Waterford FC were denied a last gasp victory in their SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division battle with Galway United FC, as goalkeeper Brendan Clarke produced a stunning save with the final action to turn a Padraig Amond free-kick around the posts as this RSC clash ended in goalless stalemate.
Waterford created the first chance on four minutes, when Harvey Macadam sent over a left-wing cross that picked out the run of Maleace Asamoah on the penalty spot, but his shot on the volley was straight at Brendan Clarke before Stephen Walsh headed tamely wide at the other end soon afterwards
Clarke showed his class once more to deny the Blues the lead goal on nine minutes when midfielder Rowan McDonald cracking in a brilliant effort from 20 yards, but the netminder got down well to turn the ball out for a corner-kick.
Stephen Walsh brought a fine save out of Waterford keeper Sam Sargeant on 18 minutes when the striker tried is luck with a bicycle kick after getting on the end of a Conor McCormack free-kick before Ben McCormack dragged a shot wide of the target four minutes before the break.
After a lull in the contest midway through the half, David Hurley latched onto Ed McCarthy’s long throw on 43 minutes, but he fired wide of the goal before Walsh raced onto a through ball from Hurley in injury-time only for Rowan McDonald to put in a super block at the expense of a corner.
With chances at a premium during the second-half, it was Padraig Amond that had half a chance on 48 minutes when he got on the end of Connor Parsons delivery from the left, but he headed just over Brendan Clarke’s crossbar.
Harvey Macadam had a great opportunity on 56 minutes when some good build-up involving Darragh Power and Ben McCormack, but the Fleetwood Town loanee couldn’t convert from 12 yards.
Maleace Asamoah got in a vital interception to deny Galway a run at goal soon afterwards when he raced back to clear the danger before Connor Parsons went down in the area on 77 minutes, but referee Paul Norton waved away penalty appeals.
There was a chance for substitute Christie Pattisson five minutes from time, but he couldn’t trouble Clarke before the Blues were reduced to ten men in the final minute when defender Ryan Burke picked up a second yellow-card.
Amond nearly won the game for Waterford with the final action when he stepped over a free-kick just outside the area, but his cracking effort was superbly tipped around the posts as both sides had to happy with a point each.
WATERFORD FC: Sargeant; Power, Horton, Leahy, Burke; McDonald, McCormack, Macadam (71′ O’Keeffe); Asamoah (85′ Evans), Amond, Parsons (77′ Pattisson).
GALWAY UNITED: Clarke; Esua, Brouder, Slevin, Donelon (11′ Kazeem); McCormack, Borden (83′ Aouachria), Hurley, O’Sullivan; McCarthy (68′ Dervin), Walsh.
Attendance: 2,537.
