Waterford share the spoils with Shels on return to Premier Division
SHARE OF THE SPOILS: Shelbourne's Sean Gannon is challenged by Connor Parsons of Waterford. Pic: ©INPHO/Tom Maher
As a tractor protest choked traffic around the RSC, some agricultural defending denied Waterford victory in the first Premier Division outing since 2021.
Home form will be crucial for the Blues to consolidate their status and avoiding defeat on their opening night against Damien Duff’s Reds was a return they’ll accept considering additions are expected before Thursday’s deadline.
Maleace Asamoah fired them ahead within three minutes, only for Sean Boyd to equalise 12 minutes before the end and four minutes before he saw red in a flashpoint.
All part of what Duff’s categorises the greatest league in the world.
Being part of the multi-club model is advantageous in the eyes of his opposite number Keith Long, even if they’ve lost their best players to the mothership since the Fleetwood Group assumed control of a distressed asset in August 2023.
It’s most likely players in the standard of Phoenix Patterson, Junior Quitirna and Ronan Coughlan would’ve been snapped up by cross-channel suitors regardless of the linkage but retaining them within their possession keeps the paymasters happy.
Reciprocal benefits have accrued too. Despite clinching promotion, Long was selective with whom he deemed capable of cutting at in superior company but was intent on retaining his Fleetwood loanee Barry Baggley. Once the Northern Ireland U21 midfielder found no joy in breaking into the English League One outfit, a return was facilitated with the captaincy as a bonus.
Also being lined up via that route is another midfielder, Harvey Macadam, but it was the influence of Asamoah that was most telling in illuminating their top-flight return.
This wasn’t quite the turnout of their 2022 FAI Cup semi-final against the same opposition but most of the 4,390 had trickled into the stands and around the perimeter by the time the winger grabbed the opener after just 125 seconds.
A swift pass by goalkeeper Sam Sargeant initiated the move by pitting the debutant in a one-on-one battle with JJ Lunney on the halfway line. Youthfulness ruled supreme by his sprint leaving Lunney in his slipstream and the crowd rose as he neared the penalty box.
Tyreke Wilson did his best to block Asamoah’s sight on goal but all he succeeded in was half-blocking his shot aimed to the far corner which took a deflection to wrongfoot Conor Kearns.
The reigning PFAI Goalkeeper of the Year endured a testing opening to his campaign, seemingly shaky under crosses and responsible for one comical incident when his attempted clearance spun out for a corner and left him on his backside.
It was reflective of Waterford’s contentment, without maximising the chance of adding a second.
Shels were fortunate not to concede a penalty shortly after the opener when Darragh Power was sent tumbling in the box.
The decision of referee Kevin O’Sullivan to blow his whistle after Baggley shrugged off his marker and curled in a cross was bewildering.
Padraig Amond, Long’s marquee capture and one of five debutants, drew a one-handed save from Kearns but was academic due to a fussy official.
Asamoah’s industrious runs had the Reds wobbling, leading to Kameron Ledwidge – an early sub for the injured Shane Griffin – dragging him down to incur a booking.
Duff has set the bar high himself. His first senior managerial job entailed taking over a promoted team but he reached the FAI Cup final in season one, surpassing it in 2023 by finishing fourth to end a 17-year hiatus from the European stage.
Conference League exposure in July was a far cry from these conditions of a rainy dark night and the bread and butter basics the manager pleaded for in his pre-match musings were absent in the early exchanges.
It wasn’t until five minutes before the break that they mustered an effort on target with Wilson’s overhead which landed straight into the arms of Sargeant.
Another former Blue, Mattie Smith, had skied an earlier effort over but Wilson’s closest opening came on the stroke of half-time when he ghosted in to read Gavin Molloy’s crossfield, only for his touch to elude him.
Although Shels were limp as an attacking force, the high defensive line of their hosts was something to be encouraged about.
Still, they laboured after the restart and it was Waterford who produced the best opening, Baggley’s crisp shot, until a frantic last 15 minutes ensued.
A treble substitution by Duff, including Hull City loanee Will Jarvis, on the hour injected some spark but the locals were staying firm until a moment of misfortune cost them.
Jarvis, embarking on his one the dribbles he dazzled with last season, appeared to hit a roadblock in the box but Darragh Leahy’s clearance ricocheted off his own player, Grant Horton, to fizz the ball into the path of Shane Farrell.
With Sargeant flustered, Shane Farrell squared for his fellow substitute Boyd to slot the ball home from eight yards.
Boyd and Horton were involved in another incident six minutes later which smothered any momentum Shels gained.
From a throw-in, the goalscorer looked to have motioned his elbow towards the defender’s face, prompting the nearby O’Sullivan to flash a straight red card.
A point apiece that neither boss can crib about.
: S Sargeant; D Power, K Radkowski, D Leahy, R McCourt, R Burke (G Horton 60); N O’Keeffe, B Baggley; M Asamoah (B McCormack 79), C Parsons (R Akachukwu 72); P Amond.
: C Kearns; S Gannon, L Temple (E Caffrey 60), G Molloy, S Griffin (K Ledwidge 12), T Wilson (S Farrell 60); JJ Lunney, M Coyle (W Jarvis 60); J O’Sullivan, L Burt; M Smith (S Boyd 68).
Kevin O’Sullivan (Cork).
: 4390.
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