Waterford United  3 – 2  Athlone Town

Waterford United’s season hung by a thread for three minutes into injury time before Kevin Murray popped up for an incredible winner that sees the Blues close the gap at the top and move into second place temporarily and sets up a final night bonanza at Tolka Park next Saturday evening.

Manager Stephen Henderson made just one change with Alan Carey returning to the right back position after suspension in place of Paul Carey.

The game was delayed for ten minutes after Assistant Referee Andrew Mullally was injured in warm u. Sean Grant took over the line with local referee Ian Paul coming in as fourth official.

After opening yp brightly, the visitorsdeservedly took the lead after just 6 minutes when a Paddy Collins cross was misjudged by Seamus Long and it fell to Ryan McEvoy who fired across Kevin Burns to the corner.

Waterford’s response was immediate as Timmy Purcell raced down the right flank before crossing low for Paul Murphy but Michael Schlingermann managed to block  the shot.

The lead lasted just four minutes when an excellent Blues move was finsihed by Murphy. Timmy Purcell played a delightful incisivc ball through for John Kearney shot was parried by the Athlone keeper to Liam Kearney who spotted Murphy in space and when he recieved the ball he fired through Schlingermann’s legs for the equaliser.

Waterford continued to dominate but couldn’t find another breakthrough before the half time break. Kevin Murray did test Schlingermann with a header on the stroke of half time but he gathered it with ease. Waterford did have one scare ten minutes before the break when McEvoy spotted Burns off his line and he forced the Blues’ netminder to touch a twenty five yard free kick onto the crossbar.

Waterford were rocked two minutes after the break when Seamus Long’s attempted backheader dropped to Andy Haran and he camly chipped it over Burns to give the Midlanders an undeserved lead. And minutes later Austin Skelly came close with a left footed effort that skimmed the outside of the post.

Kevin Murray rose highest to meet a Murphy free kick from the left on the hour mark but he couldn’t find the target. And minutes later Schlingermann dived full length to toouch a Murphy piledriver over the bar.

Waterford kept the pressure up and Willie John Kiely came close on 64 minutes with another superb strike that just blazed over the crossbar. And Murray hit the crossbar a minute later when he met a Murphy corner at the back post.

The Blues were dealt a further blow when Vinny Sullivan, a substitute for Gary Dunphy, lasted just 8 minutes before a clash with the goalkeeper saw him injured and he was replaced by Shane Barrett.

Waterford were back on level terms six minutes from time when substitute Paul Wash was unmarked at the back post and he met Murphy’s inch perfect cross to power home the equaliser.

It set up a frenetic final four minutes as the Blues went in search of a winner as they camped inside the Athlone penalty box and the best move of the game brought an unlikely victory as Coady charged down the left flank, passed it inside to John Kearney and kept running to receive it back before crossing low into the danger zone where Murray was on hand to bundle the ball over the line.

Waterford United: Kevin Burns; Alan Carey, Seamu Long, Kevin Murray, Michael Coady, Timmy Purcell (Paul Walsh 66), John Kearney, Gary Dunphy (Vinny Sullivan 72 (Shane Barrett 80)), Liam Kearney, Paul Murphy, Willie John Kiely- subs: Chris Konopka, Kevin Waters

Goals: Murphy 10, Walsh 84, Murray 93

Booked: Murphy

Athlone Town: Michael Schlingermann, Mark Nolan, Garvan Broughall, Paddy Collins, David Breen, Stephen Relihan, Jason Hughes (Brian McCarthy 89), Ryan McEvoy, Shane Fitzgerald, Austin Skelly, Andy Haran (Daniel O’Reilly 65) – subs: Kieran Maloney, Robbie Murray, Scott Gaynor

Goals: McEvoy 6, Haran 47

Booked: Collins, Skelly

Referee: P Caschera