Eager Waterford can't quite put St Patrick's to the sword

Waterford United - 0 St Patricks Athletic - 0 Waterford United dominated St Patrick's Athletic throughout this often bad-tempered game at the RSC but, despite creating a hat-full of scoring opportunities, they could not apply a final touch that would have given them the three points they deserved.

Despite putting in a lot of effort, St Pat's failed to sparkle and their forwards were neutralised by the dogged home defence. In a game that saw six yellow cards issued (three to each team), the visitors' task was made even more difficult when striker Tony Bird received a straight red card on 55 minutes for a foul on man-of-the-match David Mulcahy.

All the first-half goal-scoring chances were created by United. The same situation pertained in the second period with almost all the attacking coming from waterford.

Waterford did come within a whisker of scoring after only two minutes. A long ball out of defence found Neal Fenn and he rounded Clive Delaney before delivering a pass out to Kevin Waters on the edge of the area. Waters delayed his cross long enough to give the United forwards time to arrive but Vinnie Sullivan's snatched shot from 15 yards skimmed the top of the crossbar.

Blues defender David Breen headed over the bar during a goalmouth scramble on 26 minutes from Waters's free.

Just on half-time, Fenn headed the ball down to Murphy and he got past full-back Keith Dunne but his shot was stopped at the near post by goalkeeper Chris Adamson.

St Patrick's Athletic almost took the lead on 79 minutes. A surge forward involving David Freeman, Barry Prenderville and Keith Fahy resulted in a free taken by Fahy. The ball bobbled dangerously about the United area before being knocked back for the incoming Charles Mbazi Livingston but his effort screamed over the bar.

Three minutes from time Sullivan crossed perfectly for the in-rushing Kevin O'Brien but his goal-bound shot ricocheted off a defender for a corner that produced a second corner before the defence cleared the danger.

WATERFORD: Connor, McLoughlin, Frost, Breen, Mulcahy, Sullivan, Fitzgerald Rudden, 86 minutes), O'Brien, Waters (Reilly, 74 minutes), Fenn, Murphy. Subs not used: Mallon, Hughes, Holden.

ST PATRICK'S ATHLETIC: Adamson, Prenderville, Dunne (Freeman, 70 minutes), El Khebir, Maguire, Delaney, Osam, Fahy, Bird, Livingston, McVeigh (Quinn, 89 minutes). Subs not used: Foy, Murphy, Gallagher.

Referee: D Hancock (Dublin).