McMenamy's 96th minute equaliser rescues point for Waterford against Galway

McMenamy papers over serious cracks in the Waterford performance

Dean McMenamy scored a late equaliser for Waterford against Galway United. Pic: Michael P Ryan/Sportsfile

SSE Airtricity Premier Division: Waterford FC 1 Galway United 1

Dean McMenamy scored a remarkable 96th-minute equaliser for Waterford FC that rescued a point from the jaws of defeat for Jon Daly’s men against Galway United in their clash at the RSC.

The home side played second fiddle to their opponents for long periods. That saw the visitors dominate possession, racking up 16 corners. Their first-half opener came from Killian Brouder’s header.

But the leveller from close-range from McMenamy will paper over the serious cracks in this Waterford team as they were disappointing for long periods. A fifth draw of the campaign levels them six points behind second from bottom Sligo Rovers.

After Ed McCarthy and Stephen Walsh has early chances for the visitors to take the lead, they did eventually find the first-half breakthrough that their dominance deserved with 42 minutes on the clock.

A dangerous David Hurley corner from the right found the head of central defender Killian Brouder, and he couldn’t believe his luck when planting an unchallenged close-range header to the net past Arlo Doherty.

Second-half substitute Tommy Lonergan twice went close with efforts from the top of the penalty area before skipper Padraig Amond saw his deflected effort go agonisingly wide of the target with ten minutes remaining.

There was a final twist in the sixth added minute as the Blues won a corner-kick out on the right that saw Evan McLaughlin swing in a dangerous ball that landed on Padraig Amond’s head, and his header forward was bundled over the line by Dean McMenamy to snatch a late point for the hosts.

WATERFORD FC: Doherty; Houston (Coyle 65), Mahon, Long, Cann, Couto; Glenfield (Noonan 65), Barrett (McMenamy 46), Heeney (McLaughlin 46); Amond, Carty (Lonergan 65).

GALWAY UNITED: Watt; Barratt, Brouder, Facchineri, Wolfe (Williams 84); McCarthy (Lomboto 76), Bolger, Hurley, Amin-Kazeem, Twardek (Keohane 76); Walsh (Pierrot 76).

Referee: Paul Norton (Dublin)