Waterford moved joint top of the Premier Division after beating Cork City 2-1 in a game that ended with four red cards and both managers sent from the dugouts. Bastien Hery and Garry Buckley received red cards from the field of play after reacting t
Waterford moved joint top of the Premier Division after beating Cork City 2-1 in a game that ended with four red cards and both managers sent from the dugouts.
Bastien Hery and Garry Buckley received red cards from the field of play after reacting to City boss John Caulfield retrieving the ball from the pitch during a break, before Waterford’s Stanley Aborah, taken off minutes earlier, and City sub Steven Beattie were red carded after a melee. Both managers were then sent to the stands.
City grabbed the lead after just two minutes. Barry McNamee’s swirling free-kick was met by Aaron Barry and he put it on a plate for Conor McCarthy to fire the champions into an early lead.
City looked to build on their dominant possession and should have made it 2-0 as they pressed. Conor McCarthy fired in the cross for Sadlier but he failed to get his header on target. But just as Cork had struck early in the first half, Waterford struck early in the second.
Waterford midfielder Gavan Holohan fired in a low cross from the right and the ball came off McCormack and rolled beyond City keeper McNulty to level the tie.
In-form striker Duffus had a good chance on the hour mark but he volleyed wide, before Barry McNamee should have given City the lead again but he wasted a great opportunity when lathcing onto a short Bastien Hery back pass but he fired wide.
And they were left to rue that chance when Waterford grabbed the winner on 80 minutes. Izzy Akinade’s strike from the right looped over City keeper McNulty and Duffus was on hand to head home the winner before chaotic scenes ended the game
