A FIRST-HALF DEREK Daly goal sees Waterford FC retain their place at the top of the SSE Airtricity League First Division after a 1-0 win against Longford Town at the RSC.
It took a brilliant finish from Daly after just 12 minutes to ensure the Blues picked up the three points as he finished from 20 yards with a left-footed strike.
It was visitors Longford Town who looked to grab an early lead with efforts from Daniel O’Reilly and Dylan McGlade but neither could make their chances count.
League leaders Waterford took the lead against the run of play after 12 minutes. Kenny McEvoy deflected a Longford Town clearance from Tristan Noack-Hofmann into the path of Daly and he fired a low drive into the bottom corner past the dive of Town keeper Paul Skinner.
Longford Town had a good spell of pressure and came close through McGlade shortly afterwards. Dean Zambra drove forward into space before his scuffed strike found McGlade inside the penalty area, but his strike on the turn was brilliantly saved by Matthew Connor.
The home side came close to doubling their lead through Conor Whittle; he picked up a superb cross-field ball from David McDaid before seeing his curling effort drop just wide of Skinner’s far post.
Waterford almost made it 2-0 before the hour mark. Centre back Patrick McClean drove forward and struck from long range. Town keeper Paul Skinner could only parry the drive to McDaid but Stephen Walsh got back on the line to clear the ball.
The Blues pushed for another with great work from Daly and O’Connor down the left; the latter striking toward goal but McDaid couldn’t get enough contact to trouble Town keeper Skinner.
Longford had two headed chances from Jake Kelly as they looked to level. There were two crosses in two minutes from Dylan McGlade from the left wing but Kelly couldn’t direct either effort to trouble Connor.
The game was almost ended as a contest when Daly did well down the left wing to find room for a cross, but Kenny McEvoy couldn’t get his back-post header on target.
It mattered little as the home side held on against some late Town pressure to seal a 1-0 win to remain at the top of the table.
Waterford remain two points clear of Cobh Ramblers, who were 1-0 winners away to UCD thanks to a 79th-minute Matthew Whelan strike.
Bottom club Wexford FC finally picked up their first win of the season, as Thomas Croke scored in the third minute to give them a 1-0 home victory over Shelbourne.
Waterford FC: Matthew Connor; Robin Dempsey, Kenny Browne, Patrick McClean, Conor Whittle; Kenny McEvoy, Anthony McAlavey, John Martin (Jack Lynch, 82), Derek Daly; Shane O’Connor; David McDaid (Dean Walsh, 75).
Longford Town: Paul Skinner; Mark Langtry (Aidan Friel, 44), Stephen Walsh, Daniel O’Reilly, Tristan Noack-Hofmann; Kealan Dillon, Jake Kelly, Dean Zambra, Dylan McGlade; Kevin O’Connor; Enda Curran (Gavin Boyne, 33).
Referee: John McLoughlin
