Waterford United  3 - 1  Finn Harps

Waterford United put last weekend’s disappointment behind them with a tidy win over Finn Harps at the RSC tonight, taking advantage of Monaghan’s slip-up at Cork FORAS earlier today. Only one change was made to the starting line-up, as Paul Murphy came in for the suspended Willie John Kiely, but no lessening of goal threat was in evidence, as the home side put in a superb attacking display.

The Blues started the brighter, and within the first minute Vinny Sullivan broke into the area and pulled a low centre across goal from the end line, but there were no takers. On seven minutes Paul Murphy’s cross from the right almost caught out Gavin Cullen in the Harps goal, but he recovered to tip it onto his crossbar and away. And within moments Murphy went cloes again, sent through one-on-one by Liam Kearney, only to place his low shot too close to Cullen and too far from the bottom right corner.

Play settled down after the initial flurry, but as the half hour approached it suddenly sparked into life again, when Michael Funston struck a superb effort from all of 30 yards which cannoned back off the crossbar. Perhaps stung by the let-off, United took the lead four minutes later, Murphy meeting an Alan Carey cross with a powerful header which drew a stunning point-blank save from Cullen, only for the rebound to fall kindly for Vinny Sullivan who gleefully tapped home from close range. Harps fought back, forcing a smart save from Kevin Burns within seconds of the restart, but it was the home side who looked most likely to score again, when Gary Dunphy charged down Matthew Crossan’s attempt at a clearance, raced through against Cullen, but shot low against the ‘keeper’s legs.

After the break the game resumed at a lively pace, and, six minutes in, a neat passage of play almost saw the home side double their lead. Paul Murphy’s quick crossfield freekick found Liam Kearney, who in turn fed Vinny Sullivan for a deftly chipped effort which floated just over the bar. On 67 minutes Alan Carey’s low cross from the right was cut out by Matthew Crossan, but he will have been mightily relieved to see his toe-poke fly just outside the near post. As the Blues closed in on goal, a minute later Kevin Murray met John Kearney’s cross with a towering header that bounced back off the far post and into Gavin Cullen’s grateful grasp.

A succession of home chances were now coming in, firstly with Sullivan being sent through with a ball over the top only to volley inches over on the run, and then, moments later, a long Kevin Burns clearance sending Murphy clear to try a similar feat, this time the striker judging the weight perfectly to lob Cullen for the second goal. At the other end Harps replied swiftly when Davitt Walsh fed Tommy Bonner who forced Burns into an outstanding save to tip it around the post, but the Blues were irresistable going forward by this stage, and they stretched the lead on 79 minutes, when Paul Walsh’s cross from the right was flicked on by Sullivan, and buried with a back post Murphy header.

Harps got one back within two minutes, James Doherty crossing from the right for Kevin McHugh to fire low into the far corner, to take some of the impetus from the home side. In fact, the same player had another sight of goal minutes later from 20 yards, but put his free kick well over the top. The Blues finished on the up though, and right at the death Sullivan could have had his second, as he raced clear against Cullen once more, but once more the Harps ‘keeper stood up well to block the shot. No matter though, as the Blues deservedly took away the three points, and in the process went back into the second play-off spot.

Waterford: Kevin Burns; Alan Carey, Seamus Long, Kevin Murray, Michael Coady; Timmy Purcell (Paul Walsh 71), Gary Dunphy (Shane Barrett 74), John Kearney (James O’Sullivan 84), Liam Kearney; Vinny Sullivan, Paul Murphy – subs: Chris Konopka, Kevin Waters

Goals: Sullivan 30, Murphy 70, 79

Booked: Sullivan, Dunphy, Long, O’Sullivan

Harps: Gavin Cullen; James Doherty, Keith Cowan, Matthew Crossan, Gary Whoriskey; Thomas Bonner, Mark Forker, Michael Funston (Gary Merritt 64), Stephen McLaughlin; Davitt Walsh, Kevin McHugh – subs: James Gallagher, Ciaran Coll, Aaron O’Hagan, Raymond Foy

Goals: McHugh 81

Booked: none

Referee: Rob Rogers