Shamrock Rovers go top with narrow win over Waterford

Graham Burke’s fifth goal in six games was the difference between the two sides on the night.

Fri, 01 May, 2026 - 22:16

Paul Buttner, Tallaght Stadium

Shamrock Rovers 1 Waterford 0

Graham Burke’s fifth goal in six games proved enough to return Shamrock Rovers to winning ways and back to the top of the Premier Division table.

But Stephen Bradley’s champions had to work hard for the three points here against a spirited Waterford side. Despite owning much of the ball, they couldn’t add to Burke's first half strike while riding their luck on several occasions at the other end.

Rovers thus edge a point back above St Patrick’s Athletic at the summit.

On a frustrating night for Waterford, skipper Padraig Amond wasted two one-on-ones, as they remain without a win while an eighth defeat of the campaign sees Jon Daly’s side slip nine points adrift at the bottom.

Dominating the ball from the off, Rovers pinned Waterford in their own half with Adam Brennan weaving some magic to rifle the first shot in anger just over Arlo Doherty’s crossbar on four minutes.

Enda Stevens, Jack Byrne and Brennan then worked the ball to Burke whose low delivery flashed across the face of goal with the finishing touch all that was missing.

The pressure remained on the visitors’ goal with Matt Healy having a shot deflected back to him before flicking the rebound just off target.

Despite being on the back foot, it was Blues who had the game’s first real opening on 10 minutes.

Jordan Houston’s long ball saw Amond cleverly skip in behind Tunmise Sobowale to put himself through on goal. Ed McGinty stood up well to make the parry save.

Service soon resumed at the other end, Victory Ozhianvuna and Burke seeing efforts not find the target as Waterford defended stoutly.

But Blues were finally carved open on 25 minutes when Rovers deservedly took the lead.

Healy fed the overlapping Stevens down the left. The cross had the perfect pace on it for Burke, arriving on cue at the near post, to nonchalantly side-foot home.

Their tails up, Rovers troubled the Blues goal twice in quick succession on the half hour mark. Burke found a yard of space on the right to bring a parry save from Doherty before Byrne worked the keeper from distance.

Doherty was busy again minutes later, pushing Michael Noonan’s shot out for Hoops first corner of the night after Burke’s run and pass put the 17-year-old in down the inside left channel.

Another let off arrived four minutes before the interval in a route one attack.

Noonan showed his pace to outrun Hayden Cann onto Sipper Roberto Lopes’ long ball. The defender recovered well to get back goal side to deflect Noonan’s shot onto a post.

But it was McGinty who had to rescue Rovers in the first chance of the second half 10 minutes in.

A sublime diagonal ball from Cann was controlled by Amond’s superb first touch. Once again, the Hoops ‘keeper thwarted the Blues’ captain with a big save.

It wasn’t long before tenacious defending was needed at the opposite end, John Mahon making a terrific block to frustrate Noonan from substitute Aaron Greene’s cross.

Rovers remained vulnerable in transition, though. Healy lost possession to gift the ball to Evan McLaughlin who opted to shoot over the top when a pass to the unmarked Sam Glenfield was the ball.

Despite a number of frights, Rovers had done enough to earn the win and regain their place at the top of the table.

Shamrock Rovers: McGinty; Sobowale, Lopes (Grace, 68), Stevens; Mulraney (Matthews, 63), Healy, Byrne (Watts, 63), Ozhianvuna, Brennan (Asamoah, 68); Burke (Greene, 68); M. Noonan.

Waterford: Doherty; Houston (Faria, 83), Cann, Long, Mahon, Couto; Noonan, McMenamy (Longeran, 83), McLaughlin (Coyle, 77): Carty (Voilas, 71), Amond (Glenfield, 71).

Referee: Lucas Keating.