Waterford draw the line under a testing week
WATERFORD rose to fifth in the Premier Division table yesterday when their second player tested for Covid-19 received the all-clear.
Substitute Will Fitzgerald should have inflicted more misery on basement side Cork City at the RSC by converting an easy opportunity late on, but four points from the opening two games proves a satisfactory start to John Sheridan’s tenure.
It has proven a difficult week for Waterford off the field and Sheridan’s refusal to fulfil postmatch media duties yesterday added to the intrigue.
Their fixture against Sligo Rovers on Tuesday was postponed due to a player reporting flu-like symptoms 36 hours before kick-off.
Despite that Covid-19 test returnConnor ing negative, it took until last night for the outcome of a second player’s test to be known. Neither have contracted the virus.
Wednesday’s resignation of team doctor Sinéad Fitzpatrick, after five years in the role, didn’t help in calming the situation around the first suspected coronavirus cases in Irish football.
City have different problems to contend with after failing to score for the sixth time in seven matches this season.
Immersed in a relegation battle before lockdown, Cork lost 1-0 to Bohemians on the restart last Sunday before firing another blank in this Munster derby.
Neale Fenn’s side have now gone a full 12 months without scoring away from home.
While Cork will have new strikers Simpson, Scott Fenwick and Kit Elliot available soon – following a period in quarantine – it is the team’s lack of creativity that is more concerning.
Following a drab first half, in which Matt Smith’s rising shot over the bar for Waterford marked the best chance, both sides went close soon after the restart.
Firstly, Michael O’Connor stabbed a close-range volley just wide before Cork’s Kevin O’Connor clearly handled in a goalmouth scramble only for referee Adriano Reale to reject Waterford’s penalty plea.
Then, on 52 minutes, City substitute Dylan McGlade left Blues goalkeeper Brian Murphy rooted to his line with a fierce drive that rattled the crossbar.
Sheridan’s Blues should have nicked another three points in stoppage-time.
Smith’s persistence paid off as he headed the ball across the six-yard area, but substitute Fitzgerald’s shot proved tame enough for Kevin O’Connor to hack it off the line.
‘I thought we deserved a point but we’ve got to strengthen our attacking options,’ admitted Fenn afterwards.
Sheridan’s assistant Fran Rockett was left to rue referee Reale’s decision not to award a spot kick. ‘The referee told me he saw the handball but couldn’t give it because he (Kevin O’Connor) fell on the ball. My understanding of the rule is that it doesn’t have to be deliberate and that’s the disappointing part,’ Rockett fired back.
Waterford now face two trips in four days to face champions Dundalk, starting with Tuesday’s Extra.ie FAI Cup first-round clash.