- Extratime Team
- Sun, May 18 2014
Waterford United moved to fourth place in the SSE Airtricity League First Division table after a 3-1 South-East derby win against Wexford Youths in Ferrycarrig Park on Friday night.
Paddy Barrett's first half goal gave The Blues a half time lead, and further goals from Gary Delaney and Kevin O'Connor gave The Blues a commanding 3-0 advantage. A late Ben Ryan penalty was little but a consolation for the home side.
Blues boss Tommy Griffin made two changes to the side that lost to Shelbourne, as Matthew Connor replaced Kevin Burns in goal, while Patrick Fitzgerald returned to the centre of defence in place of Gavin Kavanagh.
Wexford started the game brightly and almost struck the front inside the opening five minutes when Eric Molloy sprayed the ball out to the left for Sean Skelly, who turned onto his right-foot but saw his powerful shot superbly tipped over the bar by Blues goalkeeper Matthew Connor. Wexford had a penalty appeal turned down from that resulting corner but the referee waved play on despite appeals from Furlong.
Kevin O’Connor did well down the left side after 11 minutes for the away side but when he whipped the ball across the face of goal, Vinny Sullivan just failed to get sufficient contact with the ball. Danny Furlong was off target for Youths at the other end five minutes as the game continued scoreless.
A good move from Wexford after 18 minutes nearly saw the breakthrough when Furlong’s pace took him past defender Conor Whittle down the left channel. He picked out Skelly but his shot was just wide of the far post.
Furlong should have put Wexford Youths in front seven minutes later when he got on the end of a Peter Higgins right-wing cross, but he saw his back heel at the back post drop just wide of Connor’s left-hand post.
Having defended well for the opening 40 minutes, The Blues struck for the opening goal. Shane Murray sent in the corner kick that fell to the feet of Gary Delaney. He had time at the backpost to turn before playing the ball across goal where Paddy Barrett fired the ball home past Graham Doyle from inside the six-yard box.
The Youths were dealt a huge blow one minute before half time when for Blues midfielder Peter Higgins was shown a straight red card from referee Connolly after appearing to strike the face of Vinny Sullivan.
With the extra man, the Blues began to put daylight between the sides and five minutes into the second half the lead was doubled. Philip Drohan did well down the left wing, getting to the endline before crossing to the back post where Gary Delaney rose to power a header past Doyle against his former club.
The Blues added a third goal on 59 minutes. Jack Doherty was fouled on the right side of the penalty area and from the resulting free kick Kevin O’Connor fired a stunning left-footed strike into the top right-hand corner past a helpless Doyle.
The Youths got a consolation when Ben Ryan made no mistake from the spot in the final minute after Paddy Barrett had been penalised for a foul in the penalty area as the ball ran out of play.
Danny Furlong threatened to make it a nervous final few minutes when he sent a header off the crossbar deep into injury time after getting on the end of a Shane Nolan free kick from the right, but the Blues saw out the remainder of the game to pick up another three points and move to fourth place. The Youths remain second, just behind league leaders Shelbourne.
Wexford Youths: Graham Doyle, Peter Higgins, Killian Cantwell, Stephen Last, James Dermody,Craig Shortt (Shane Nolan 65), Eric Molloy, Shane Dunne, Danny Furlong, Sean Skelly (Daryll Power 81), Dean Broaders (Ben Ryan 65).
Subs not used: Daragh Walshe, CJ Browne, Ryan Delaney, Danielius Niekis.
Booked: Broaders (41), Dermody (65).
Sent Off: Higgins (44).
Waterford United: Matthew Connor; Paddy Barrett, Gary Delaney (Shaun Corcoran 67), Patrick Fitzgerald, Conor Whittle; Philip Drohan, Shane Murray, Brian Nolan (Thomas Croke 67), Kevin O'Connor, Jack Doherty (Paul Quilty 77); Vinny Sullivan.
Subs not used: Kevin Burns (gk), Thomas Whitty, Conor Coad, Willie John Kiely.
Booked: Sullivan (20), Fitzgerald (25), Doherty (34), B Nolan (37), Barrett (90+2)
Referee: Ben Connolly
Attendance: 450 (estimate)
Man of the Match: Kevin O'Connor (Waterford United)
