Danny Mandriou brace sees Waterford slip into relegation trouble

The game was held up for a period of eight minutes when a number of Shamrock Rovers fans launched fireworks onto the playing area

The game was held up for a period of eight minutes when a number of Shamrock Rovers fans launched fireworks onto the playing area. Picture: Seb Daly/Sportsfile

Waterford FC 1 Shamrock Rovers 3

A brace from Danny Mandriou sandwiched between a Sean Hoare header saw champions Shamrock Rovers come from behind to defeat Waterford FC in their SSE Airtricity Premier Division clash played at the RSC as the Blues slip into the relegation play-off position on goal difference.

Waterford shocked Stephen Bradley’s side when they struck the front on 12 minutes. Jack Stafford sent over a left-wing cross that saw defender Lee Grace and keeper Leon Pohls, get involved in a complete misunderstanding, and John Martin fired home from 12 yards for his 10th league goal of the season.

The game was held up for a period of eight minutes with 16 minutes on the clock when a number of Shamrock Rovers fans launched fireworks onto the playing area hitting Waterford player Anthony Wordsworth, and referee Rob Hennessy took both teams off the field of play.

Graham Burke went close to levelling matters with a minute of added time in the half played when Sean Gannon’s right-wing cross was cleared by defender Greg Halford into the path of the attacker, but his cracking 20-yard shot was turned around the posts by Brian Murphy.

The champions drew level on 70 minutes when Dylan Watts sent over a left-wing corner kick that saw Mandroiu peel off his marker to power a close-range header inside a crowded penalty area past keeper Brian Murphy.

Watts turned provider once again six minutes later as Rovers went in front when his left-wing free kick was missed by Murphy, and Hoare headed home from six yards, before Mandroiu added a third in injury time when finishing off a sublime through ball from the impressive Watts.

WATERFORD FC: Murphy; Evans, Halford, Nolan, Stafford; Wordsworth, O’Keeffe, Griffin (Power ’75) ; Martin, Tshipamba (Quitirna ’56), Patterson.

SHAMROCK ROVERS: Pohls; Hoare, Lopes, Grace (Murphy ’60); Gannon, Watts, O’Neill, Farrugia (Cruise ’89); Burke (Abada ’86), Greene, Mandroiu.

Referee: Rob Hennessy (Clare).