Details

Date Time League Season
18 July 2021 4:00 pm LOI Men's Premier Division 2021

Match Report

Waterford deliver wanted win over Sligo

Sligo Rovers took a step down in the Premier Division leadership this Sunday, as they got beaten by a super inspired Waterford who confirmed a 1-nil against one of the Premier Division runners-up, courtesy of Cian Kavanagh’s screamer.

This is another tremendous result for Marc Bircham’s boys, who are definitely showing a completely different face since the 43 year-old coach arrived at the RSC.

After the European disappointment during the week, Rovers took too long to react to the setback, allowing St. Pat’s and Shamrock Rovers to ensure a two-headed leader.

Possibly the high temperature led to both teams keeping a slow-paced rhythm for the first half an hour.

The lack of energetic moves lasted for the majority of the first half, stained by the clash of heads between Matthew Connor and Kyle Ferguson, with both players forced to leave the pitch due to possible concussions.

Before his injury, Connor denied Sligo Rovers a great opportunity by coming off to clear Walter Figueira’s long ball looking for Johnny Kenny.

Both clashed shortly after with Connor stopping Kenny’s shot with a brilliant handball save.

Anthony Wordsworth looked for Kavanagh inside Rovers’ box with a nice cross, as the forward missed the free header.

Jeremie Malambo had his best opportunity of the first 45 minutes close to the break. The Blues new signing invaded Sligo’s box leaving the defence all over the shop, as he saw Regan Donelon denying him the goal by booting it off to a corner.

Bircham’s experience resulted in a whole different attitude brought from Waterford into the second half, causing trouble to the visitors right after the restart.

An indirect freekick inside Sligo’s six-yard box got fired into the top corner by Wordsworth; the referee gave the goal initially, but took a step down on his decision claiming the ball didn’t roll in.

Moments later, Kavanagh brought one game changer and probably one of the goals of the season, as he smashed a powerful shot from the 30-yards into the top corner.

The leadership slipping away push the Bit O’Red forward trying to take some spoils out from the game, but the substitute goalkeeper brought the hero cape from the bench.

Shane Blaney saw his header going straight into Paul Martin’s hands after bouncing the post, before the substitute Romeo Parks seeing his equaliser being denied twice by the inspired goalkeeper.

The final whistle confirmed three very important points for the Navy-blue outfit, crowning a very solid performance played out against one of the strongest squads in the league.

Waterford

13Matthew Connor 22 Goalkeeper
2Darragh Power Defender
6Kyle Ferguson 5 Defender
7Shane Griffin Midfielder
8Anthony Wordsworth Midfielder
10Cian Kavanagh Forward 53'
11Armando Junior Quitirna 21 Midfielder
12John Martin Forward
14Niall O’Keeffe Midfielder 88'
15Jeremie Milambo 19 Defender
46Eddie Nolan Defender
5George Forrest 6 Defender
17Max Hutchison Defender
18Tunmise Sobowale Defender
19Jack Stafford 15 Midfielder
21Isaac Tshipamba Mulowayi 11 Midfielder
22Paul Martin 13 Goalkeeper

Sligo Rovers

16Luke McNicholas Goalkeeper
2Lewis Banks Defender
7Jordan Gibson Forward
8Niall Morahan Midfielder
10Walter Figueira 27 Forward
12Mark Byrne 11 Midfielder
14Shane Blaney Defender
19Regan Donelon Defender
22David Cawley 3 Midfielder 12'
24Johnny Kenny 4 Forward
26Garry Buckley Midfielder
17Adam McDonnell Midfielder
3Colm Horgan 22 Defender
4Danny Kane 24 Defender
9Ryan DeVries Forward
11Seamas Keogh 12 Midfielder
20Darren Collins Forward
21John Mahon Defender
27Romeo Parkes 10 Forward
30Richard Brush Goalkeeper
  • 90'

    FT: Waterford 1-0 Sligo Rovers and three very important points for the Blues.

  • 95'

    Sligo are trying all they can to take something out from this game, but are finding a very solid defense today at the RSC.

  • 90'

    Six minutes of additional time will seem a eternity for the Blues.

  • 87'

    Martin starts to play the hero role by denying Parkes’ goal once more!

  • 86'

    Paul Martin denies Romeo Parks a late equalizer with a brilliant save!

  • 81'

    Cavanagh comes face to face with Luke McNicholas as he lost his composure and didn’t manage to try a finish.

  • 76'

    Shane Blaney sees his header bouncing from the post and going straight to Paul Martin! What a chance!

  • 72'

    John Martin fires a header resulting from a cross, just too high to beat Luke McNicholas.

  • 64'

    Passing the hour mark and the runners-up are yet to find the key to dismantle the strategy brought by Marc Bircham’s boys into this game.

  • 53'

    Cian Kavanagh just brings ones of the goals of the season, firing a great shot from the 25-yards into the top corner. Brilliant goal!

  • 49'

    That was interesting. Wordsworth fired it into the top of the net, the referee gave the goal initially but took a step down on his decision claiming the ball didn’t roll in what was an indirect freekick.

  • 48'

    A back pass results in an indirect freekick inside Sligo’s six-yard box!

  • 46'

    Sligo kicks it into the second 45 minutes.

  • 45'

    HT: Waterford 0-0 Sligo Rovers. There was just a lack of opportunities for changing the score as both teams leave all the decisions for the second half.

  • 45'

    6 minutes of additional as result of the time lost to assist Mathew Connor and Kyle Ferguson after their clash of heads.

  • 39'

    Jeremie Malambo invades Sligo’s box with a brilliant individual play on the left-wing, with Donelon booting it off to a corner.

  • 38'

    Wordsworth brings Waterford’s first shot from the 25 yards as the ball goes wide off Luke McNicholas’ right post.

  • 31'

    Wordsworth sends in a cross with Kananagh missing the header as the ball drifts across the goal.

  • 25'

    And ultimately Paul Martin comes on to replace Mathew Connor.

  • 23'

    Lets wait and see what comes out from the awful clash between Kyle Ferguson and Matthew Connor. Both have been getting treatment for the last five minutes.

  • 12'

    Johnny Kenny had it all to send it past Matthew Connor, but the keeper stopped it brilliantly.

  • 12'

    Matthew Connor denies Johnny Kenny the first goal of the afternoon with a handball save!

  • 9'

    Figueira looks for Johnny Kenny up forward with a long pass as Matthew Connor comes off the box to clear it.

  • 6'

    With the teams still studying each other, it is some of the 500 supporters present in the stands warming up the challenge at the Regional Sports Centre.

  • 1'

    Waterford kick us into the first half.

  • The show will see a conflict of interest; Sligo saw their direct opponents at the top-high taking wins out from their games, as they want to live all tie with a 41-points triple threat running for the title.

  • Waterford are welcoming 500 fans to attend the match against one of the three sides running at the top of the table, who have been struggling to come out from the Regional Sports Centre with all three points.

  • Good afternoon and you are very welcome to the Regional Sports Centre, to follow the clash between Waterford and Sligo Rovers. My name is Bernardo Santos, telling you all about it as the action happens.

Past Meetings

(Series 11)
3 - 0
LOI Men's Premier Division
The Showgrounds

Sligo Rovers v Waterford

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

Waterford v Sligo Rovers

(Series 13)
1 - 0
LOI Men's Premier Division
Regional Sports Centre

Waterford v Sligo Rovers

(Series 4)
2 - 1
LOI Men's Premier Division
The Showgrounds

Sligo Rovers v Waterford

2 - 0
LOI Men's Premier Division
Regional Sports Centre

Waterford FC v Sligo Rovers FC

0 - 0
LOI Men's Premier Division
The Showgrounds

Sligo Rovers FC v Waterford FC

3 - 3
LOI Men's Premier Division
Regional Sports Centre

Waterford FC v Sligo Rovers FC

0 - 0
LOI Men's Premier Division
The Showgrounds

Sligo Rovers FC v Waterford FC

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

Waterford FC v Sligo Rovers FC

2 - 3
LOI Men's Premier Division
The Showgrounds

Sligo Rovers FC v Waterford FC

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

Waterford FC v Sligo Rovers FC

1 - 2
LOI Men's Premier Division
The Showgrounds

Sligo Rovers FC v Waterford FC

Ground

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

With previous experience on a top-tier sports newspaper and a media department of a former European Champion club, Bernardo also collaborates as a sports journalist and media editor at St. Patrick's Athletic.