Waterford 2
Cork City 1
(After extra-time)
Stephen Barry reports from Tallaght Stadium
RONAN COUGHLAN WAS the hero as extra-time specialists Waterford sealed a Premier Division return and relegated Munster rivals Cork City in the process.
The Limerick native’s 101st-minute penalty ended the Blues’ tale of play-off heartbreak to restore their top-flight status after a two-year absence.
His 37th goal of the season gave them a deserving victory over a Leeside outfit robbed of their own top-scorer Ruairí Keating in a luckless first half.
They still managed to take the lead through Cian Coleman in the 55th minute but were pegged back by a Connor Parsons stunner from outside the box.
It means a second relegation for City in four seasons as they return to the First Division for the third time in their history. They were booed off by the travelling support among the 4,032 attendance at Tallaght Stadium.
Richie Holland opted for Ireland U21 international Tiernan Brooks in goal ahead of Ollie Byrne, while City right-back Kevin Čustović wasn’t fit to play a part. Waterford, meanwhile, lined up with an unchanged team from their extra-time victory over Cobh Ramblers.
There was a moment’s applause before kick-off for Cork football great Miah Dennehy, the first player to ever score a hat-trick in an FAI Cup final. He did so in the 1972 decider as Cork Hibernians overcame Waterford United 3-0.
A repeat of that result was unlikely from the start as the Blues looked the Premier Division side. They turned over City at will in the opposition half and targeted them down the right flank.
Brooks beat away a dangerous cross-shot from Roland Idowu before Parsons won a free-kick from Conor Drinan in a similar position. Derik Osede couldn’t turn the ball home in the frantic goalmouth scramble.
The City back-four were looking unsteady and Barry Baggley picked them apart with a ball over the top to Coughlan. The sharpshooter cut inside Coleman but blazed high and wide at the crucial moment.
They were back in on goal before long. Coughlan prodded the ball through for Parsons but Brooks’ toe diverted the ball wide.
City’s woes increased as Drinan and Andrii Kravchuk both suffered injuries and had to be replaced by the teenage duo of John O’Donovan and Joe O’Brien-Whitmarsh, while Brooks also received treatment.
Worse was to follow when Keating damaged his left arm in a fall. He played on until half-time with his injured limb pinned to his body. He even won a couple of aerial duels but had to be withdrawn for Cian Murphy at the break.
Waterford kept the squeeze on and from another giveaway, Romeo Akachukwu should’ve shot but squared the ball and Coleman hacked it clear.
Ben Worman provided a brief bright spark for City, combining well with O’Brien-Whitmarsh and creating two openings down the left. Both times the ball ran to Cian Bargary at the far post but he failed to connect on either occasion.
City would end the half with no shot to their name but their defence held out until the midway whistle. Aaron Bolger bravely blocked Parsons, Brooks saved sharply from Akachukwu, and Ryan Burke whizzed an effort just over.
The second half began with even more end-to-end entertainment. A well-worked Waterford three-on-two was butchered when Idowu blasted over the bar.
Then, from a long ball, City forced the underworked Sam Seargeant into action. He pushed away Murphy’s drive and from the subsequent two corners, he tipped away Jonas Häkkinen’s back-heel flick and blocked Barry Coffey’s bullet.
At the other end, Akachukwu had a shot taken off the line from a corner before City made the 55th-minute breakthrough.
Bargary won the free out wide, Coffey whipped it in over Sargeant’s head, and captain Coleman arrived at the back stick to nod home, sparking wild celebrations from the City support.
Waterford briefly appeared rattled but they were brought back to life by a Parsons screamer. The Norfolk native was first onto Coleman’s clearance and dispatched a dipping shot into the far corner.
The chances for a winner came at either end. Coleman got in the way of the next attempt by Coughlan before Coffey’s driven cross was fresh-aired by O’Brien-Whitmarsh.
Crosses into the box caused City some late palpitations. Cameron Cresswell headed one wide, Darragh Power had another deflected inches outside the post, and Giles Phillips diverted the subsequent corner over.
Extra-time was required, with Holland switching the Leesiders from 4-2-3-1 into a 3-5-2 formation. Chances dried up as players appeared burdened by nerves. Angry words were also exchanged between the two benches as tensions heightened.
It took a penalty to split the sides. Coughlan dashed onto Burke’s through ball and manufactured the contact from Coleman, who bumped him to the ground. Coughlan stepped up and waited for Brooks to move before sliding the ball the other direction.
City went on the hunt for an equaliser. Tunde Owolabi was full of running up front but when he worked an opening, his shot was hooked wide.
The Belgian striker came even closer in the second extra period as he smashed the angle of crossbar and post from outside the box.
Defender Josh Honohan was pushed forward as an auxiliary centre-forward but there would be no reprieve.
CORK CITY: T Brooks; J Honohan, C Coleman, J Häkkinen, C Drinan (J O’Donovan 20) (J Kabia h-t e-t); A Bolger, A Kravchuk (J O’Brien-Whitmarsh 25); C Bargary (Owolabi 90+3), B Coffey (G Walker 90+3), B Worman; R Keating (C Murphy h-t).
WATERFORD: S Sargeant; D Power, G Phillips, D Osede, R Burke; R McDonald (K Cantwell 111), B Baggley (N O’Keeffe 113); R Idowu (C Cresswell 69), R Akachukwu (D McMenamy 69), C Parsons (S Griffin 97); R Coughlan.
Referee: D Mac Graith.
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