Waterford United went five points clear at the top of the table after a 2-0 win over Monaghan United, who had two players sent-off at the Regional Sports Centre yesterday. Monaghan's Derek O'Neill and Terry Murphy received red cards from Dublin referee Jim O'Reilly following an incident two minutes from time.

Waterford were well in control at that stage. After 35 minutes, Tommy Hewitt collected Paul Carr's crossfield pass and turned two defenders before shooting past John Grace from an acute angle to open the scoring. Carr then added the second on 63 minutes when he curled a 20yard free-kick beyond Grace following a foul on Hewitt.

The result now gives Waterford an 11-point cushion over third-placed Limerick, leaving them odds-on to earn one of the promotion places.

Fourth-placed Galway United made it six wins from eight games as they came from behind to beat St Francis 2-1 at Baldonnel. Mark Patton put St Francis into the lead in first-half injury time. However, Galway, with the wind at their backs, deservedly turned the game round in the second-half, scoring from two long-range set-pieces.

They equalised on 70 minutes when leading scorer Fergal Coleman got the slightest of glancing headers on to Billy Clery's freekick from inside his own half. Another Clery free from the same distance brought the winner four minutes later. Goalkeeper Stuart Corcoran did well to push a header from Coleman up onto the crossbar, but Gareth Gorman reacted well to head in the rebound.

Paul Coughlan's first goal of the season was enough for Cobh Ramblers to beat Home Farm/Everton at St Colman's Park on Saturday night.