor Evans 82), Barry Baggley (Niall O’Keeffe 75), Connor Parsons; Padraig Amond.
Attendance: 2,243.
