Waterford United 2-1 Athlone Town 

Kenny Browne almost connects with a corner

Waterford United tonight proved too strong for an Athlone Town side that they couldn’t quite manage to kill off completely, even a man down, and who they allowed score right at the very death to take the gloss off the victory, if not to make for a nervy end.

A scrappy first half offered little in the way of real chances, though the home side had the lion’s share of the few on show. A well worked move down the right on 10 minutes saw Graham Cummins almost set up Kevin Waters at the back post, but a blue toe took it behind and beyond the midfielder. At the other end Athlone almost fashioned a chance of their own with a dangerous Damien Rushe free kick from the right which had to be dealt with by Kenny Browne. It wasn’t until 21 minutes had passed that the first real chance was presented, and again it was good work down the Blues right, Cummins holding up well and releasing Alan Carey with a clever ball round the corner, Carey with a fine centre, and David Grincell with the flicked header just over the top. Seven minutes later John Kearney sent another header sailing past the right post from Seamus Long’s hammered cross from deep on the left.

Home at last - Dave Warren makes his 2nd debut

 On 35 minutes the game took a turn in United’s favour when Stephen Place picked up a second yellow card for a petulant kick out at Browne. The visitors can have had no cause for complaint with the sending off, but they might have had two minutes later, when a last ditch tackle from Alan Carey looked to have upended Noel McGee in the box, though the referee was well placed, and in truth there wasn’t much of a shout from the Town players.

It was to be another penalty shout at the other end that broke the deadlock, this one with much more substance behind it as Des Hope pulled David Grincell down as he raced onto a long ball into the area. Cummins, the new Blues penalty specialist, stepped up to send John McGuinness the wrong way with a low finish. Second later Cummins was involved again, taking a pass from Grincell on the wing and sending Joe Mulcahy racing away down the right, the winger rounding McGuinness but hitting the side netting from a very narrow angle.

The second half continued very much where the first left off, with little in the way of attacking chances until Cummins was fouled outside the area and Kearney fired the free kick just wide of the far post with his left foot. That came on 57 minutes, and just two minutes later the Blues went further ahead. Paul McCarthy drew a foul wide on the right, Kevin Waters fired in the free kick left footed, and Kevin Murray rose highest in the box to power the header home. 

On 65 minutes the Blues should have had their third. Cummins was offside for Waters’ through ball, but had the presence of mind to let it pass him, allowing Grincell to nip in to steal it off the toe of Brian Cleary. Grincell elected to stroke it out right towards Mulcahy who was steaming in from out wide, but he underhit the pass, and it was hacked clear. Moments later the young striker had another sight of goal when Kearney’s volley was blocked into his path, but he didn’t get a clean contact on the ball and McGuinness held easily.

Joey Mul fires in a great cross

From then on it was all Waterford, with Mulcahy, in particular, getting in some dangerous crosses from the right. Grincell had another great effort on 85 minutes - a fiercely struck shot from the edge of the area which struck Kevin Dunne and literally lifted him off his feet, as the young striker came to life in the dying minutes. As normal time ended he fired narrowly over after Cummins had nodded back a Dunphy centre, and into injury time forced an excellent save from McGuinness with a powerful drive.

Right at the death, shockingly sloppy defending allowed Athlone net a consolation, as Dunne slipped in at the back post to dive onto Robbie Benson’s free kick and head home, the very last action of the game. It was a poor finish to the game from the home side, but an important three points none the less. At this stage in the last series Waterford embarked upon a long, long unbeaten run in the league and Cup, let’s hope this is the first game of another one!

Waterford United: Michael Devine; Alan Carey, Kenny Browne, Kevin Murray, Seamus Long; Joe Mulcahy (Gary Dunphy 83), Paul McCarthy (Dave Warren 78), John Kearney (Kieran Fitzgerald 86), Kevin Waters; Graham Cummins, David Grincell – subs: Kevin Burns, Declan Woodgate

Goals: Cummins 45 pen, Murray 59

Booked: Waters, Kearney

Athlone Town: John McGuinness; Robbie Hamm, Thomas McGauley (Kevin Dunne 63), Des Hope, Brian Cleary; Damien Rushe, Ciaran Reilly (Gary Murphy 63), Robbie Benson, Noel McGee, Tom O’Halloran (Kevin Horan 66); Stephen Place – subs: Tadgh Murphy, Mick Byrne

Goals: Dunne 94

Booked: Place

Sent Off: Place 35