Munster derby draw is of little comfort for Cork City
Cork City remain rooted to the bottom of the Premier Division after a frenetic Munster derby finished scoreless at Turner's Cross.
Cian Coleman had a headed goal controversially disallowed for the home side while former Ireland international Daryl Murphy spurned a hat-trick of late chances for the Blues.
In truth, a point apiece was a fair result, but it leaves both sides frustrated, as City remain in dire relegation trouble - the are eight games without a league win - while Waterford remain just outside of the European placings.
On this day three years ago, City won the league with a scoreless draw against Derry City at Turner's Cross. On that occasion there were just 5,857 fans there to see City claim the title after the Derrynane Stand was left gnarled and torn by Storm Ophelia. Three years later and Covid-19 regulations meant the game was played without fans.
Captain Gearoid Morrissey was the only one survivor from that night in Colin Healy's starting XI, with the manager making two changes from the side beaten 2-0 by Dundalk in midweek, with Alec Byrne and former Waterford man Cory Galvin coming in for Alan Bennett and Uniss Kargbo. Waterford boss Fran Rockett made one change from the side narrowly beaten by Shelbourne, with Jake Davidson replacing Tunmise Sobowale.
City started brightly, and Blues' keeper Brian Murphy was alert to save Jake O'Brien's header from a Kevin O'Connor cross just two minutes in. Three minutes later Davidson had to be alert to keep out Deshane Dalling's dangerous ball into the box.
On the sideline, City boss Healy, a quiet man off the pitch, was a constant source of vocal encouragement to his players,.
And after 10 minutes City should have made the breakthrough. Dylan McGlade played a clever flick to send Dalling clear, and McGlade was there again to meet Dalling's return but his sidefooted effort from inside the box was too close to Murphy.
This was proper Munster derby fare and referee Ben Connolly had to restore order as Alec Byrne and Robbie Weir squared up as tensions mounted. Dalling's movement was troubling the visitors, and he got in behind to again feed McGlade on 19 minutes but his shot was off target.
Waterford soaked up the early pressure and began to dominate, and City defender Joseph Olowu had to be alert to cut out Matthew Smith's fizzed across goal.
Kurtis Byrne then robbed Jake O'Brien of possession but his audacious lobbed effort from 35 yards dropped the wrong side of the crossbar.
Five minutes before the break and Waterford almost took the lead, Byrne finding space inside the box and keeper Bossin went full stretch to push his effort away from goal.
Darragh Power then tested City nerves with his volleyed pass across the six-yard box, and the half-time whistle came as a welcome relief to the home side.
The second half started tamely Dalling's effort from distance the only effort of note.
Waterford boss Rockett shook things up, replacing Byrne with former Ireland international Murphy while Healy replaced Byrne with striker Kit Elliott. McGlade went desperately closer to making the breakthrough on 74 minutes when his effort from the left edge of the box was spectacularly tipped over the crossbar by Waterford keeper Murphy. From the resultant corner Cian Coleman headed home but the effort was ruled out by referee Connolly, who appeared to spot a foul in the box, much to the frustration of the City players.
Healy threw on Beineoin O'Brien-Whitmarsh as City made a last effort to take all three points.
City had claims for a penalty turned down when Dalling's effort blasted off the arm of Darragh Power. And with five minutes to play Waterford survived again, keeper Brian Murphy saving from Dalling, then getting up to push Elliott's follow-up from six yards over the crossbar.
A suckerpunch almost arrived on 89 minutes as Daryl Murphy rounded Bossin but couldn't turn home, and the former Nottingham Forest man was foiled by Bossin again just seconds later.
A third chance for Murphy arrived deep in injury time when set up by sub Will Longbottom but Bossin saved again.
Sub O'Brien-Whitmarsh saw his effort saved by Brian Murphy in a frenetic finale but there was to be no fairytale finish.
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