Included in Graham Coughlan’s first starting-eleven as Waterford FC Head Coach was two changes from Monday’s dramatic 3-3 draw against Dundalk at the RSC, as Kevin Long returned to the starting line-up in place of Ronan Mansfield, while Sam Glenfield returned to the starting side in place of Evan McLaughlin who missed the trip to Richmond Park due to injury.
Pádraig Amond had the first chance of the game for the Blues, finding his way through on goal before forcing Joe Anang into a smart low-save at his near post.
From the resulting corner, Benny Couto’s inch-perfect delivery found the head of Tommy Lonergan inside the Saints six-yard box to head home via the back of John Mahon’s head from close range to give us an early lead in Inchicore.
The hosts looked to react quickly, with Kian Leavy striking an effort that narrowly missed Arlo Doherty’s left-hand corner on 11′, as the Blues maintained their advantage.
As the game reached the midway point of the first-half, former Blue Barry Baggley looked set to draw the home side level, getting on the end of Leavy’s pull-back, only to see his effort smartly blocked Jordan Houston on the Blues line.
Premier Division top-goalscorer Ryan Edmondston headed over Doherty’s crossbar after getting on the end of Zach Elbouzedi’s cross moments later, as the hosts continued to apply pressure on the stubborn Blues defence.
With the minutes remaining in the half, Conan Noonan found goalscorer Lonergan with a perfectly-timed pass into the Saints area, as Tommy saw his effort deflected out for a corner-kick from close-range.
In the final minute of first-half additional time, the hosts found their equaliser through the penalty spot as Sam Glenfield was adjudged to have fouled Barry Baggley, before Chris Forrester sent Arlo Doherty the wrong way to send the sides into the break level.
Forrester cut inside his man before seeing his curling effort fly wide of the Blues goal just two minutes into the second-half, as the hosts looked to build on their late equaliser from the first-half.
Kian Leavy forced Doherty into a save from close-range on 56′ after the Blues failed to clear the danger inside our area, before just seconds later, Zach Elbouzedi gave the hosts the lead, firing home at the back post.
And just minutes later, Elbouzedi found his second, finding the top right corner from distance to net a quick fire double against his former club.
As the Blues pushed on to get back in the game, the hosts caught Coughlan’s side on the counter as Elbouzedi laid off to Edmondson to net the hosts fourth of the game, before the hosts saw out the remaining minutes to pick up maximum points in our latest trip to Richmond Park.
St. Patrick’s Athletic FC: Anang (GK), Hoare, Redmond (C), Elbouzedi (83′ Breslin), Forrester (78′ Palmer), Leavy (78′ Lennon), Nugent, Baggley (87′ Rooney), Brown, Turner, Edmondson (78′ Mata).
Waterford FC: Doherty (GK); Houston (75′ Faria), Cann, Long, Mahon, Couto; Glenfield (46′ Heeney), McMenamy (67′ Johnson), Noonan (83′ Voilas), Amond (C) (83′ Carty), Lonergan.
Attendance: 4,132.
