Derry keep European dream alive with win in Waterford

Tommy Lonergan gave Waterford the lead in the twenty-second minute with a spectacular goal from the edge of the box, but a Michael Duffy goal and assist turned the game on its head, significantly boosting Derry’s hopes of playing European football next summer.

The Blues started brightly, with Kyle White dragging his shot wide from the edge of the box after just 90 seconds.

Four minutes later, Padraig Almond made a penetrating run down the left flank, leaving Mark Connolly scrambling in his wake before delivering a deft outside-of-the-boot pass to the feet of Tommy Lonergan. As the former St. Patrick’s Athletic man was about to bury his shot, Brian Maher was quick off his line to smother the effort and prevent a certain goal.

Conan Noonan was next to have a go in the nineteenth minute, but Maher got down smartly to save. Moments later, Robbie Benson had the Candystripes’ first effort of the game, but his rising shot from the edge of the Waterford box was never going to trouble Stephen McMullan.

Two minutes later, the Suirsiders took the lead through a terrific solo effort from Tommy Lonergan. The 21-year-old latched onto a loose ball on the edge of the Derry box before bursting past the Candystripes’ defence and unleashing an unstoppable shot into the top corner.

Derry almost responded immediately with a driving run from Michael Duffy, followed by an inch-perfect lofted pass to Ronan Boyce, but the defender couldn’t direct his header on target, the ball drifting just inches over the crossbar.

The Candystripes equalised in the 33rd minute courtesy of a piece of magic from Duffy. Picking up the ball on the right flank, the mercurial winger drove toward the Waterford goal before exquisitely nutmegging Mansfield and slipping a clever pass through to Gavin Whyte, who flicked the ball into the net.

Adam O’Reilly was next to go close in the thirty-seventh minute, his 30-yard strike flashing just inches wide of the bottom-left corner.

In the fortieth minute, Derry took the lead. Niko Radkowski made a costly error as his backpass to McMullan was far too short, allowing Gavin Whyte to intercept before finding the overlapping Michael Duffy. The winger made no mistake, burying his shot into the bottom-left corner.

Waterford tried to respond instantly, with Padraig Almond getting on the end of a deep Horton ball, but he was denied by a point-blank save from Brian Maher, sending Derry in at the break a goal to the good.

The second half turned into a scrappy affair, with neither side managing to create anything of note. With Waterford now chasing the game, the Candystripes set up a low block and looked to see out the result professionally. Cards began to rack up for both sides as the visitors appeared content to slow the game down.

In the sixty-eighth minute, Waterford had a fair claim for a penalty when Conan Noonan rose to meet an Almond flick-on but was bundled over in the six-yard box by Robbie Benson. However, referee Rob Hennessy waved play on.

It wasn’t until the eighty-fifth minute that the half’s first clear-cut chance came this time through Almond, but his close-range effort was blocked by a host of Derry bodies and deflected out for a corner.

Two minutes from time, it was Maher once again who stood firm for the Candystripes. Conan Noonan drilled a shot goalward from the edge of the box, and through a sea of bodies, Maher dived to parry and keep Derry’s lead intact.

As the clock ticked into added time, Noonan had the chance to become a Waterford hero as he lined up a free kick from the edge of the box. However, his curling effort was directed straight at Maher, who gathered with ease.

With the final play of the game, a lofted ball from deep looked poised for Lonergan to volley, but Maher once again pounced off his line to punch clear taking a heavy knock in the process and allowing Derry to hold on for a big win on the road.

The result leaves the Candystripes in second place, six points behind champions-in-waiting Shamrock Rovers and seven ahead of fourth-placed Bohemians. Waterford now slip back into the relegation play-off place, behind Galway and Sligo Rovers on goal difference.

Next up, Derry will entertain Shamrock Rovers at the Brandywell on Sunday week, while Waterford will take on Europe-chasing St. Pats in Inchicore.

Waterford United: Stephen McMullan, Ryan Burke, Grant Horton, James Olayinka (Sam Glenfield 68), Padraig Almond, Kyle White, Niko Radkowski (Trae Coyle 75), Tommy Lonergan, Conan Noonan, Ronan Mansfield, Dean McMenamy (Matty Smith).

Derry: Brian Maher, Ronan Boyce, Adam O’Reilly, Robbie Benson, Mark Connolly, Brandon Fleming (Sam Todd 72), Michael Duffy, Gavin Whyte (Adam Frizzell 72), Hayden Cann, Carl Winchester (Cameron Dummigan 54), Jamie Stott.

Referee: Rob Hennessy

Attendance – 2,243

Man of the Match:

The Derry number one proved to be the match-winner, producing save after save in a game that Waterford can consider themselves very unlucky to have lost, despite Michael Duffy’s goal and assist. In the opening twenty minutes, when the Candystripes struggled to gain a foothold, Maher denied Waterford several times, though he was ultimately beaten by Lonergan’s twenty-first-minute bullet.

Moment of the match:

Brian Maher’s save from Padraig Almond’s close-range header, immediately after Michael Duffy gave Derry the lead, proved to be the decisive moment. Had that effort gone in, Derry’s advantage would have been nullified at the interval, forcing a completely different approach in the second half.

Key battle:

Brian Maher vs Padraig Almond

On another night, the perennial Padraig Almond could have netted a hat-trick and an assist, but Brian Maher was in such inspired form at the RSC that he matched everything the veteran had to throw at him.

Match Stats: Waterford Derry

Shots on Target 6 2

Shots Off target 11 7

Corners 4 2

Yellows 4 5

Reds 0 0

Possession 47 53