Waterford FC secured their place in the 2nd round of this years Sports Direct FAI Cup with a resounding 5-0 win over Tipperary side St. Michael’s AFC in Cooke Park on Saturday evening.
Keith Long made four changes to his side for the 1st round of the FAI Cup, with new signings Sam Sargeant, Sam Perry & Serge Atakayi all coming in for their first competitive starts for the club, as well as Kilian Cantwell coming into the starting XI.
Backed in front of a brilliant travelling support, the Blues got off to the perfect start when Ronan Coughlan headed home a deep Serge Atakayi cross after just 27 seconds to give Keith Long’s side an early advantage.
Roland Idowu and Sam Perry both forced the St Michael’s keeper Derek Breen into low saves shortly after, before the hosts almost levelled on the 22nd minute mark only for David Slattery to see his half-volley from a corner rattle the Blues’ crossbar.
This missed opportunity came back to bite the hosts just moments later, as the Blues doubled their lead thanks to Sam Perry’s first for the club. Kilian Cantwell initially had two chances on goal blocked, before laying the ball back to Perry on the penalty spot who powered his first-timed effort beyond Breen in the Michael’s goal.
After Atakayi & Coughlan both had chances in the final minutes of the first-half in Cooke Park, the Blues eventually found their third of the game when Ronan Coughlan played an inch-perfect through ball behind the Michael’s defence for Connor Parsons to run onto, before he deftly placed the ball over the oncoming Breen and into the back of the net to give the Blues a three-goal lead at half-time.
The Blues continued to control the play right from the start of the second-half, with Ryan Burke having an effort blocked on the edge of the hosts box, before Keith Long brought Harry Nevin and Cameron Cresswell off the bench for their club debuts.
St. Michael’s looked to counter quickly from a Blues corner on the hour mark, but excellent defending from Cantwell and Nevin prevented Michael’s captain Jimmy Carr from causing any further issues.
Romeo Akachukwu & Christie Pattisson were next to be brought into the action with 25 minutes remaining, just moments before the Blues made it four-nil.
Ryan Burke picked up the ball on the half-way line before firing a long-ball in behind the Michael’s defence, with Cameron Cresswell timing his run to brilliantly get on the end of the pinpoint through ball to head home his first goal for the Blues.
And just minutes later it was five, when 16-year-old Romeo Akachukwu netted his first senior goal in emphatic fashion, picking up the ball from the touchline before dribbling beyond four Michael’s defenders and drilling the ball beyond the hosts keeper from inside the penalty area.
To their credit, St. Michael’s continued to battle and make the final minutes as difficult as they could for the Blues, but Keith Long’s side were well able to see out the remaining minutes to secure their passage into the 2nd round of the 2023 Sports Direct FAI Cup.
The 2nd Round draw takes place this Tuesday (25th July) at 6pm live on RTE 2FM.
St. Michael’s AFC: Breen (GK); Murphy, Cremins, Fadden, O’Mahony (60’ McGrath); Carr © (90’ Flannery), Mulcahy, Bargary, Kiely (90’ Berrigan); Slattery (76’ O’Brien), Ryan (60’ Coonan).
Waterford FC: Sargeant (GK); O’Keeffe © (53’ Nevin), Baker, Cantwell (73’ Phillips), Burke; Perry (65’ Akachukwu), Baggley, Atakayi (65’ Pattisson), Idowu (53’ Cresswell), Parsons; Coughlan.
