Treaty United 2
Waterford FC 1
Matt Keane
After losing to Cork City in Turners Cross two weeks previously Waterford FC travelled to the Markets Field on Friday last to play Treaty United in another Munster Derby encounter. The performance in Cork was bitterly disappointing and everyone involved with Waterford FC were hoping for a much improved performance but sadly it was not to be.
This first ever meeting of the clubs in the League of Ireland saw the hosts go in front after only six minutes when Matt Keane scored and from then on it was always going to be an uphill struggle for the visitors.
The Waterford FC team that lost out to Treaty United at the Markets Field last Friday night.
In fairness they did try to get something from the game but when Tunmise Sobowale was sent off early in the second half, they had a mountain to climb.
Manager Ian Morris made three changes from the team which lost to Cork City. Tunmise Sobowalde, Niall O’Keeffe and Cian Kavanagh came in for Darragh Power, Anthony Wordsworth and Louis Britton.
The overall display was slightly better than the display in Cork but given the quality of players in the squad they should be doing much better. Next up is a visit from Longford Town on Friday and nothing short of a win will satisfy the natives who are getting restless.
Waterford nearly got off to a dream start inside two minutes when keeper Brian Murphy soared out of his area to catch a Stephen Christopher left-wing corner kick before releasing Phoenix Patterson clear, but he fired into the side netting when failing to spot the run of Junior Quitirna in the centre.
Treaty United looked lively after that with Brian Murphy saving at the feet of Enda Curran on four minutes before Tommy Barrett’s men struck the front with ease when Marc Ludden crossed into the centre where Matt Keane was allowed too much space to drill a shot past Murphy.
Keane was denied his second goal on eight minutes when he peeled to the back post to meet a left-wing Christopher cross, but his goalbound effort was blocked by Jeremie Milambo, and from the resulting Marc Ludden corner kick, Curran’s front post effort was deflected out by a vital Cian Kavanagh touch.
The Blues were denied an equalising goal by a super save from the Treaty netminder on the half hour mark when Tunmise Sobawale’s cross broke to Niall O’Keeffe, but his left-footed strike from 12 yards was superbly tipped over the bar.
Blues boss Ian Morris would have liked to have kept things tight for the opening quarter of the second half, but the half was less than two minutes old when he had to deal with a red card. Defender Tunmise Sobowal was late in a challenge with Enda Curran, and when referee Gavin Colfer consulted with his assistant Rafal Pieper, a red card followed for a disastrous start to the half.
Cian Kavanagh in control for the Blues against Treaty United.
Things went from bad to worse for the Blues as they fell further behind on 57 minutes when Charlie Fleming found space down the right-side to put the ball on the head of Enda Curran, who outjumped Eddie Nolan, to plant a header past keeper Brian Murphy from six yards.
Morris made a double change when he introduced both Anthony Wordsworth and Louis Britton to try get back into the game, but it was Treaty that nearly scored a third goal on 64 minutes when Dean George teed up Stephen Christopher, but Murphy saved.
The Blues created a half chance to get a goal back four minutes later when Patterson sprayed the ball out for Junior Quitirna to cross into the penalty area, but Louis Britton couldn’t direct his header on target.
Another Waterford chance went abegging on 73 minutes when Junior Quitirna dinked a free kick to the back post for the inrushing Cian Kavanagh, but his angled effort was kept out by keeper Jack Brady.
Waterford’s period of dominance with just ten men was rewarded two minutes later when Quitirna’s corner kick broke to Louis Britton on the top of the penalty area, and after his effort was saved by keeper Brady, Anthony Wordsworth found the net with a looping header that sailed over Joe Gorman.
Blues striker Louis Britton on the attack against Treaty.
The Blues were nearly exposed at the other end on two occasions in the final seven minutes. The first chance fell to William Armshaw, who got past the challenge of Eddie Nolan to fire wide, before Dean George should have wrapped up the game on 87 minutes, but he also failed to hit the target.
Joel Coustrain outpaced Kevin Joshua down the right-channel in second half injury time only to be denied by a stunning Brian Murphy save, before Anthony Wordsworth could have snatched an undeserving draw from the jaws of defeat in injury time, but he headed Shane Griffin’s cross straight at Jack Brady.
Treaty United: Jack Brady, Marc Ludden, Mark Walsh, Joe Gorman, Charlie Fleming, Stephen Christopher, Callum McNamara, Joe Collins (William Armshaw ’75), Matt Keane, Kieran Hanlon (Dean George ’60), Enda Curran (Joel Coustrain ’75).
Waterford FC: Brian Murphy, Tunmise Sobowale, Eddie Nolan, Kevin Joshua, Jeremie Milambo (Louis Britton ’62), Niall O’Keeffe (Anthony Wordsworth ’62), Shane Griffin, Yassine En-Neyah, Phoenix Patterson (Roland Idowu ’73), Cian Kavanagh, Junior Quitirna.
Referee: Gavin Colfer (Dublin).
