Waterford FC 0

Galway United 0

GALWAY UNITED GOALKEEPER Brendan Clarke was the hero for his side as he produced a stunning late save to deny Padraig Amond and ten-man Waterford FC all three points from this SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division clash at the RSC. 

The hosts created the first chance on four minutes when Harvey Macadam sent over a left-wing cross that picked out the run of Maleace Asamoah on the penalty area, but his shot on the volley was straight at Brendan Clarke before Stephen Walsh headed tamely wide at the other end soon afterwards 

Clarke showed his class to deny the Blues the lead goal on nine minutes when midfielder Rowan McDonald cracking in a brilliant effort from 20 yards, but the netminder got down well to turn the ball out for a corner-kick. 

Stephen Walsh brought a fine save out of Waterford keeper Sam Sargeant on 18 minutes when the striker tried is luck with a bicycle kick after getting on the end of a Conor McCormack free-kick before Ben McCormack dragged a shot wide of the target four minutes before the break. 

After a lull in the contest midway through the half, David Hurley latched onto Ed McCarthy’s long throw on 43 minutes, but he fired wide of the goal before Walsh raced onto a through ball from Hurley in injury-time only for Rowan McDonald to put in a super block at the expense of a corner. 

With chances at a premium during the second-half, it was Padraig Amond that had half a chance on 48 minutes when he got on the end of Connor Parsons delivery from the left, but he headed just over Brendan Clarke’s crossbar. 

Harvey Macadam should have done better with an opportunity that came his way on 56 minutes when some good build-up involving Darragh Power and Ben McCormack, but the Fleetwood Town loanee couldn’t convert from 12 yards. 

The hosts were reduced to ten men in the final minute when defender Ryan Burke picked up a second yellow card before that dramatic save from Clarke in the final minute of the five added when he tipped Amond’s free-kick around the posts. 

Waterford FC: Sargeant; Power, Horton, Leahy, Burke; McDonald, McCormack, Macadam (O’Keeffe 71); Asamoah (Evans 85), Amond, Parsons (Pattisson 77). 

Galway United: Clarke; Esua, Brouder, Slevin, Donelon (Kazeem 11); McCormack, Borden (Aouachria 83), Hurley, O’Sullivan; McCarthy (Dervin 68), Walsh. 

Referee: Paul Norton (Dublin).