Hat-trick for sub Akachukwu sees Waterford into play-off final

HAT TRICK HERO: Romeo Akachukwu came of the bench to score a hat trick for Waterford to see them into the play-off final. Pic: Seb Daly/Sportsfile

SSE Airtricity Men’s First Division playoff

Waterford FC 3 (Romeo Akachukwu ’64, 78, 90+4)

Athlone Town 1 (Frantz Pierrot pen '71)

Romeo Akachukwu was sprung from the bench by Waterford FC Head Coach just past the hour mark of their SSE Airtricity Men’s First Division playoff second-leg and the Republic of Ireland Under 18 International scored an incredible hat-trick as the Blues got the better of Athlone Town at a rain lashed RSC.

After a scoreless first-half where both sides had half chances, it was Akachukwu that was the hero of the game for the home side as his brilliant treble sent the home faithful in the strong 2237 crowd home signing in the rain.

Roland Idowu went close to putting the hosts in front on 32 minutes when some good build-up play involving Rowan McDonald and Barry Baggley saw the latter turn provider for the winger, but his well-struck left-footed strike from 25 yards whistled inches wide of the right-hand post.

Blues keeper Sam Sargeant was called into action to make a smart double save two minutes later. Giles Phillips was penalised for a foul on Frantz Pierrot that resulted in a caution for the skipper, and after Pierrot’s free-kick was parried away, the netminder also got a strong hand on the close-range rebound from Noah van Geenen.

The hosts got their noses in front on 64 minutes when Coughlan picked up possession out on the left before skipping past three players when cutting into the area, and he pulled the ball back for the substitute Romeo Akachukwu, who was only on the field three minutes, hammered home from six yards.

Athlone were level from the penalty spot seven minutes later when centre back Derik Osede pulled back Pierrot, and referee Gavin Colfer pointed to the spot where Pierrot calmly slotted past Blues keeper Sam Sargeant.

Waterford regained the lead on 78 minutes when Barry Baggley played a peach of a pass that picked out the run of Coughlan, who in turn slipped the ball into the feet of Akachukwu, and he drilled a low right-footed to the bottom left-hand corner.

The 17-year-old completed a stunning second-half hat-trick deep into second-half injury-time when Roland Idowu did superbly well to take possession of a loose clearance from Noah van Geenen before setting the hero clear on goal, and he applied the finish to send the Blues into the playoff final next weekend.

Waterford FC: Sam Sargeant; Darragh Power, Derik Osede (Kilian Cantwell ’75), Giles Phillips, Ryan Burke; Barry Baggley, Rowan McDonald (Niall O’Keeffe ’75), Roland Idowu, Dean McMenamy (Romeo Akachukwu ’61), Connor Parsons; Ronan Coughlan.

Athlone Town: Enda Minogue; Jack Kavanagh (Josh McGlone ‘7) (Dylan Gavin ’61), Fuentes Rodriguez, Noah van Geenan, Oisin Duffy; Matthew Baker (Matthew Leal ’88); Daniel McKenna, Patrick Hickey, Aaron Connolly, Valerii Dolia (Shane Forbes ’88); Frantz Pierrot.

Referee: Gavin Colfer (Wicklow).