National League/Finn Harps - 2 Waterford Utd - 0: Finn Harps may have climbed off bottom spot following only their second win of the Premier division campaign but it was Waterford United who looked more like relegation candidates at Finn Park on Saturday.
With just one win in nine outings, Waterford are sliding down the table and matters were not helped by the dismissal of player-manager Alan Reynolds who was shown the red card after an incident with Harps striker Chris Breen after the final whistle went.
Reynolds faces a costly suspension at a time when the squad is already depleted due to injuries. Indeed, Waterford couldn't even name five substitutes.
Harps boss Felix Healy was left grinning as his side silenced its critics amid pre-match speculation a fans' protest was looming.
"I'm delighted with this result. We played exceptionally well in the first half and, while they threw caution to the win after the break and made it more difficult, we still created the better chances and could have got a third but our final ball often let us down," he said.
Waterford looked to have the edge in the opening 10 minutes but were stung by Kevin McHugh who fired home from the edge of the box after 13 minutes. Stephen Yelverton then forced Gavin Cullen into making a save at the other end. But Harps got their second on 40 minutes as Nigerian defender Eloka Asokuh steered home from close range.
Cullen denied Stephen Grant from a tight angle on 74 minutes but the visitors rarely looked like salvaging anything.
Having beaten Kilkenny City in the FAI Cup the previous week, Harps now go into next weekend's proverbial six-pointer against Shamrock Rovers with a greater degree of confidence.
FINN HARPS: Cullen; McGowan, Boyle, Asokuh, Minnock; Funston, Capper, Crossan, Gorman, McGrenaghan; Breen, McHugh. Subs: Crossan for Capper (58 mins), Cowan for Funston (89 mins).
WATERFORD UNITED: Holden; Andrews, Breen, Purcell, Frost; Yelverton, Grant, Mulcahy, Sullivan; Bruton, Waters. Subs: Heffernan for Yelverton (54 mins), Reynolds for Andrews (57 mins), Browne for Breen (62 mins).
Referee: D Hancock (Dublin).
