Sport

Reynolds enjoys winning return

Waterford United 2; Drogheda United 1: Waterford United player-manager Alan Reynolds marked his return to the RSC with a man…

Sat Mar 20 2004 - 00:00

Waterford United 2; Drogheda United 1: Waterford United player-manager Alan Reynolds marked his return to the RSC with a man-of-the match performance that inspired his side to a deserved win, secured with two goals in the final ten minutes from Willie Bruton and Darryl Murphy.

Waterford had a slight edge in the first half and were completely on top in the second period but it took them a long time to capitalise on their advantage.

The breakthrough came on 82 minutes when Bruton, making his debut, latched on to a long ball from Kevin Waters just inside the area. He held off defender John Lester to unleash his shot and, even though advancing goalkeeper Tony O'Dowd got a hand to the ball, it crept into the net.

The game was already in extra time when Bruton burst through again. This time O'Dowd parried his shot but the inrushing Murphy knocked the ball home from close range.

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Waterford's own defence was finally unhinged by a 25-yard free kick from their former player Alan Reilly three minutes into time added on.

Both sides had opportunities to score in a first half that gathered momentum as the game progressed. On the quarter hour, Danny O'Connor whipped the ball off the Drogheda goal-line after Murphy won possession from a long kick-out by Dan Connor.

It was Waterford's turn to feel the heat on 22 minutes when David Breen cleared off the line from Mark Rooney, who would probably have scored had he not delayed his shot.

Rooney went close again on 36 minutes. Again he carried the ball too far but it still took a good effort from John Frost to clear the ball out for a corner.

The best effort of the half came from Murphy six minutes before the break but his powerful snap-shot from just inside the area was turned away by O'Dowd, who dived full length to get a touch.

WATERFORD UNITED: Connor; O'Brien, Frost, Reynolds, Breen, Purcell, Sullivan, Mulcahy, Murphy, Bruton, Waters. Subs not used: Leahy, Hayes, Carey, Rockett, Hennessy.

DROGHEDA UNITED: O'Dowd; Sullivan, Kelly, Lester, O'Connor, Molloy (Freeman, 85 minutes) Cronin (Flanagan, 57 minutes), Quinless (Whelan, 85 minutes) Rooney, Myler, Reilly. Subs not used: Smith, Rogers.

Referee: P McKeon (Dublin).