Matthew O'Brien 3' | 1-0 | |
1-1 | 14' Phoenix Patterson | |
1-2 | 16' Wassim Aouachria | |
42' Dean Larkin | ||
53' Yassine En-Neyah | ||
55' Roland Idowu | ||
59' Tunmise Sobowale | ||
Joe Power 63' | ||
Darren Clarke 75' |
Video
Details
Date | Time | League | Season |
---|---|---|---|
3 October 2022 | 7:45 pm | LOI Men's First Division | 2022 |
Match Report
Waterford beat Longford to move up to second place
A wonderful free kick from Phoenix Patterson and a fine finish from Wassim Aouachria were enough to give Waterford the win as they overturned an early goal of the season effort from Matthew O'Brien after just 2 minutes.
Patterson and Idowu were in inspirational form for the Blues as they showed their pedigree with both sides already guaranteed a playoff place later at the end of the regular season.
Longford had a late shout for a penalty turned away and Waterford keeper Paul Martin making a fine save from Clarke in the last minute of the game to ensure the victory.
Most fans were barely in their seats when an innocuous throw in found it’s way to Matthew O’Brien who let fly from outside the box and found the back of the net giving Paul Martin no chance in the Waterford goal.
Waterford showed some nerves in the opening exchanges as keeper Paul Martin fumbled the first Longford corner but luckily a teammate cleared off the line to keep the game to just the single score.
Phoenix Patterson produced a moment of magic as he converted a close range free-kick over the wall and into the top corner of the net to leave Colm Cox in the Longford goal with no chance.
Moment’s later the visitors were ahead as a fine flowing move saw Quitirna find Wassim Aouachria in space and his strong effort found the bottom corner to turn the game completely on it’s head.
Both teams were already assured of their playoff place well before tonight’s game and it had an end of season feel to most of the game as some last-ditch challenges were all that saved both sides defences.
The loss of Michael Barker to injury as he made a block on the half-hour mark was a blow for the home side but the experienced Mick McDonnell was an able replacement for the defender.
Idowu and Patterson combined a number of times to create chances for each other but were unable to get an effort on target before the break.
The second half was a messy affair with both sides scrambling in defence as the referee flashed his yellow card no less than six times in what was a relatively tame affair between the two sides.
Longford had calls for a penalty late on when Adebeyo seemed to hit the deck in the final stages but the appeals were waved away by the match referee Oliver Moran who made some strange decisions throughout the game.
The final opportunities fell to Darren Clarke who forced a great save from Martin who was unsighted and when another corner fell to Clarke unmarked at the back post in injury time he wasn’t able to turn it home and Longford’s hope evaporated there.
Both sides will now feature in the playoff series in a number of weeks with a return meeting a likely possibility in the first round of that path to promotion.
Timeline
14. Matthew O'Brien | 3' | |
14' | 44. Phoenix Patterson | |
16' | Wassim Aouachria | |
Michael Barker Michael McDonnell |
28' | |
42' | 6. Dean Larkin | |
Eric Molloy Darren Clarke |
45' | |
53' | 8. Yassine En-Neyah | |
55' | 20. Roland Idowu | |
59' | Tunmise Sobowale | |
21. Joe Power | 63' | |
Cristian Magerusan Jordan Adeyemo |
67' | |
Kian Corbally Mark Hanratty |
67' | |
67' | Alex Baptiste Richard Taylor |
|
67' | Roland Idowu Niall O'Keeffe |
|
Adam Verdon Brandon McCann |
74' | |
23. Darren Clarke | 75' | |
81' | Wassim Aouachria Raúl Uche |
|
81' | Yassine En-Neyah Remi Thompson |
Past Meetings
(Round 26)
1 - 2Regional Sports Centre Waterford 1-2 Longford Town |
(Round 17)
0 - 3Bishopsgate, Longford Longford Town v Waterford |
(Round 8)
1 - 1Regional Sports Centre Waterford v Longford Town |
(Series 35)
1 - 1Bishopsgate, Longford Longford Town v Waterford |
(Series 25)
4 - 1Regional Sports Centre Waterford v Longford Town |
(Series 17)
1 - 2Bishopsgate, Longford Longford Town v Waterford |
(Series 7)
1 - 0Regional Sports Centre Waterford v Longford Town |
4 - 6Online Event Longford Town v Waterford |
Ground
Bishopsgate, Longford |
---|
City Calling Stadium, L50021, Mullolagher, Cloondara ED, Longford Municipal District, County Longford, Leinster, Ireland |
The small Waterford group of fans cheer loudly as the referee brings the game to a close as the Munster men move above Galway into second place in the table.
Another injury time corner for Longford is flicked to Darren Clarke three yards out but he can't get his effort on target. Longford are running out of time here.
Darren Clarke hits an effort from just outside a crowded box but a late sighted Martin manages to scramble the ball away before a Waterford player saves the day with a last gasp tackle for the corner.
The fans are irrate as Adeyemo goes down under pressure in the box but the referee indicates play to continue as Longford are running out of time.
Another double sub for the visitors as Raul Uche and Remi Thompson will play the last ten minutes. Yassine En-Neyah and Wassim Aouachria make way.
Another silly foul on the edge of the box gives Patterson a change to repeat his fantastic strike from early in the game. Junior surprises every in the crowd by hitting it and finding the dead centre of the wall.
McCann replaces Adam Verdon for Longford as things are approaching panic settings for the home side.
Another yellow, this time it's Darren Clarke of Longford who has crossed the referee. Six bookings in what has been a relatively clean game.
Patterson with a chance for his second after a great run straight at the heart of the home defence. Colm Cox was equal to the effort down to his right hand side.
A double substitution on both sides as Taylor and O'Keeffe enter the fray for Waterford to replace Idowu & Baptiste while Adeyemo & Hanratty replace Magersun and Corbally.
Ben Lynch has the crowd on their feet but his cross evades all this attacking team mates.
Great work from Karl Chambers to win a corner for Longford Town after a fantastic cross field pass from Joe Power who has been one of the better performers for Longford Town tonight.
Now it's Longford's turn to see yellow after Joe Power was forced to take the Waterford player down after he had his pocket picked.
Sibowale starts to show the frustration of most of the players with some of the referee's decisions this evening as he gets booked for kicking the ball away.
Quickly we have another yellow as a wild challlenge from Idowu on Power sees the Waterford midfielder lucky to only see yellow for that challenge. Longford with a free in a decent attacking area here.
A quick break from Darren Clarke is brought to an end by En-Neyah illegally as the referee adds his name to the notebook.
A nice move by the visitors but a rare poor touch from Phoenix Patterson sees the opportunity fail but earns the corner.
Waterford appeal for a penalty as Aouachria goes down easily in the Longford box but the referee is not interested. Longford survive as the loose ball is put into the stand behind the goal by Junior.
We're back underway in Longford as Gary Cronin's side will look to get back into the game.
HALF TIME: Longford Town 1 Waterford 2
Fantastic work from Power along the right hand side sees his cross just evade the dive of Magerusan who almost drew the sides level at Bishopsgate as the referee draws the first half to a close.
And it's nearly three for Waterford as Aouachria forces a smart save from Cox in the Longford goal from the corner.
Great work from Patterson and Idowu but Ben Lynch gets a touch to knock it out for a corner.
The first yellow card of the night goes to Dean Larkin for a poor attempt at a tackle on Eric Molloy.
Waterford are becoming more and more dominant in the game as they seem to be able to generate attacks at will. Longford Town are struggling to live with them at the moment.
A lovely through ball from Idowu finds Patterson in space in the Longford box but eventually he gets closed down and his effort is deflected out for a corner but the Town deal with the set piece.
Cristian Magerusan has the best effort for Longford in a while, his strike under pressure from the edge of the box doesn't bother Martin in goal for Waterford.
Mick McDonnell replaces the injured Michael Barker early in this one.
Lightening doesn't strike twice for O'Brien after a great steal in the Waterford defence his effort didn't match his first as the ball goes to the left and wide.
Wassim Aouachria has found the net at the end of a fantastic team move from the visitors. Within two minutes they've reversed the lead in this one.
Another fantastic strike from the red hot forward for Waterford. The sides are level in Bishopsgate. He's put that free kick into the top corner giving Cox no chance in goal.
Waterford win a dubious freekick on the edge of the box with Patterson standing over it.
Keeper Paul Martin dropped the resulting corner but the goalbound fumble was cleared by a Blue's defender. Longford starting the brightest here.
Great piece of skill from Karl Chambers allowed the Longford captain run to the heart of the Waterford defence but the effort was blocked for a corner.
What a strike to open the scoring. An innocuous throw in the attacking third for Longford was pounced on by Matthew O'Brien who let fly from outside the box and found the back of the net giving Paul Martin no chance in the Waterford goal.
And we are underway, can the home side upset the favourites this evening.
Small crowd for Longford's final home regular league game of 2022 this evening but could this be a precursor to the playoffs in a few weeks time.
Waterford are the visitors to Bishopsgate to face Longford Town with both sides already secure in the promotion playoffs. The teams have been announced and we just have a few minutes to the start of proceedings in this encounter.