AARON MCENEFF AND Lee Grace got the goals, but Graham Burke was the star of the show at Tallaght Stadium as Shamrock Rovers maintained their resurgence.
A fourth win in five unbeaten games edges Stephen Bradley’s side up to fourth place in the table with their back match at home to Cork City on Monday to come.
Defeat, a fifth on the spin, saw Waterford’s dismal run continue as they remain third bottom.
A far cry from early March when Keith Long’s side topped the table – with Rovers then lying bottom following a slow start and a postponement.
In hoping to trigger a much improved performance from last week’s defeat in Drogheda, Blues strung five across the back as they strove to frustrate the in-form Hoops who, as expected, enjoyed all the early possession.
Advertisement
It worked initially as they stood strong with three corners in the opening minutes coming to nothing as Rovers laboured to create openings.
It was the 26th minute before a sweeping Rovers move really opened Waterford up for the first time, Dylan Watts’ drive deflected out for a fifth Hoops’ corner.
On what was his 28th birthday, Watts, on two occasions, and Burke had efforts off target as Rovers injected more urgency to their game to finally find a way to goal on 33 minutes.
Watts gave Josh Honohan a run down the left for the Corkman to skip a little too easily past Nav Bakboord to cross from the end line.
McEneff arrived unattended to score his second goal of the season with a close range header.
It might have been 2-0 three minutes after that as Blues were stretched at the back in transition.
Rovers' Danny Grant and Kacper Radkowski of Waterford. Bryan Keane / INPHO
Bryan Keane / INPHO / INPHO
Matt Healy’s long ball found the run of Rory Gaffney who rifled his shot into the side netting.
The one-way traffic continued from the restart with Burke shaving the crossbar from Healy’s sixth corner of the game two minutes in.
The brilliant Burke was everything good about Rovers and his clever feet skilfully worked an opening to force McMullan into a tip over save just past the hour.
The siege of the Blues goal continued as McMullan got his body in the way of Burke’s flick after substitute Aaron Greene helped on Watts’ ball into the area.
A miskick by the keeper then almost gifted Hoops a second goal on 76 minutes.
The scuffed clearance from McMullan ran straight to Danny Grant whose attempted chip beat the retreating keeper and Darragh Leahy only to hit a post.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Close
Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic.
Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy
here
before taking part.
Shamrock Rovers resurgence continues with win over Waterford
Shamrock Rovers 2
Waterford 0
Paul Buttner reports from Tallaght Stadium
AARON MCENEFF AND Lee Grace got the goals, but Graham Burke was the star of the show at Tallaght Stadium as Shamrock Rovers maintained their resurgence.
A fourth win in five unbeaten games edges Stephen Bradley’s side up to fourth place in the table with their back match at home to Cork City on Monday to come.
Defeat, a fifth on the spin, saw Waterford’s dismal run continue as they remain third bottom.
A far cry from early March when Keith Long’s side topped the table – with Rovers then lying bottom following a slow start and a postponement.
In hoping to trigger a much improved performance from last week’s defeat in Drogheda, Blues strung five across the back as they strove to frustrate the in-form Hoops who, as expected, enjoyed all the early possession.
It worked initially as they stood strong with three corners in the opening minutes coming to nothing as Rovers laboured to create openings.
It was the 26th minute before a sweeping Rovers move really opened Waterford up for the first time, Dylan Watts’ drive deflected out for a fifth Hoops’ corner.
On what was his 28th birthday, Watts, on two occasions, and Burke had efforts off target as Rovers injected more urgency to their game to finally find a way to goal on 33 minutes.
Watts gave Josh Honohan a run down the left for the Corkman to skip a little too easily past Nav Bakboord to cross from the end line.
McEneff arrived unattended to score his second goal of the season with a close range header.
It might have been 2-0 three minutes after that as Blues were stretched at the back in transition.
Matt Healy’s long ball found the run of Rory Gaffney who rifled his shot into the side netting.
The one-way traffic continued from the restart with Burke shaving the crossbar from Healy’s sixth corner of the game two minutes in.
The brilliant Burke was everything good about Rovers and his clever feet skilfully worked an opening to force McMullan into a tip over save just past the hour.
The siege of the Blues goal continued as McMullan got his body in the way of Burke’s flick after substitute Aaron Greene helped on Watts’ ball into the area.
A miskick by the keeper then almost gifted Hoops a second goal on 76 minutes.
The scuffed clearance from McMullan ran straight to Danny Grant whose attempted chip beat the retreating keeper and Darragh Leahy only to hit a post.
An upright couldn’t rescue Waterford as Rovers finally doubled their lead on 84 minutes.
Substitute Jack Byrne’s floated free kick into the area was met with a towering header from defender Grace.
And though McMullan did well to get a hand to touch the ball onto a post, it still found the net to cap Rovers’ victory.
Shamrock Rovers: McGinty; Cleary, Lopes, Grace; Grant (J, O’Sullivan, 87), McEneff, Healy (Ozhianvuna, 87), Watts (Byrne, 75), Honohan; Burke (Mandroiu, 75); Gaffney (Greene, 63).
Waterford: McMullan; Bakboord, Horton, Leahy, Radkowski, Burke; McDonald (Pouwels, 90+1), McMenamy; Glenfield (Olayinka, h-t), Amond, McCormack (Coyle, h-t).
Referee: Damien MacGraith (Mayo).
Attendance: 4,846.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Dominant League of Ireland LOI Shamrock Rovers Soccer Waterford