Waterford seal second spot after win over Athlone
ON THE SCORESHEET: Waterford's Phoenix Patterson. File pic: INPHO/Laszlo Geczo
A turbulent season for Waterford FC that saw an early change of manager and also a change of owner ended in a second placed finish in the SSE Airtricity First Division after a 4-2 win over Athlone Town in their contest at the RSC.
After the disappointment of losing the cup semi-final to Shelbourne, Danny Searle’s men will now have to prepare for the playoffs where they’ll face Treaty United in the first-leg at the Market’s Field on Wednesday before Saturday’s return leg at the RSC next Saturday evening.
Waterford took the lead on 18 minutes when Phoenix Patterson swung in a left-wing corner-kick that was touched on by Darragh Power for Richard Taylor, who saw his close-range header saved, but Wassim Aouachria was on hand to head the rebound home.
It came as no real surprise that the second Blues goal that arrived on the half hour mark came from the brilliant Phoenix Patterson – his 17th of the season, as he took a pass from Darragh Power before cutting in from the left, and he found the far corner with an exquisite left-footed finish.
A third goal for the hosts arrived on 39 minutes when Power showed his class down the left channel to slip the ball into the path of Aouachria, who played the ball back to the penalty spot for Junior Quitirna to finish left-footed past Athlone keeper Vladi Velikin.
The second-half was four minutes old when the visitors pulled a goal back when Jack Kavanagh swung over a left-wing cross that seemed to be controlled by the hand of Adam Lennon in front of referee David Dunne, but he waved play on, and the youngster rifled a left-footed shot past a helpless Paul Martin.
With Darragh Power judged harshly to have fouled Lennon on the right-side of the area on 52 minutes, it allowed Athlone the chance to really get back into the game as defender Jarlaith Jones powered an unstoppable left-footed strike to the far corner past Martin.
It was a goal of quality that put the Blues back in the driving seat seven minutes later when Junior Quitirna showed neat control to set Uche into the clear down the right, and he crossed into the centre for Wassim Aouachria, who turned brilliantly onto his right-foot, to blast the ball past Enda Minogue.
Paul Martin, Tunmise Sobowale, Richard Taylor, Kilian Cantwell, Alex Baptiste (Dean Larkin ’79), Darragh Power (Jeremie Milambo ’86), Shane Griffin, Yassine En-Neyah (Timi Sobowale ’79), Junior Quitirna (Remi Thompson ’86), Wassim Aouachria, Phoenix Patterson (Raúl Uche ’68).
Vladi Velikin (Enda Minogue ’46), Jarlaith Jones, Noah Van Geenan, Andy Spain, Adam Lennon (Matty McCarrick ‘8), Aaron Connolly, Oisin Duffy (Matthew Leal ’88), Gary Armstrong (Jack Kavanagh ’31), Patrick Hickey, Charles Mutawe (Donal Curtain ’46), Thomas Oluwa.
David Dunne (Dublin).
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