WATERFORD enjoyed an away victory at Shamrock Rovers at Long last as they claimed their first win in Dublin 24 yesterday evening.
Superb efforts from Dean McMenamy and Connor Parsons, following a Leon Pohls OG, did the damage for Keith Long’s side, leaving the champions with some soul-searching to do.
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Their first back-to-back wins of the season send Waterford up to sixth place as Rovers rue the chance to have potentially gone top for the first time in 2024.
The Blues started positively with five at the back, forcing an early corner from which they took the lead on three minutes, punishing a goalkeeping howler.
Pádraig Amond and Parsons had availed of sloppy Rovers play at Tallaght Stadium to break down the left to force the corner.
Hoops keeper Pohls failed to gather ex-Hoops midfielder McMenamy’s delivery, flapping the ball into his own net despite the best effort of Markus Poom to keep it out.
In a lively opening to the game, winger Trevor Clarke blazed wide from a Seán Kavanagh cross before Rovers were level on eight minutes.
Waterford keeper Sam Sargeant could only clear Johnny Kenny’s header as far as Dan Cleary — and his follow-up was parried by Sargeant back to Kenny who swept home his fourth goal in successive games.
Blues were close to regaining the lead just four minutes later when veteran striker Amond again linked with winger Parsons who cut inside Roberto Lopes to curl his shot just wide.
With their confidence sky high, the visitors regained the lead on 17 minutes.
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Parsons combined well again with Amond whose drive came back off Josh Honohan — but only as far as McMenamy who chested the ball down and drilled it into the bottom corner from 25 yards.
Rovers then began to find a foothold in the game and in the 33rd minute, Kavanagh worked a one-two from a throw-in on the left to cross.
Blues skipper Darragh Leahy did well to deflect Clarke’s shot out for Rovers’ first corner of the evening.
Minutes later, Aaron Greene collected a loose clearance to rifle just off target while Clarke came close before the interval.
There was more pressure after the break, with Poom’s free tipped over for another corner.
Blues survived to extend their lead with a cracker on 54.
Rovers failed to clear Maleace Asamoah’s shot which Pohls pushed away and the loose ball was pounced on by Parsons who got it on to his left to fire home off the underside of the bar. Rovers piled on the pressure for the rest of the game.
Kenny rattled the crossbar while Cleary also twice hit the woodwork as Waterford held on for their first away win over Rovers in 19 years — with that game played at Dalymount Park.
SUN STAR MAN
Rowan McDonald (Waterford)
SHAMROCK ROVERS: Pohls 5; Cleary 6, Lopes 6, Honohan 6; Poom 6 (Barrett 78, 6), Noonan 6 (Farrugia 55, 6); Clarke 6 (C O’Sullivan 70, 6), Nugent 6, Kavanagh 6 (Byrne 56, 6); Kenny 7, Greene 6.
WATERFORD: Sargeant 7; Power 7, Radkowski 7, Horton 7, McCourt 7, Leahy 7; McDonald 8, McMenamy 7 (O’Keeffe 90, 6); Asamoah 7 (Macadam 70, 6), Amond 7, Parsons 7 (Pattisson 82, 6).
REFEREE: E O’Shea (Tipperary) 6.
