Waterford United  0 - 1  Shelbourne

A wonderful display from Waterford United was not enough as they somehow lost to Shelbourne at the RSC tonight in a pulsating match in which former Blues netminder Dean Delaney produced at least a half-dozen saves of the highest quality. Waterford dominated the game for virtually its entirety, and produced some outstanding attacking football in spells, but in the end it counted for naught. In a match which could easily have ended 5 or 6-2 to the home side, it was the familiar scoreline of 1-0 to Shelbourne that remained at the final whistle, which sees United now unable to make the play-off position barring a mathematical miracle.

What turned out to be a superb first half got off to a lively, if scrappy start, with plenty of activity at both ends, though ominously it was the visitors that threatened more in the early exchanges, and Kevin Murray had already been called upon several times at the heart of the Blues defence before Shelbourne took the lead 11 minutes in. David McAllister’s ball into the right side of the box was perfect for Tony Griffiths to fire in low under the advancing Michael Devine from a tight angle. United hit back with a brace of viciously inswinging free kicks, Alan Carey from the right, and John Kearney from the left, that both forced Delaney into action to turn away to safety.

On 17 minutes, a Vinny Sullivan slide-rule pass down the left channel almost set Kearney away as the Blues began to get on top in the game, but Delaney was quick to get out off his line. Five minutes later Sullivan saw his attempt to send Cummins through end up back at his feet 18 yards out, but he shot low inches wide of the left upright. On the half hour mark, Paul Walsh found Graham Cummins with a fine ball in from the right, the big striker shooting low first time from the corner of the box, forcing a fine save low to his right from Delaney. And two minutes later, Carey set Kiely up in a similar position, a good take and turn, and a fine volley from 25 yards whistling inches over the top.

Four minutes from the break the Blues thought they had managed to pull it back, as nice play up the right touchline saw Carey swing in a deep cross to the back post. Cummins tracked it all the way, and buried his header past Delaney from six yards, but the flag went up instantly to deny the home side. The whistle went on a half that was almost all United, but, as so often before, with Shelbourne in the lead.

The second half saw Shelbourne prove more difficult to get through, as Dermot Keely’s half-time team talk looked to have steadied the ship for the visitors, but it wasn’t long before the Blues were back on the attack once more. Cummins had an effort fly high, wide and handsome from the breakdown of another free kick in a dangerous position, and at the other end Anto Flood hit the target with a header, but it was straight at Devine. On 62 minutes United saw their best chance of the match go a-begging, as they broke quickly in numbers, Sullivan at full tilt down the left wing, whipping a superb cross in to Kiely six yards out, who stabbed it goalwards only to see Delaney produce a truly wonderful reaction save to claw the ball up and over the crossbar.

 On 70 minutes Cummins did well to find the increasingly influential Walsh out wide on the right, and his well delivered centre was met with a looping header by Kenny Browne at the back post, but there was just too much on it as it dropped over Delaney but also the crossbar. Three minutes later Cummins found himself unmarked in the area, but he delayed his shot by a fraction, allowing Robbie Hedderman time to get across to block. As the Blues piled on the pressure, Seamus Long did brilliantly well on 80 minutes, picking up on a loose ball and skipping past two challenges before sidefooting inches wide of the far post from the edge of the area.

Unbelievably, as the home side pressed forward, a swift Shelbourne counter saw Derek Doyle meet a right wing cross totally unmarked, his header crashing back off the upright with Devine stranded. But the home side hardly paused for breath, pushing on with determination, though with little in the way of further chances until deep into injury time, when once again the football Gods showed that it wasn’t to be Waterford’s night. Sullivan did well down the right, pulling it back for Dave Warren, who scuffed his attempt, but only into the path of Cummins, ten yards out, who hammered it off the underside of the crossbar and out. As the attack was renewed, Kearney forced another wonder save from Delaney from close range, and with it went the Blues’ last chance of Premier football for next year.

Waterford United: Michael Devine; Alan Carey, Kevin Murray, Kenny Browne, John Kearney; Paul Walsh (David Grincell 85), Gary Dunphy (Stephen Grant 83), Seamus Long, Vinny Sullivan; Graham Cummins, Willie John Kiely (Dave Warren 76) - subs: Kevin Burns, Kevin Waters

Goals:

Booked: Long, Kiely

Shelbourne: Dean Delaney, Michael Synnott, Robbie Hedderman, Alan Keely (David Crawley 42), Damien Delaney, Mark O’Brien, David McGill, David Cassidy (Derek Doyle 73), Tony Griffiths (Colin O’Brien 82), Anto Flood, David McAllister- subs: Vinne Whelan, Stephen Quigley

Goals: Griffiths 11

Booked: Flood, McAllister, Hedderman

Referee: Graham Kelly (Cork)