Waterford United 6-0 Carrigaline United

Waterford United proved too strong for Carrigaline in their FAI Ford Cup 3rd round clash at the RSC tonight, as they rattled six past their opponents without reply. The goal tally included a brace each from in-form hitmen Willie John Kiely and Graham Cummins, and the win will have gone a long way towards restoring any flagging in confidence that might have occurred after the recent league defeats.

The visitors were first to launch an attack though, and Michael Devine had to be quick and brave to get out to gather at Wayne Bruton’s feet after a clever Dean Kelly through ball. But it wasn’t long before the home side went in front, an exquisite 16 yard lob from the right corner of the area by Kiely, capping an equally exquisite ball over the top from Kieran Fitzgerald. Cummins went close to flicking a near post header inside the far post on 15 minutes, and ten minutes later he almost matched his strike partner, holding his line superbly to remain onside for Kevin Waters’ perfect through ball, and racing goalwards only to see his chip clear the keeper Sean Mellet but drift wide of the right post.

Within moments though Carrigaline had gifted the Blues a second, as the unfortunate Kalen Spillane’s sideways pass to Mellet was woefully underhit, allowing an alert Kiely to nip around the stranded netminder and tap into an empty net. Twice more before the break Kiely again got in to dink over the keeper who looked a little slow to come out off his line, though he was off target both times, but a minute before the break Kiely played his part in another superb strike, as a lovely passage of one-touch football saw the striker square it along the edge of the box from the left to Paul McCarthy, who deftly knocked it on into the path of the inrushing Joe Mulcahy, and he smashed a perfect rising shot into the opposite top corner from 20 yards out.

United kept the pressure up from the off in the second half, and a lovely move down the left saw Kearney’s ball into the channel release Cummins. He got to the endline and cut back inside before teeing up Waters with a clever backheeled pass, the midfielder shooting low across goal and wide of the far post. Five minutes later Paul McCarthy skipped past his marker to move in on goal from a central position. His shot was blocked out to Kiely and Mulcahy, and though the striker left it to the midfielder, he didn’t vacate the space quickly enough, and the distraction was enough for Mulcahy to snatch at the shot somewhat, dragging it onto the butt of the upright.

On 66 minutes Carrigaline had a sight of goal when Tony Houlihan fired over from 25 yards, but three minutes later the Blues went further in front. David Grincell was pulled down in the box by Calem Jones, and though initially play was waved on, the linesman’s flag gave the home side the spot kick, which Cummins despatched emphatically low, right, and sending Mellet the wrong way.

On 73 minutes Mulcahy was guilty of a glaring miss that should have been goal number five. Cummins broke clear and got to the byline, electing to cut back inside again when a whipped cross might have been the better option. His square ball was behind Grincell, but fell kindly to Mulcahy, who slashed wildly at it from eight yards out and suffered the indignity of a fresh air.

Carrigaline could have snatched an unlikely goal when a deflected Hugh Shields effort almost looped in over Kevin Burns, but the Blues were soon on the attack again, and Cummins bagged his brace with a firm low left footed finish thumped home on 83 minutes when Grincell played him clear with a lovely ball in from the right. Cummins returned the compliment three minutes later, streaking clear onto a long ball and firing low across goal for Grincell to tap home from three yards out.

So a tidy performance, a timely confidence booster, and the Blues’ name into the hat for the 4th round draw. In contrast to last weekend, definitely a good day at the office!

Waterford United: Michael Devine (Kevin Burns 45); Seamus Long, Kevin Murray, Kenny Browne, John Kearney; Joe Mulcahy (Gary Dunphy 75), Kieran Fitzgerald, Paul McCarthy, Kevin Waters; Graham Cummins, Willie John Kiely (David Grincell 57) - sub: Alan Carey

Goals: Kiely 7, 28, Mulcahy 44, Cummins 68 pen, 83, Grincell 86

Booked: Long, Fitzgerald, Grincell

Carrigaline United: Sean Mellet; Roy Coughlan, Ruairi O’Halloran, Kalen Spillane, Calem Jones (Keith McGovern 78); Dean Kelly, John Harrington, Hugh Shields, Tony Houlihan, John Rogers (Trevor Long 69); Wayne Bruton (Alan O’Driscoll 45) - subs: Cathal O’Mahony, Will Lombard, Wayne Murray, David Manley 

Booked: Jones