Video
Details
Date | Time | League | Season |
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31 March 2023 | 7:45 pm | LOI Men's First Division | 2023 |
Match Report
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 smash seven past sorry Harps
Timeline
20. Roland Idowu | 30' | |
4. Killian Cantwell | 45+2' | |
18. Ellis Farrar | 45' | |
46' | Katlego Mashigo Michael Harris | |
46' | Seamas Keogh Kevin Jordan | |
19. Ronan Coughlan | 52' | |
19. Ronan Coughlan | 54' | |
60' | Filip Da Silva Shaunie Bradley | |
20. Roland Idowu | 69' | |
Barry Baggley Connor Parsons | 74' | |
Ronan Coughlan Wassim Aouachria | 74' | |
10. Connor Parsons | 77' | |
22. Giles Phillips | 81' | |
Dean McMenamy Dean Larkin | 81' | |
84' | Daniel Okwute Shane McMonagle | |
84' | Ellis Farrar Damian Duffy | |
85' | 11. Daniel Okwute | |
Tunmise Sobowale Harvey Warren | 86' | |
Shane Griffin Romeo Akachukwu | 86' |
Past Meetings
(Series 31)
4 - 1LOI Men's Premier Division
Regional Sports Centre Waterford v Finn Harps |
(Series 20)
0 - 1LOI Men's Premier Division
Finn Park Finn Harps v Waterford |
(Series 13)
1 - 2LOI Men's Premier Division
Regional Sports Centre Waterford v Finn Harps |
(Series 4)
2 - 1LOI Men's Premier Division
Finn Park Finn Harps v Waterford |
(Series 18)
1 - 0LOI Men's Premier Division
Finn Park Finn Harps v Waterford |
(Series 9)
2 - 3LOI Men's Premier Division
Regional Sports Centre Waterford v Finn Harps |
1 - 0LOI Men's Premier Division
Finn Park Finn Harps FC v Waterford FC |
0 - 1LOI Men's Premier Division
Regional Sports Centre Waterford FC v Finn Harps FC |
3 - 2LOI Men's Premier Division
Finn Park Finn Harps FC v Waterford FC |
4 - 0LOI Men's Premier Division
Regional Sports Centre Waterford FC v Finn Harps FC |
Ground
Regional Sports Centre |
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Waterford Regional Sports Centre, Inner Ring Road, Kilbarry, Waterford, County Waterford, Munster, X91 KT29, Ireland |
Phillips heads home at the back post to make it 7-0
Parsons makes it six as he connects with a rebound to fire home
Double change for Waterford, Aouachria and Parsons replace Coughlan and Baggley
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
Change for Harps on the hour mark as Da Silva comes off for Shaunie Bradley
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
First card of the night goes to Ronan Coughlan, a slice of cheese for his troubles
Second half begins here and Harps make two changes, Harris and Jordan replace Keogh and Mashigo
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
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
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
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
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
ROLAND IDOWU OH MY WORD WHAT A GOAL
Ryan Rainey puts his body on the line to block a Shane Griffin shot
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
Harps flight a ball into the area but the referee awards a free kick and Waterford can clear
A fairly flat opening ten minutes Roland Idowu fires a shot from range that does not have any intent behind it
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.