Waterford United  3 – 0  Wexford Youths

Waterford United got their 2010 League campaign off to a flying start at the RSC on Friday night, with a comprehensive 3-0 victory over an out-of-sorts Wexford Youths.

After a lively start, the Blues took an early lead through the in-form Vinny Sullivan. The tall striker continued his hot pre-season streak as he timed his run to perfection to pick up Timmy Purcell’s clever low through-ball into the area, and skipped around Packie Holden to roll home inside the near post on seven minutes. Purcell went close to setting up a second moments later when a viciously spinning cross from the right was almost diverted into his own net by David Breen, but Holden was alert to the danger.

The Youths did have an early sight of goal through a well struck 25-yard Shane Dempsey snap-shot, but in truth they were already struggling in the early exchanges when their task became well nigh impossible on 20 minutes, as Warren Broaders saw a straight red card for a two-footed lunge on Kevin Murray. Down to ten men and with both centre halves carrying knocks (Anthony Wolfe was not to see out the first period), the visitors’ defence was to be in for a torrid night, typified by Dean Broaders – no relation – backtracking to hurriedly hook a low Liam Kearney cross just over his own crossbar.

Minutes later Willie John Kiely almost got in on the end of a Purcell pass, but Holden was out bravely to save at his feet, and, with a swift restart, sent play up the other end where Wexford almost snatched an unlikely equaliser. Chris Konopka’s weak clearance fell to Gary Sheahan, but his quick return caught team mate Danny Furlong totally on the hop, and he couldn’t get the ball out from under his feet to shoot cleanly. The Blues reacted well to the wake up call, and Sullivan, Kevin Murray and Paul McCarthy all went close from close range before the half-time whistle.

Unchanged after the break, United weren’t long about doubling their advantage when, on the 54 minute mark, Kiely got onto the end of McCarthy’s neat ball down the left channel, skipped past Aidan McCann, and bore down on goal, foxing Holden into moving the wrong way and then clipping home at the near post. The Abbeyside striker could have doubled his tally almost immediately, as he sprung the offside trap onto a ball over the top, but in turn hooked it over his shoulder and the crossbar. Just on the hour, Kearney, giving an examplary performance, fired in a dangerous cross that a helpless Broaders was relieved to see deflect inches wide of his far post.

With United pushing on the feeling was that another goal was coming, and it duly arrived on 71 minutes, when sub David Grincell was brought crashing down in the box by McCann as he raced clear onto McCarthy’s slide rule pass, and Alan Carey stepped up to rifle home to the roof of the net from the spot. The Youths might have folded at that stage, but to their credit they kept trying to get forward, and created a couple of half chances for themselves late on: Jimmy Keohane firing over the top when well placed, and Furlong sending a looping header just wide of the far post, but it was United who looked most likely to score again.

Into the last ten minutes, great approach work from Kearney set up Grincell to force a fine close range block out of Holden, and then Sullivan ghosted in onto a magical reverse pass from the Conna man that disected the defence, but he shot narrowly wide of the far post. Right at the death Gary Dunphy came closest of all, as an immaculately struck 30-yard drive came crashing back off the crossbar, which really would have been a suitable way to cap an excellent opening team performance.

Waterford United: Chris Konopka; Alan Carey, John Hayes, Kevin Murray, Kevin Waters; Timmy Purcell (Gareth Cambridge 67), Paul McCarthy, Seamus Long (Gary Dunphy 80), Liam Kearney; Vinny Sullivan, Willie John Kiely (David Grincell 67) - subs: Paul Carey, James O’Sullivan

Goals: Sullivan 7, Kiely 54, A Carey 71 pen

Booked: Long

Wexford Youths: Packie Holden, Anthony Russell, Warren Broaders, David Breen, Anthony Wolfe (Aidan McCann 36), Patsy Malone (Chris Kenny 78), Dean Broaders, Shane Dempsey, Danny Furlong (Lee Aust 85), Gary Sheahan, Jimmy Keohane – subs: Pa Doyle, John Byrne

Booked: Furlong, Russell, McCann

Sent Off: W Broaders 21

Referee: Graham Kelly (Cork)

pics courtesy of Jim O’Sullivan