Derry City moved to the summit of the SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division table with a helping hand from Waterford FC loanee goalkeeper Louis Jones as they were made to work for a fourth victory of the season over the Blues at the RSC.
The home netminder was guilty of a clanger on the hour mark when carrying a Ben Doherty header over the line, spotted by eagle-eyed assistant referee Rob Clarke. It didn’t matter to Ruaidhri Higgins or his players at the call of time as they overtook Shelbourne at the top on goal difference.
A cagey opening half-hour saw Derry City probe for the opener, but they couldn’t get past a resolute Waterford defence led superbly by defender Kacper Radkowski as he produced some towering headers to keep the visitors at bay.
He blocked a Michael Duffy effort inside eight minutes before cutting out a dangerous attack involving the same player on the half-hour with Will Patching’s delivery cleared away by Darragh Power, while the hosts had a right-wing cross from the latter brilliantly blocked by Mark Connolly.
It was the visitors that got that golden chance to strike the front on 35 minutes. Brian Maher’s long kick-out was flicked on by Pat Hoban for Adam O’Reilly, who sprayed the ball out to the right for Paul McMullan, but his first-time right-footed shot at an angle came crashing back off Jones’ near post.
After Cameron Dummigan had a shot from distance fizz wide of the target on 43 minutes, the Blues had their best chance of the half two minutes later only to denied by a stunning Maher save.
Ryan Burke won a free out on the left that saw Barry Baggley’s delivery fall to Radkowski, who saw his overhead kick break to Darragh Leahy. His low shot was brilliantly kept out with Padraig Amond’s close-range rebound also blocked.
It was the same right-hand post that denied the Blues the lead on 55 minutes.
Jones sent a long ball downfield that saw Amond knock the ball down for Christie Pattisson, who turned Connolly, but his left-footed strike came back off the woodwork with Burke blazing the rebound into the sidenetting.
The visitors nabbed the lead goal on the hour mark. Cameron Dummigan’s high cross out to the left saw Ben Doherty challenge with Darragh Power, to send a header goalwards for what looked like a routine catch for keeper Jones. However he carried the ball over the line after failing to handle it first-time.
There was a big chance for Ryan Burke to level the contest on 90 minutes when he got free on the penalty spot to meet a Gbemi Arubi cross, but he fired a left-footed shot over the bar.
In one last dramatic twist, Arubi had the ball in the net deep in injury-time only to be flagged offside.
Waterford FC: Jones; Power, Horton (Parson 73), Radkowski, Leahy, Burke; McDonald, Glenfield (McMenamy 78), Baggley; Patterson (Arubi 83), Amond.
Derry City: Maher; Coll, Wisdom, Connolly, Doherty; McMullan (Robertson 78), Dummigan (Diallo 65), Patching; O’Reilly, Hoban (Mullan 78), Duffy.
Referee: Neil Doyle (Dublin).
Attendance: 2,693
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