Waterford 2 Cork City 1
Waterford FC came from behind to beat Cork City 2-1 at the RSC before chaotic scenes ended the game with four red cards issued by referee Rob Rogers.
Bastien Hery and Garry Buckley were sent off, before Waterford’s Stanley Aborah, taken off minutes earlier, and City sub Steven Beattie were red carded after a melee. Both managers were then sent to the stands as referee Rogers struggled to keep control.
Champions Cork City came to the RSC with a three-point advantage at the top of the Premier Division table, and they struck early to shock high-flying Waterford.
The Blues made two changes following their win in Limerick; Garry Comerford and Izzy Akinade coming in for John Kavanagh and John Martin. Cork City meanwhile named an unchanged side.
Barry McNamee’s swirling free kick to the back post was found by Aaron Barry and he headed back across goal for Conor McCarthy to fire the champions into an early lead.
It took home side Waterford time to get started; captain Paul Keegan going close midway through the half but his free kick went wide of Mark McNulty’s goal.
John Caulfield’s charges were dominant in possession but couldn’t find a second goal as the first half wore on. Conor McCarthy fired in the cross for Kieran Sadlier but he failed to get his heard on target as they lead 1-0 at the break.
But the lead was short lived as Alan Reynolds’ side levelled six minutes into the second half. Gavan Holohan fired in the cross from the right and the ball struck Cork captain Conor McCormack and rolled beyond keeper McNulty for a unfortunate own goal.
Waterford striker Courtney Duffus had a chance on the hour mark but he volleyed over after good build up from Barnett, before Barry McNamee should have given City the lead again. Bastien Hery’s attempted back pass was short and McNamee nipped in, but he fired one from a one-on-one position in front of Vigouroux’s goal.
And they were left to rue that chance as Waterford grabbed the winner with 10 minutes left on the clock. Izzy Akinade’s strike looped over City keeper McNulty and striker Courtney Duffus was on hand to head the winner and send Waterford joint top of the Premier Division table.
Waterford FC: Vigouroux; Comerford, Browne, Webster, Barnett; Keegan, Hery, Aborah (Sander Puri 95), Holohan; Akinade (Feely 85), Duffus.
Cork City: McNulty, McCarthy, Barry, McLoughlin, Griffin; McCormack (Keohane 70), Morrissey (O'Hanlon 83); McNamee, Buckley, Sadlier; Cummins (Sheppard 73).
Bohemians 0 Limerick 0
Limerick produced an impressive defensive display at Dalymount Park on Friday night to claim a share of the spoils with Bohemians in the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division.
Though seventh-place Bohs dominated possession from the get-go, they breathed a sigh of relief on 17 minutes when Limerick striker Mark O’Sullivan failed to connect with an enticing Cian Coleman pull-back.
Following this let-off, an audacious lob by Gypsies striker Eoghan Stokes floated just over the visitors’ crossbar.
Keith Ward provided a strong attacking outlet for the hosts on the left-flank, and he was narrowly off-target from a Keith Buckley cross.
Limerick netminder Brendan Clarke turned over a subsequent piledriver by Dylan Watts, before Shane Tracy was denied by some last-gasp defending at the opposite end.
Bohs continued to press for an opening goal after the break - Stokes forcing fine saves from Clarke in the 58th and 66th minutes respectively. However, Limerick remained largely resolute in defence, where first-half substitute Darren Dennehy combined effectively with his brother Billy.
Shaun Kelly cleared a goal-bound Ward strike off the line as the Bohs challenge intensified in the final-quarter, but Tommy Barrett’s side ultimately held out for their third draw of the season.
BOHEMIANS: Supple; Buckley, Morris, Casey (Moore, 88 mins), Leahy; Watts, Byrne; Grant (Corcoran, 79 mins), Lunney, Ward; Stokes.
LIMERICK: Clarke; Kelly, Whitehead, Brouder (D Dennehy 44 mins), B Dennehy; Cantwell, Coleman; Tracy (Maguire, 67 mins), Duggan, Fitzgerald (Morrissey, 75 mins); O'Sullivan.
Referee: J McLoughlin (Roscommon).
St Patrick’s Athletic 5 Bray Wanderers 0
Jake Keegan scored twice as St Patrick’s Athletic eased to their biggest win of the season over hapless Bray Wanderers at Richmond Park.
Victory edges St Pat’s up to fifth place as Bray remain inbox trouble, rooted six points adrift at the foot of the table.
Unchanged from their unlucky defeat in Derry last week, dominant St Pat’s were ahead on 17 minutes.
Owen Garvan and Keegan worked the ball to captain Ian Bermingham on the overlap down the left.
Ryan Brennan got his head to the cross with Keegan arriving to get the final touch for his first goal for the club.
In total control, St Pat’s stretched their lead on 36 minutes when Conan Byrne’s corner was met by central defender Toner whose header was merely helped into the net by a defender.
It was 3-0 four minutes before the interval when Conor Kenna upended Dean Clarke inside the area with Byrne blasting the penalty down the middle.
St Pat’s extended their lead on 58 minute,. Garvan’s sublime ball playing Keegan through to finish with a rising shot to the net.
Three minutes later it was 5-0.
This time Jamie Lennon split the Bray defence to play Clarke through to round goalkeeper Aaron Dillon before sliding the ball home.
St Patrick's Athletic: Murphy; Madden, Desmond, Toner, Bermingham; Lennon, Garvan; C. Byrne, R. Brennan (Kelly, 60), Clarke (Doona, 73); Keegan (Fagan, 60).
Bray Wanderers: Dillon; Douglas, Kenna, Heaney, McGovern; O'Conor, Sullivan (McKenna, 63); D. Kelly (Galvin, h-t), Noone (J. Kelly, h-t), Greene; McCabe.
Referee: Ray Matthews (Longford)
Attendance: 1,252
