TWO goals in the dying minutes of the first half gave Alan Reynolds an unhappy homecoming.
Pádraig Amond’s penalty and a Conan Noonan strike steered Waterford to a massive win over local man Reynolds’ form side Bohemians at a rocking RSC last night.
Rhys Brennan could have put the visitors in front on 13 minutes when the attacker peeled off his marker to latch on to a long ball from Rob Cornwall. But his first-time effort, as Stephen McMullan advanced, went wide.
Blues goalie McMullan made a fine double save to keep Bohs at bay on 34 minutes. Dayle Rooney swung in a right-wing corner that saw the ball break to Dawson Devoy, who saw his crisp snapshot saved before the netminder responded well to save Cornwall’s rebound header.
Tommy Lonegan went agonisingly close to a brilliant opener for the hosts six minutes later, only to fire inches wide.
The forward then played a part in a penalty that gave the hosts the lead in the final minute of the half.
He was bundled over in the area by Leigh Kavanagh, and referee Marc Lynch pointed straight to the spot. Although Bohs keeper Kacper Chorazka guessed the right way, he could not keep out Amond’s brilliant 12-yarder.
The hosts doubled the lead three minutes into first-half added time. McMullan’s goal-kick was flicked on by Grant Horton, which saw the ball break for Noonan off Kavanagh, and he beat Chorazka with a stunning left-footed strike from 20 yards.
Waterford missed a host of early second-half chances to kill the game, with Lonergan, Darragh Leahy and Jesse Dempsey all going close to extending the lead by the hour mark.
But they could not convert from inside the area.
The home side were punished for those missed opportunities on 72 minutes. Ryan Burke’s loose header was picked up by Keith Buckley, who touched the ball inside for Ross Tierney.
He sent Devoy clear on the left, and the ace beat McMullan with a sweet left-footed strike.
Both sides had chances in the dying moments as Kyle White had a header cleared off the line on 87 minutes before James Clarke was just over the bar as the hosts withstood five added minutes.
SUN STAR MAN
Tommy Lonergan (Waterford)
WATERFORD FC: McMullan 7; Horton 7, McDonald 7, Leahy 7, Burke 8, Dempsey 8 (White 85, 4); Lonergan 8, Olayinka 7 (McMenamy 85, 4), Glenfield 7, Noonan 8 (McCormack 90+1, 3); Amond 8.
BOHEMIANS: Chorazka 8; Morahan 7 (Strods 85, 4), Cornwall 7, Kavanagh 5, Flores 6 (Buckley 57, 5); Brennan 6 (Clarke 46, 6), Tierney 7, Devoy 7, McDonnell 6, Rooney 7; Whelan 6 (McManus 57, 5).
REFEREE: M Lynch (Galway) 5.
