Waterford 2
Cork City 0
GOALS FROM SHANE Duggan and Zack Elbouzedi fired Waterford to a fully-deserved Munster derby win over Cork City at the RSC.
Both sides had good spells in the first half but neither could find the net, before Waterford pushed on for a deserved three points after the break.
The home side started brightly and Kevin Lynch’s cross found Bastien Hery but his overhead kick drifted wide. At the other end, James Tilley picked out Graham Cummins but his dangerous cross was collected by Waterford goalkeeper Matthew Connor.
Tilley tried his own luck minutes later but couldn’t find the target, before Lynch forced Cork City goalkeeper Mark McNulty into a smart one-handed save to stop the ball nestling in the top corner.
John Caulfield’s side thought they’d taken a 32nd-minute lead when Conor McCarty found Cummins to head the ball at goal. Connor saved before Garry Buckley found the net, only to be ruled out for offside.
Conor McCormack was wide of the target before Waterford had two good chances to end the half. Hery found the run of Elbouzedi but the attacker blazed over, before Hery himself shot narrowly wide after an Aaron Drinan break down the left.
Waterford started the second half like they’d finished, Duggan forcing McNulty into another excellent save to keep out his curling strike.
Rory Feely’s header from Elbouzedi’s free-kick was straight at McNulty, before Dan Casey took another Feely effort off the line.
Waterford got the goal their second-half endeavour deserved as Duggan feigned to shoot before making space to fire at goal from 25-yards beyond McNulty.
McNulty kept out another Duggan chance as the minutes wore down, but Alan Reynolds’ side weren’t to be denied a second.
As City pushed to level, Waterford scored on the counter. Feely headed clear and Elbouzedi raced away before firing past McNulty to double the lead and secure the points.
WATERFORD: Matthew Connor, Aaron Simpson (Georgie Poynton 72), Rory Feely, Damien Delaney, Kevin Lynch (Karolis Chvedukas 56), Bastien Héry, JJ Lunney, Shane Duggan, Zack Elbouzedi, Aaron Drinan, Izzy Akinade (Dean Walsh 90).
CORK CITY: Mark McNulty, Dan Casey, Shane Griffin, Conor McCarthy, Sean McLoughlin, Garry Buckley, Conor McCormack (Daire O’Connor 77), Gearoid Morrissey, James Tilley, Darragh Crowley (Daniel Smith 67), Graham Cummins (Darragh Rainsford 81).
Referee: Neil Doyle.
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