The Blues fell to a narrow defeat away to Shelbourne on Friday night, as Sean Boyd’s 93rd minute strike broke the Waterford hearts in injury-time for the hosts.
Ahead of kick-off, both sides shared an impeccable minutes silence in memory of Anne Barrett, mother of current Shelbourne captain & former Blue Paddy Barrett, who recently passed away.
Graham Coughlan made one change to his side from Monday’s win over Drogheda at the RSC, with Jordan Houston returning to the Blues starting-eleven in place of Conan Noonan, with Will Johnson moving back into a central midfield role to allow Houston sit into his regular right wing-back position.
The hosts saw the first of the half-chances in the early exchanges, with Evan Caffrey seeing an effort from the edge of the Blues area blocked by Hayden Cann, as Waterford defended strongly from the start.
Rodrigo Freitas saw an effort deflect wide of Stephen McMullan’s post on the quarter-hour mark, getting on the end of Kameron Ledwidge’s long-ball, as the hosts continued to set the early pressure.
As we reached the thirty minute mark, Jordan Houston’s cross was deflected into the path of Pádraig Amond who looked to bring the ball around Wessel Speel in the Shelbourne goal, as Amond saw his move stopped at the final hurdle by the Shelbourne net minder.
The opening goal fell the way of the home side in the 37th minute as Harry Wood fed through to Will Jarvis who poked home from close-range beyond the onrushing McMullan to break the deadlock.
However, the Blues responded immediately as Dean McMenamy broke beyond the Shelbourne midfield before laying off to Benny Couto on the left-channel, who’s low-driven shot was expertly tapped home by Pádraig Amond inside the Shelbourne six-yard area to get the Blues level just before the break in the capital.
It was that man Amond who caused the first threat of the second-half, heading Tommy Lonergan’s cross inches wide of Wessel Steel’s left-hand post, before Tommy Lonergan forced the Shelbourne keeper into a low save moments later as the Blues began to put the hosts under pressure.
At the other end of the pitch, a quick Shelbourne counter saw Evan Caffrey fire substitute Daniel Kelly’s cross off the Blues crossbar, as the game began to open up at Tolka Park. Shortly after, Stephen McMullan pulled off an excellent save from Ali Coote inside the Blues area, as the Blues held on to the 1-1 scoreline.
Sean Boyd missed a huge chance for the hosts in the first minute of injury time, firing Harry Wood’s pass wide of McMullan’s post from inside the six-yard box, before the Blues had a penalty claim for a handball in the Shelbourne box waved just seconds later.
And just as the Blues looked set to gain a valuable point in Dublin, the hosts stole the three points in the third minute of injury time as Sean Boyd found the bottom corner to pick up maximum points for Joey O’Brien’s side.
Shelbourne FC: Speel (GK), Ledwidge, Lunney, Wood, Coote (79′ Chapman), Bone, Freitas (60′ Odubeko), Mbeng (60′ Lundgren), Caffrey (79′ Boyd), Barrett (C), Jarvis (55′ Kelly).
Waterford FC: McMullan (GK); Houston, Cann, Mahon, Long, Couto; Johnson, Heeney (68′ Glenfield), McMenamy (72′ Barrett); Amond (C) (84′ Noonan), Lonergan (84′ Voilas).
