Galway join Cork City at top of First Division after win over Waterford

Manu Dimas grabbed his second goal of the season to inflict a third league defeat on a disjointed Waterford FC at the RSC

Manu of the moment: Manu Dimas of Galway United, second from right, celebrates with team-mates after scoring his side's first goal against Waterford at the RSC. Photo: Michael P Ryan/Sportsfile

SSE Airtricity First Division 

Waterford FC 0 Galway United 1 (Manu Dimas ’13) 

Manu Dimas grabbed his second goal of the season to help Galway United join leaders Cork City at the summit of the SSE Airtricity First Division table after inflicting a third league defeat on a disjointed Waterford FC at the RSC.

After the sides played out a thrilling 2-2 draw in their previous March meeting, this was the opposite as Dimas’ 13th minute strike after a sweeping move steered John Caulfield’s side to a hard fought win.

Galway should have struck the front from a set piece on nine minutes when Conor McCormack sent over a left-wing corner kick that picked out the run of the unmarked Stephen Walsh, but he headed wide of an open goal from close-range.

The visitors did get their noses in front on 13 minutes with a sweeping move when Wilson Waweru slipped the ball inside for David Hurley, who released Alex Murphy into the clear, and his teasing cross was turned home by the left-foot of Manu Dimas past Brian Murphy.

After a tentative opening to the second half, it was the Blues that had a glimpse in front of goal on 65 minutes when Shane Griffin slipped the ball into the feet of Cian Kavanagh on the top of the penalty area, but his right-footed curling effort just flashed wide.

It was the crossbar that twice denied the home side the levelling goal on 80 minutes when Patterson sent over a right-wing corner kick that found the head of Cian Kavanagh, and after his header came crashing back off the woodwork, Kilian Cantwell also rattled the woodwork with a piledriving effort that went over.

WATERFORD FC: Brian Murphy, Darragh Power, Kilian Cantwell, Kevin Joshua, Richard Taylor, Shane Griffin, Niall O’Keeffe, Yassine En-Neyah (Louis Britton ’57), Phoenix Patterson, Cian Kavanagh (Tunmise Sobowale ’81), Junior Quitirna (Roland Idowu ’20).

GALWAY UNITED: Conor Kearns, Conor O’Keeffe, Diego Portilla, Killian Brouder, Alex Murphy, Conor McCormack, David Hurley (Charlie Lyons ’90), Mikie Rowe (Ed McCarthy ’60), Wilson Waweru (Max Hemmings ’90), Manu Dimas (Gary Boylan ’78), Stephen Walsh.

Referee: Alan Patchell (Dublin).