- Stuart Connolly
- Sat, May 20 2023
Waterford FC returned to the RSC with three more points in the bag after a comfortable win away at Finn Harps on Friday night.
Keith Long's side were two goals to the good at the break courtesy of goals from Connor Parsons and Ronan Coughlan as only saves from Tim Heimer and the woodwork kept the score down.
Harps were reduced to ten men in the second-half after Daithi McCallion was given his second yellow of the day and two more goals followed as Dean McMenamy netted his first of the campaign and Coughlan converted from the spot for his 18th.
The result keeps a nine point gap in place between second and third while Harps remain second from bottom, six points shy of the playoff positions.
Waterford started on the front foot and never looked like letting up as the crossbar denied Barry Baggley inside ten minutes with his effort bouncing down onto the line.
With 25 minutes gone, Waterford bagged their first goal. Dean McMenamy floated in a cross from the right and Ronan Coughlan got his goal bound shot but it was met by a superb one-handed save from Tim Heimer and Connor Parsons tucked home the rebound.
Five minutes later, Waterford bagged a second goal. Coughlan got himself on the scoresheet with an effort just inside the area after a couple of touches took him clear of his marker.
That two goal cushion could have been added to on a few occasions before the interval as Heimer was called upon to deny Shane Griffin twice while the bar also thwarted the visitors.
Harps fashioned the first big chance of the second-half but Sean O'Donnell headed narrowly wide.
Just before the hour, Harps were reduced to ten men. Daithi McCallion was the guilty party after two bookable offences, one in each half.
Just under five minutes after the hour, things got worse for Harps as Waterford bagged their third of the afternoon. Dean McMenamy with his first of the campaign, lined up the shot about 25 yards out and fired right into the top right corner.
With just under 20 minutes to go, Waterford bagged their ninth goal in their last two outings, with Coughlan scoring from the spot. Connor Parsons was fouled by Caoimhin Porter and Coughlan made no mistake from 12 yards.
Further chances were created in the last stages of the game but the goal count was stopped at four as Waterford tightened their grip on second place in the league.
Finn Harps: Tim Heimer; Caoimhin Porter(Damian Duffy 78), Daithi McCallion, Keith Cowan, Shane McMonagle; Noe Baba, Katlego Mashigo(Kevin Jordan 59), Seamas Keogh; Michael Harris(Filip Da Silva ht), Ryan Flood, Sean O'Donnell.
Subs not used: Oisin Cooney(GK), Max Johnston, Brendan McLaughlin, Caoimhin Bonnar, Jamie McKinney, Sean O'Kane.
Booked: McCallion(33,56), Cowan(37), O'Donnell(70)
Waterford FC: Paul Martin; Ryan Burke(Tunmise Sobowale ht), Niall O'Keeffe, Killian Cantwell(Eddie Nolan 78), Giles Ene Malachi Phillips; Dean McMenamy, Roland Idowu(Wassim Aouachria 71), Shane Griffin(Thomas Oluwa 78), Barry Crowe Baggley; Connor Parsons(Christopher Conn Clarke 78)., Ronan Coughlan.
Subs not used: Matthew Connor, Thomas Donaghy, Dean Larkin, Dylan Warren.
Booked: Burke(23), Coughlan(36), Aouachria(90)
ExtraTime.ie Player of the match - Ronan Coughlan(Waterford FC)
