Waterford strike first to frustrate Rovers

A BIT of an epic in its way and a classic FAI Cup upset. Dublin Dans don't come any fancier than Shamrock Rovers, the Cup supremos, and the 24 time winners gave it the good fight in the second half.

But the damage had been done in the first period, and by the end Waterford would not be denied.

Predictably United had put Rovers to the sword at the outset, and were far from flattered by the one goal lead scored by Donal Golden after seven minutes.

Rovers turned the game around after the break and increasingly pummelled the United area. The occasion and a rutted pitch took its toll, socks crept down to ankle length, but an impassioned 6,000 crowd demanded that weary legs dragged themselves on until the death.

"Everybody gave 110 per cent. I couldn't ask for any more, said United's player manager, Tommy Lynch, clutching a can of the sponsors' brew, Harp, and wiping sweat from his brow.

"I kept saying there wouldn't be a Cup shock this week and told a few lies about the health of my team. I don't know whether it threw Pat Byrne or not.

In another act of gamesmanship, Lynch had let the Rovers players enter the pitch first, "to let them know what the Waterford roar is all about". The Regional Sports Centre has never been so packed, though "packed" is hardly the proper description for such an expansive open venue.

The pitch, with bare, brown stripes across it, was uneven, making it almost impossible to string a few passes together. In other words, made for a shock.

With the beefy Englishman Tony Hall an outstanding, immovable rock on the night, partnering player manager Tommy Lynch at the back, and the imposing Norwegian Trond Debes breaking from midfield, Rovers, seemed lightweight in comparison.

This was despite Gino Brazil failing a late fitness test, forcing Pat Byrne to recall Leonard Curtis alongside Paul Whelan. Rovers couldn't dig the ball out of the ground, and Brazil was sorely missed at the back, where the visitors were a shambles.

They had begun the more positively in the opening exchanges, whereupon Waterford scored with their first attack.

John Power won the ball from midfield, Debes played in Alan Reynolds who slanted in a good early cross to turn the back four. Golden, reviving his career after a short, unproductive summer move from Athlone to Shelbourne, easily lost his marker, and his firm header had too much power for Robbie Horgan.

The goal set Waterford up and Rovers back. Their defence was all over the place, frequently colliding with each other, miskicking and giving the ball away. And Horgan did little to calm frayed nerves. The Rovers midfield was pegged back, unable to provide anything like sufficient support for Sean Francis and Tony Cousins who, as ever, did trojan work.

By contrast, there was far more shape and balance to United Alan Reynolds intelligently played the holding role as Debes and the wide men provided quick support to the robust yet skilful Golden and 19 year old Gary Innes, a nippy, twisting and turning former English under 18 striker with good close control.

In the last two minutes Cuits nodded on Kenny's high ball to play in Fenlon but he shot wide, stretching; a Kenny corner hit the bar; the diving Hall blocked from Tracey and Grace's catch from Kenny's corner drew the second loudest cheer of the night.