Leahy header sees Waterford beat Galway to extend winning run
Waterford FC 1
Galway United 0
Adrian Flanagan reports from The RSC.
WATERFORD FC'S INCREDIBLE run of form in the SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division continued as John Coleman's first game as manager received a standing ovation as his side stretched their winning run to four games with a 1-0 win over Galway United at a rocking RSC.
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Coleman was celebrating his first goal as new Waterford boss on 27 minutes. Conan Noonan's left-wing corner hit defender Darragh Leahy, and his flicked header found the far corner of Brendan Clarke's net.
Less than a minute after coming on as a half-time substitute, Ed McCarthy went close to levelling the tie, reacting quickest to a knockdown from Moses Dyer inside the six-yard box, but his first-time shot was straight down the throat of keeper Stephen McMullan.
It took a tremendous save from Galway's Brendan Clarke to deny the home side a second goal on 53 minutes when Padraig Amond latched onto a brilliant through ball from Grant Horton, but his first-time shot was superbly saved by the netminder.
Waterford's Padraig Amond and Galway's Patrick Hickey. Ken Sutton / INPHO Ken Sutton / INPHO / INPHO
Clarke pulled off an incredible save to keep his side in the game on 75 minutes. James Olayinka won possession in a tackle that saw the ball fall nicely for Tommy Lonergan, but his stunning strike that looked destined for the top corner was superbly turned around the posts.
Skipper Padraig Amond beat the offside trap down the right to race onto a Ryan Burke ball out of defence before crossing to the back post for Conan Noonan, but his left-footed strike was superbly saved, with Kyle White clearing the crossbar with the rebound.
It was the turn of Stephen McMullan to produce a stunning stop to deny Galway an unlikely goal two minutes later when David Hurley sent in a dangerous free-kick that was met by Patrick Hickey, but somehow the Blues' netminder kept his effort out to the shock of the 1,937 crowd.
Tommy Lonergan had a chance to put the game beyond any doubt two minutes into added time when a neat move involving Noonan and Amond saw the latter put the ball on the plate for the former, but somehow he fired wide in front of an open goal from close-range after he had started the move.
WATERFORD FC: McMullan; Horton, Radkowski, Leahy, Burke; White, Glenfield, Olayinka, Noonan; Lonergan, Amond.
GALWAY UNITED: Clarke; Byrne, Slevin, Brouder, Donelon (Horgan 63); Esua, Hurley, McCormack (Kerrigan 63), Hickey; Dyer (Walsh 76), Tollett (McCarthy 46).
Referee: Paul Norton (Dublin).
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