Waterford United 1-1 Sporting Fingal
Sporting Fingal’s season opener against Waterford United at the RSC on Saturday exploded into life in the final two minutes with the sides taking a point apiece.
Fingal dominated the first half, squandering a number of chances but the Blues got back into the game in the second, and began to exert a bit of pressure of their own, before a sudden flurry of activity saw both teams emerge on the far side somewhat battered and bemused by it all.
The visitors had the better of the first half, as a strong wind at their backs put pressure on the Blues defence.
A succession of inswinging free kicks were dealt with comfortably enough early on: Graham Cummins had to stretch to his fullest height to nod one behind, and Michael Devine was called on to punch clear under pressure from a plethora of attacking white shirts.
On 22 minutes, a deep Fingal corner caused chaos in the box, as Shaun Williams headed back downwards, and Gary O’Neill’s snap shot was cleared off the line. The ball broke to Conan Byrne out right, who went down under a challenge from Alan Carey, only to get to his feet to face a free out and a yellow card for simulation.
Shortly afterwards Devine had to be alive to hold a 30-yard Conan Byrne snap-shot, and minutes later Sporting missed the chance of the match.
It fell to O’Neill who, after chasing down a lost cause in the left corner, robbed Carey and slipped it inside to Alan Kirby. His low cross along the six yard line was somehow turned well wide of the far post by Eamon Zayed with the goal at his mercy.
Fingal continued with the chances after the break - O’Neill fluffing a chip when well placed, and Cummins again having to come to the rescue with an acrobatic diving header behind.
However, Waterford came more into the game and began to threaten. Despite losing David Grincell to injury, they crafted a succession of half chances from the hour mark onwards, Kenny Browne, Paul McCarthy, Kevin Waters and Cummins all going close.
Ten minutes from the end McCarthy came closest, a 20-yard snap shot whistling past the left post, but it all kicked off with three minutes left on the clock.
A deep Seamus Long throw-in from the right was aimed at McCarthy in the box, and he nodded down for Cummins, who did well to adjust and touch the ball out to the right for the inrushing Gary Dunphy to smash an absolute screamer into the roof of the net from 25 yards out, a wonderful strike.
The home side were caught napping within seconds when, following a corner kick from the restart, they failed to pick up Philip Byrne eight yards out as he drifted in to plant a header past Devine from Conan Byrne’s centre.
Almost as quickly Dunphy almost crafted a carbon copy of his goal, but Darren Quigley dived low to his right to produce a save every bit the equal of the strike, and that was that.
Waterford United: Michael Devine; Alan Carey, Seamus Long, Kevin Murray, Graham Cummins; Gary Dunphy (Joe Mulcahy 92), Paul McCarthy, Kenny Browne, John Kearney, Kevin Waters; David Grincell (Kieran Fitzgerald 57) - subs: Kevin Burns, Paul Carey
Goal: Dunphy 87
Sporting Fingal: Darren Quigley; Brian Gannon, John Frost, Philip Byrne, Shaun Maher; Conan Byrne, Shaun Williams (McFaul 90), Robert Bayly, Alan Kirby (Gaynor 80); Eamon Zayed (Robbie Doyle 69), Gary ‘Neill - subs: James Hussey, Colm James
Goal: P Byrne 88
Booked: C Byrne, Quigley
Referee: G. Kelly.
- Report courtesy of www.waterford-united.ie
- Photographs from the game, which are available to view in the Gallery section, are supplied by Paul Walsh (www.photography.paul-walsh.net).