Waterford 3 Dublin City 2 After four defeats and a draw, Waterford United got their campaign back on track at the RSC last night when their deft touches gave them a 3-0 lead at half time. Bottom-placed Dublin City, however, should have snatched an equaliser a minute from time but they failed to convert a penalty after the Waterford goalkeeper Dan Connor was sent off.

United went in front after 11 minutes when Willie Bruton put the ball in the net from just inside the area. Four minutes before the break Darryl Murphy unleashed a glorious drive past goalkeeper Barry Ryan from 20 yards. United went three-up from the penalty spot on the stroke of half-time. Substitute Barry Burke handled and Kevin O'Brien converted.

City finally unhinged the United defence seven minutes into the second half when Gary O'Neill beat the off-side trap, shrugged off Pat Purcell and drilled his shot past Connor. The ball was goalbound but David McGill made doubly sure at the far post to claim the score.

City pulled a second goal back on 77 minutes when Wesley Byrne headed home from point blank range at the near post.

Then, with just one minute remaining, Connor fouled O'Neill in an off-the-ball incident and was sent off leaving his replacement David Hennessy to face the penalty. Keith Foy's hard, low shot came back off the post.

WATERFORD UNITED: Connor, O'Brien, Frost, Reynolds, Mulcahy, Purcell, Bruton (Carey, 83 minutes), Clifford, Murphy, Quitongo (Banville, 79 minutes; Hennessy, 89 minutes), Waters.

DUBLIN CITY: Ryan, Connor (Burke, 33 minutes), Foy, Griffin (Byrne, 53 minutes), Deans, Crowley, O'Connor (Scully, 75 minutes), Colwell, O'Neill, Hughes, McGill.

Referee: Alan Kelly (Cork).