Waterford United 1 - 0 Wexford Youths

• Brendan White
• Sat, Aug 14 2010


Waterford United collected a hard earned three points in the southeast derby against Wexford Youths in the RSC on Friday night. John Kearney scored the only goal of the game before two red cards made for an exciting last 15 minutes.

The game started slowly with the first chance of the game arriving after ten minutes. Waterford-born Shane Nolan played a ball over the Blues defence to find Gary Sheahan but Kevin Burns narrowed the angle and Sheahan couldn’t find the target.

Waterford United thought they had taken the lead after 16 minutes. Gary Dunphy found John Kearney on the left wing and his whipped cross was finished to the net by Vinny Sullivan, but referee Stuart Templeman adjudged Sullivan to have handled the ball.

The twenty minutes that followed was lacklustre to say the least with three corners for Waterford the only incidents of note. The half burst into life in the final five minutes. Firstly Shane Nolan broke away following a Blues corner as The Youths looked to have a three-on-two break away but for a brilliant Gary Dunphy interception. Youths full-back Chris Kenny then played a one-two with Gary Sheahan who set him up for a strike. Kenny tried a cheeky lob over Burns but his effort was over-hit and it sailed over the crossbar.

One minute before half time the deadlock was broken. Daryl Kavanagh found striker Vinny Sullivan on the edge of the Youths penalty box and he laid the ball off to John Kearney to fire a superb right footed 20 yard strike past the helpless Packie Holden.

Gary Dunphy was the first to try his luck at the start of the second half but his long range strike was saved by Holden. Danny Furlong was next to try but Kevin Burns got down well to gather at the second attempt.

Michael Coady, John Kearney and Willie John Kiely then combined well but Holden was quick off his line. John Kearney's run then set Kiely toward goal but his shot was well blocked by Sinnott. Minutes later Anthony Wolfe produced another good block from a Daryl Kavanagh strike. Wexford were next to threaten when an Anto Russell header was well headed clear of the goal by Kevin Murray.

The final 15 minutes proved to be fiery with two red cards and a possible penalty appeal. Michael Coady was the first to see red. Coady’s mistimed challenge felled Shane Dempsey but to his dismay, and the majority of the 325 spectators, referee Stuart Templeman produced a straight red card.

Paul Murphy then saw red just 17 minutes after being introduced as a second half Blues substitute. A minute before the red card, Murphy was booked after falling over Shane Dempsey. Murphy then collected the ball but lost control on the run and lunged into the challenge with Ben Ryan, giving referee Templeman no choice but to issue a second yellow card and subsequent red card.

The red cards almost drowned out the strong penalty appeals after Seamus Long’s clumsy challenge on Anto Russell but the appeals were waved away. The Youths threw everything they had at nine-man Waterford but failed to make Kevin Burns work in the Waterford goal. The win keeps Waterford in the hunt for a play-off place while Wexford remain eighth.

Waterford United: Kevin Burns, John Hayes, Seamus Long, Kevin Murray, Michael Coady, Timmy Purcell (Paul Carey 87’), Gary Dunphy, John Kearney, Daryl Kavanagh; Vinny Sullivan, Willie John Kiely (Paul Murphy 68).
Substitutes not used: Chris Konopka, Kevin Waters, Paul McCarthy.
Booked: Sullivan, Dunphy, Murphy, Murray.
Sent Off: Coady 75, Murphy 85.

Wexford Youths: Packie Holden, Gareth McCurtin (Ben Ryan 84’), Chris Kenny (Daniel O’Flynn 45’), Anto Russell, Anthony Wolfe, Shane Dempsey, Greg Yelverton, Shane Nolan (Shane Sinnott HT), Danny Furlong, Gary Sheahan, Kevin Rowe.
Substitutes not used: Dean Broaders, Mike Mullen.
Booked: Kenny, O’Flynn, McCurtin.

Referee: Stuart Templeman.
Official Attendance : 325
Extratime Man of the Match: Daryl Kavanagh - Ran himself into the ground throughout the match.