Waterford stun City in thriller

A RESURGENT Waterford United inflicted a first defeat of the season on Cork City and with it put a major dent in the Leesiders promotion bid in a five-goal thriller in last night’s Munster derby at Turners Cross.

The first half did little to enthuse the 1824 souls who braved the rain but the second half was an action packed spectacle with Paul Walsh’s goal 12 minutes from time turning out to be the winner.

Cork boss Tommy Dunne was forced to reshuffle his back four with centre back Gavin Kavanagh suspended for three games after being sent off in last week’s draw in Monaghan. This meant a start for Neal Horgan at right back with Stephen Mulcahy moving across to partner Kalen Spillane at the heart of the City defence.

Dunne welcomed back Shane Duggan from suspension, which meant Vinny Sullivan had to be content with a place on the bench.

Waterford had former Cork City player Kevin Murray returning to partner Kenny Browne at the back, which meant Paul Carey was dropped to the bench. New signing Adam McSherry, who scored twice on his impressive debut last week, started up front with Paul Murphy.

All the action in the first half was packed into the five minutes before the break when the visitors should really have been in front having piled on the pressure.

First, Paul Walsh’s cross from the byline skimmed across McNulty’s six yard box but the in rushing Conor Sinnott couldn’t direct his diving header on target.

Paul Murphy then thought he had given his side the lead two minutes before the break but his header agonisingly came back off the post. Then McSherry was inches away from connecting with another inswinging cross from Walsh.

City hit the front three minutes into the second period when Michael Coady headed Danny Murphy’s cross into his own net when under pressure from Gearoid Morrissey.

The Blues were level six minutes later when City keeper Mark McNulty let Seamus Long’s cross slip through his hands and Dwanye Wilson finished.

Morrissey should have restored City’s advantage straight from the kick-off but he blazed Danny Murphy’s cross over the crossbar from only six yards out.

O’Brien’s side took the lead three minutes later when Derek O’Brien was harshly adjudged to have brought down Conor Sinnott inside the area, and Sinnott himself converted the penalty.

Shane Duggan was narrowly off target before Dunne introduced Davin O’Neill and Vinny Sullivan as City went in search of an equaliser. The equaliser came from another penalty midway through the second half. Cummins smashed home the penalty after he was brought down in the box by Seamus Long.

Waterford were not to be outdone however and 12 minutes from time, Michael Coady robbed Davin O’Neill of the ball on the byline and crossed for the inrushing Walsh to score the winner.

CORK CITY: McNulty, Horgan, Mulcahy (D Morrissey 90), Spillane, Murphy, G Morrissey, Duggan , O’Halloran (Sullivan 62), O’Brien, Escude-Candau (O’Neill 62), Cummins.

WATERFORD UNITED: Burns; Long, Browne, Murray, Coady; Walsh, Sinnott, Dunphy, Wilson (Keane 90), McSherry (Kiely 80), Murphy.

Referee: J McKell (Tipperary).