Galway United 2
Waterford 1
GALWAY UNITED CAME from behind for a huge victory against familiar foes Waterford in a tense battle of the promoted sides in Eamonn Deacy Park.
Familiarity has bred some contempt between these sides and there was an edge to the game from the start. Waterford settled early and Robbie McCourt fired a warning shot over the bar after a couple of minutes.
United were strong and direct and tested Sam Sargeant in the Waterford goal early. He gathered the crosses well and set his side on the attack where possible.
In the 18th minute he unleashed the flying Darragh Power on the right. He raced to the byline and blasted a ball across the face of goal, and Pádraig Amond tapped home for a dream start.
There were nightmares at the other end as Aodh Dervin failed to cap an outstanding first-half performance with a goal. He struck beautifully from the edge of the box in the 29th minute saw his effort hit the bar.
Sargeant stopped him two minutes later after he pounced on a loose pass in the Waterford defence. Three minutes after that, Kacper Radkowski blocked his shot on the line.
Shortly after the turnaround United got their deserved leveller. Dervin turned provider and whipped in a cross that Vincent Borden steered home for 1-1.
A fiery contest ensued after the goal. Despite the lack of goalmouth action, it was full octane and full commitment from both side on a tricky playing surface.
With chances at a premium, a third goal felt like it would be decisive. It came, after a long stalemate, when David Hurley thundered a low drive into the bottom corner of the net from a free at the edge of the box.
There were nervy moments to withstand with a Barry Baggley free threatening in the dying embers of added time. United held on for a win they certainly earned and will feel they deserved.
GALWAY UNITED: Brendan Clarke; Colm Horgan, Rob Slevin, Killian Brouder, Regan Donelon (Al-Amin Kazeem 71); Aodh Dervin (Jeannot Esua 71), Vince Borden (Patrick Hickey 84), Conor McCormack, David Hurley, Ed McCarthy (Maurice Nugent 90); Karl O’ Sullivan.
WATERFORD: Sam Sargeant; Darragh Power, Grant Horton, Kacper Radkowski, Darragh Leahy (Maleace Asamoah 81), Robert McCourt (Ryan Burke 62); Harvey Macadam (Romeo Akachukwu 68, Niall O’ Keeffe (Rowan McDonald 62), Barry Baggley; Pádraig Amond, Connor Parsons.
Referee: Alan Patchell