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Date Time League Season
31 March 2023 7:45 pm LOI Men's First Division 2023

Match Report

Waterford smash seven past sorry Harps

Keith Long secured a first win as Waterford manager as his side secured an emphatic 7-1 win over Finn Harps at the RSC this evening.

Long will be left delighted as his side netted three times in the opening half and four in the second, a much needed win for the Blues to lift their spirits.

Harps hit the road for a long trek home as they just could not compete against a Waterford side that showed real fight this evening, Harps will need a big comeback over the next few weeks.

It was a limp start to proceedings, both sides were in the feeling out process trying to work possession, Roland Idowu hit a tame shot that was pulled wide.

Harps had some chances getting balls into the Waterford area to cause threat and danger, but Waterford were doing enough, in a big counter attack, Killian Cantwell cleared the ball down the pitch for Ronan Coughlan but the chance came to nothing.

Minutes later Coughlan was in again having chased down a ball in over the top, the flag stayed down but his effort was fired wide, just unable to curl it past the onrushing Tim Heimer.

Waterford were starting to pressurise the visitors, Ryan Rainey needed to be at his best to block down a Shane Griffin shot as he looked dangerous, but Harps were doing enough to see it out.

Minutes later just before the half hour mark Roland Idowu scored the first goal of the Keith Long era at the club as he cut in from the left wing and struck a thunderbolt that flew past Heimer into the net, it looked to be straight at him but he was unable to save.

Heimer was adjudged to have handled the ball outside the area and from the free kick, Shane Griffin aimed for goal but it was headed away by Daithi McCallion.

Waterford pressed on however and in the 44th minute they had a second goal, Ryan Burke whipped in a dangerous cross from the right flank off a free kick, it floated to the back post where a host of bodies waited to get a head on it, unfortunately it met Ellis Farrar and trickled into his own net.

It would get better for the Blues, as in added on time they struck a third just before half time was called, Griffin played a short corner to Barry Baggley, he crossed into the area where the ball fell to Killian Cantwell and he hammered home a volley to the top left hand corner, Long having a sensational first game in charge ahead 3-0 at the interval.

After the break Harps threatened but a great tackle from Giles Phillips put the ball out for a corner, two different chats had at the break in the dressing rooms but Waterford were still in cruise control.

Griffin scored from a corner minutes later but after Heimer was rugby tackled to the floor before Griffin swung in the delivery and the referee awarded a free kick for the visitors.

Three minutes later it was four and Heimer will not want to see that back, he went to catch a high ball and collided with a defender, he then spilled possession, tried to gather it but Coughlan was there and tapped home an easy finish to make it four nil.

Idowu struck the bar after the hour mark and minutes later had his brace, gathering possession outside the area he took on two players to get closer and struck for goal and with a little help from a deflection, the ball found the back of the net for their fifth.

As we ticked into the final 25 minutes Waterford were still all over Harps, another ball into the area caused chaos chances were coming but it was Conor Parsons who was quickest to latch onto a rebound and he struck home the sixth.

Seven heaven followed a short while later, another free kick whipped in, Griffin got a little touch and Giles Phillips met the ball as the back stick to nod home, bandage or no bandage he was using his head to score.

Harps had a late consolation goal as Daniel Okwute scored his first in Harps colours but sadly the comeback was not completed.

Waterford

1Paul Martin Goalkeeper
3Ryan Burke Defender
4Niall O’Keeffe Midfielder
7Shane Griffin 23 Midfielder
8Barry Baggley 10 Midfielder
12Tunmise Sobowale 17 Defender
19Ronan Coughlan 29 Forward 54'
52'
20Roland Idowu Midfielder 30', 69'
22Giles Phillips Defender 81'
24Killian Cantwell Defender 45+2'
27Dean McMenamy 34 Midfielder
31Tom Donaghy Goalkeeper
6Eddie Nolan Defender
9Thomas Oluwa Forward
10Connor Parsons 8 Forward 77'
17Harvey Warren 12 Defender
23Romeo Akachukwu 7 Midfielder
29Wassim Aouachria 19 Forward
33Ronan Mansfield Forward
34Dean Larkin 27 Midfielder

Finn Harps

1Tim Heimer Goalkeeper
4Daithi McCallion Defender
6Noe Baba Defender
7Ryan Flood Defender
8Katlego Mashigo 10 Midfielder
9Filip Da Silva 44 Forward
11Seamas Keogh 15 Midfielder
14Caoimhin Porter Defender
18Ellis Farrar 21 Defender 45'
19Daniel Okwute 17 Forward 85'
22Ryan Rainey Midfielder
25Oisin Cooney Goalkeeper
40Oisin Farrell Goalkeeper
10Michael Harris 8 Forward
15Kevin Jordan 11 Defender
16Brendan McLaughlin Forward
17Shane McMonagle 19 Midfielder
21Damian Duffy 18 Midfielder
44Shaunie Bradley 9 Forward
  • 81'

    Phillips heads home at the back post to make it 7-0

  • 78'

    Parsons makes it six as he connects with a rebound to fire home

  • 74'

    Double change for Waterford, Aouachria and Parsons replace Coughlan and Baggley

  • 69'

    Idowu grabs his second takes his time after receiving the ball to feet he comes closer before striking but a massive deflection puts it into the net

  • 60'

    Change for Harps on the hour mark as Da Silva comes off for Shaunie Bradley

  • 54'

    Waterford had the ball in the net minutes ago from a corner but it was ruled out, minutes later however it is a goal and Heimer will not want to see this back, he goes to gather a high ball into the area, collides with a defender, spills it and Coughlan pounces to tap home

  • 52'

    First card of the night goes to Ronan Coughlan, a slice of cheese for his troubles

  • 46'

    Second half begins here and Harps make two changes, Harris and Jordan replace Keogh and Mashigo

  • 47'

    Half time and Waterford are in cruise control, Cantwell with a sensational volley to make it three before the break, Keith Long will be buzzing with that half time score

  • 47'

    ITS THREE NIL, what a bizarre end to this half as Waterford have scored in injury time, another corner is taken short and Baggley crosses to the area, where Killian Cantwell strikes on the volley to score

  • 45'

    Waterford bag their second before the break, Burke whips in a free kick on the right hand side, it floats to the back post but is headered into the net by Ellis Farrar an own goal by the Harps man

  • 35'

    Griffin strikes a close range free kick from the left side of the area but Porter heads it for a corner that comes to nothing

  • 30'

    It took half an hour for Keith Long to get his first goal as manager, a thunderbolt of a strike from Idowu, he cuts in from the left and strikes it that goes in past Tim Heimer, maybe should have saved it but the power looks to have done enough

  • 30'

    ROLAND IDOWU OH MY WORD WHAT A GOAL

  • 29'

    Ryan Rainey puts his body on the line to block a Shane Griffin shot

  • 27'

    First big chance for Waterford, Ronan Coughlan receives an over the top ball flag stays down and he raced in from an acute angle, but his shot flies wide

  • 16'

    Harps flight a ball into the area but the referee awards a free kick and Waterford can clear

  • 10'

    A fairly flat opening ten minutes Roland Idowu fires a shot from range that does not have any intent behind it

  • 1'

    Game on in the RSC

  • Waterford play from right to left, playing in their all blue home strip, while Harps are wearing white shirts, black shorts and white socks

  • The teams are walking out ahead of kick off

  • In the table Harps sit seventh Waterford two ahead in fifth, in their last five the Blues have won 2 from 5, scoring 7 and conceding 4, Harps have just one win and three draws, a sole defeat that came to Athlone, they have netted five times in as many games but have conceded six, neither are really pulling away from the other on the from guide

  • Finn Harps just make one change from their 2-2 draw with Cobh from last week, Daithi McCallion returns from international break and will join Noe Baba in the heart of the back four, despite that change their is some positional changes for that replacement, Michael Harris drops to the bench with Ryan Flood moving to the attack, while Ellis Farrar moves to left back having been at centre half last time out

  • Long has made three changes from the Blues side that last played a game against Bray following their postponement last weekend, Darragh Power fails to make the matchday squad, Eddie Nolan drops to the bench while Christopher Conn Clarke remains suspended, in comes Tunmise Sobowale, Killian Cantwell and Dean McMenamy, Sobowale will play on the full, Kantwell will slot in to play centre half and McMenamy will aim to hold down the midfield

  • Keith Long will look to begin life in the Waterford dugout on a winning note, as they welcome Finn Harps to the RSC this evening, the former Bohs manager aiming to change their fortune, my name is Diarmuid Kearney and I will update all the action this evening.

Past Meetings

(Series 31)
4 - 1
LOI Men's Premier Division
Regional Sports Centre

Waterford v Finn Harps

(Series 20)
0 - 1
LOI Men's Premier Division
Finn Park

Finn Harps v Waterford

(Series 13)
1 - 2
LOI Men's Premier Division
Regional Sports Centre

Waterford v Finn Harps

(Series 4)
2 - 1
LOI Men's Premier Division
Finn Park

Finn Harps v Waterford

(Series 18)
1 - 0
LOI Men's Premier Division
Finn Park

Finn Harps v Waterford

(Series 9)
2 - 3
LOI Men's Premier Division
Regional Sports Centre

Waterford v Finn Harps

1 - 0
LOI Men's Premier Division
Finn Park

Finn Harps FC v Waterford FC

0 - 1
LOI Men's Premier Division
Regional Sports Centre

Waterford FC v Finn Harps FC

3 - 2
LOI Men's Premier Division
Finn Park

Finn Harps FC v Waterford FC

4 - 0
LOI Men's Premier Division
Regional Sports Centre

Waterford FC v Finn Harps FC

Ground

Regional Sports Centre
Waterford Regional Sports Centre, Inner Ring Road, Kilbarry, Waterford, County Waterford, Munster, X91 KT29, Ireland

Diarmuid Kearney is a freelance Sports Journalist based in Co Kerry. He has more than 5 years experience covering domestic and international soccer for different media organisations, while also working for local and national print and digital organisations covering GAA.