Waterford FC 1

Shamrock Rovers 2

Adrian Flanagan reports from the RSC

ROBERTO LOPES came off the bench to stretch the unbeaten run of champions Shamrock Rovers to five games as they inflicted back-to-back home defeats on Waterford FC in the SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division on Easter Monday.

Lopes, who replaced the injured Lee Grace in the first half, headed home a 71st-minute winner after the Blues had levelled through Robbie McCourt following Darragh Burns opener ten minutes into the second half as Stephen Bradley’s side made it three wins on the trot.

A tentative opening 45 minutes was limited in terms of chances, the champions took the lead on 55 minutes when a long ball over the top from a Poom free-kick split the Waterford defence, and after Burns took the ball past Sargeant, he slotted left-footed to an empty net.

But the home side were level on 64 minutes from a set-piece when substitute Maleace Asamoah was tripped on the edge of the penalty area, and McCourt beat Leon Pohls at his near post with a deflected left-footed free-kick that brought joyous scenes from the home faithful.

Rovers struck for the golden goal on 71 minutes when Conan Noonan ran down the left before putting in a pin-point cross that found the head of Lopes, who planted a header past Sam Sargeant from close range.

Waterford FC: Sargeant, Power, Forde (Arubi 81), Horton, Radkowski, McCourt (McMenamy 90), McDonald (Macadam 62), McCormack, Parsons, Evans (Asamoah 62), Amond.

Shamrock Rovers: Pohls, Hoare, Grace (Lopes 31), Cleary, Burns, Noonan (Clarke 77), O’Neill, Towell (Nugent 62), Poom, Greene (Dillon 77), Burke (Honohan 77).

Referee: Rob Hennessy (Dublin).

Attendance: 3681