The Blues fell to a narrow defeat against Derry City at the RSC on Friday – a win that put the Candystripes top of the SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division.
With a strong breeze blowing into the city goal that aided the visitors in the first-half, Blues defender Kacper Radkowski did well to cut out the dangerous Michael Duffy on eight minutes before Ciaran Coll blocked a goalbound effort from Christie Pattisson after a Padraig Amond cross a minute later.
Mark Connolly had to be alert to the danger as the Blues broke at pace on 15 minutes when Darragh Power got space down the right before putting in a brilliant cross looking for Amond, but the Derry centre-half got in a vital intervention.
Derry continued to probe for the opener with some last ditch defending from Radkowski cutting out Duffy’s chance on the half-hour with the resulting Will Patching left-wing corner headed clear by Darragh Power as the game awaited a first real clear opportunity.
It was the visitors that got that chance on 35 minutes. Brian Maher’s long kick-out that was flicked on by Pat Hoban for Adam O’Reilly, who in turn sprayed the ball out to the right for Paul McMullan, but his first-time right-footed shot at an angle came crashing back of Louis Jones’ near post.
In a half of limited chances, there was a half one for Cameron Dummigan on 43 minutes when the he cracked in a shot from a distance, but his effort failed to trouble the Blues netminder as his effort fizzed wide of the left-hand upright.
Waterford were denied the lead goal two minutes later by a stunning Maher stop. Ryan Burke won a free out on the left that saw Baggley’s delivery fall to Radkowski, who saw his overhead kick break to Darragh Leahy, but his low shot was brilliantly kept out with Amond’s close-range rebound also blocked.
It was the same right-hand post that was rattled for the second-time in the game on 55 minutes as the Blues went close to making the breakthrough. Jones sent a long ball downfield that saw Amond knock the ball into the path of Christie Pattisson, who turned Connolly, but his left-footed strike came crashing back off the woodwork with Burke blazing the rebound into the sidenetting.
The visitors struck for the lead goal on the hour mark. Cameron Dummigan’s high cross out to the left saw Ben Doherty challenge with Darragh Power that sent a header goalwards before the ball unfortunately fell out of the hands of Jones as he carried the ball over the line.
With both teams emptying their bench in the final minutes, there was a big chance for Ryan Burke to level the contest on 90 minutes when he got free on the penalty spot to meet a Gbemi Arubi cross, but he fired a left-footed shot over the bar. The latter did have the ball in the net in injury-time, but it was ruled out for offside as Derry held out for the win.
Waterford FC: Jones; Power, Horton (73′ Parsons), Radkowski, Leahy, Burke; McDonald, Glenfield (78′ McMenamy), Baggley; Patterson (83′ Arubi), Amond.
Derry City FC: Maher; Coll, Wisdom, Connolly, Doherty (85′ McEleney); McMullan (78′ Robertson), Dummigan (65′ Diallo), Patching; O’Reilly, Hoban (78′ Mullan), Duffy.
Attendance: 2,693.
