Rovers suffer Blue backlash

Waterford United 3 Shamrock Rovers 1: Waterford United gained revenge for the 4-0 drubbing they received from Rovers at Richmond Park in April.

United opened the scoring at the RSC on 27 minutes when man-of-the-match Darryl Murphy crossed to the unmarked Kevin Waters, who dived to head home from 12 yards.

It was another diving header from a Waterford player that gave Rovers the equaliser on 34 minutes, as David Breen headed a David Mooney cross from the right into his own goal.

Waterford went in front again on 70 minutes when Waters passed to Murphy and his perfectly-weighted cross from the left was met by Vinnie Sullivan, again with a diving header that gave Noel Mooney no chance.

Two minutes later, United hit Rovers with a third goal when Murphy crossed, yet again from the left, and substitute Alan Carey volleyed home.

Rovers manager Liam Buckley was forced to make five changes, mainly because of injury and suspension, to the selection defeated by Drogheda United last time out, replacing Jason McGuinness, Mark O'Brien, Paul Caffrey, Derek Treacy and Trevor Molloy with Pat Deans, Stephen Gough, Shane Robinson, David Mooney and Gavin McDonnell.

The first Rovers attack came after four minutes when a free by Gough found the head of Terry Palmer but goalkeeper Dan Connor back-tracked to hold the ball. On 24 minutes, Reynolds threaded the ball through a crowded area to Murphy who unleashed a shot that ricocheted off Mooney.

In the 50th minute, United should really have scored when, at the end of a goalmouth melee, Mark Clifford shot from inside the six-yard box but the ball bounced back into play off the inside of the far upright.

Rovers might well have taken the lead on the hour but Stephen Grant's snap-shot from 20 yards whizzed inches wide.

Three minutes after United's third goal, Rovers went within a whisker of scoring but Marc Kenny's free from outside the area was turned onto the post by Connor.

WATERFORD UNITED: Connor, Clifford, Frost, Reynolds, Breen, Purcell, Bruton (Carey, 67 mins), Kennedy, Murphy, Sullivan (Banville, 89 mins), Waters.

SHAMROCK ROVERS: Mooney, Crolly, Doyle, Deans, Palmer (Kenny, 28 mins), Gough, Robinson, Rutherford, Mooney, McDonnell, Grant.

Referee: Paul Tuite (Dublin).