Ten-man City fall in first Munster Derby of the season

📷 KBD Photos

It was the opening Munster Derby of the season at the RSC, as Cork City made the trip East to take on Waterford FC. City were looking to keep up the great form that they've started the season with, picking up a draw and a win at home against Galway and Bohs respectively. The hosts have also had an impressive start to their second season in the top flight since being promoted in 2023, with the Blues picking up six points after three games, including most recently a well fought 2-0 win in Derry.

Tim Clancy made two changes to the side that earned a dramatic three points against Bohs last time out. Sean Murray and Rio Shipston dropping to the bench, with Kitt Nelson and Alex Nolan coming in to replace them. City changed from the 4312 diamond that they set up in last time out back to the usual 442.

As for Waterford, Keith Long named an unchanged team that secured all three points in Derry on Friday.

The game got off to a fast start, with the visitors looking the dominant side early on, and City took full advantage eight minutes in, thanks to a bit of individual brilliance. Nolan received the ball deep down the right wing. He took on White by the byline and brilliantly got past him, before sending the ball past Stephen McMullan into the roof of the net to give the Rebel Army the lead.

Waterford were so close to hitting back less than a minute after the goal. A corner swung in by Conan Noonan was headed away by City. The ball fell to Dean McMenamy, who took a touch before sending a shot rattling off the crossbar from the edge of the box with the outside of his right boot.

City were hit with a huge blow twenty two minutes in, as Seani Maguire was forced off with a hamstring injury. Seani was replaced by Harvey Skieters.

Skieters made his impact felt and immediately created a huge chance for the visitors to double their lead. Skieters received the ball on the counter at the halfway line. Skieters turned and played Alex Nolan through on goal. Nolan sprinted through one-on-one with McMullan, but dragged his shot just wide of the far left post.

Waterford got a foothold in the game with fifteen minutes to go in the half, but with both teams struggling to get an edge on the other, City went into halftime a goal to the good after a solid first half performance.

The second half, however, took a turn for the worse. With Greg Bolger going off at half time, City lost stability in midfield, and were made to pay just two minutes into the second forty five. Conan Noonan received the ball down the right channel. The Shamrock loanee held it up well before laying it back to Rowan McDonald, who fizzed it into the box towards Padraig Amond, who smartly tucked it away first time into the bottom right corner.

City looked significantly weaker in this half. The loss of Seani Maguire up front was a blow as City were struggling to get the ball to stick up front in order to try and double their lead. Meanwhile, the loss of Greg Bolger gave Conan Noonan, as well as the rest of the Waterford midfield, far more freedom in the centre of the park as they began to ignite the Waterford attack, which now looked far more threatening.

City’s night went from bad to worse in the sixty third minute. After picking up a yellow card half an hour into the match with his first foul of the game, Freddie Anderson saw red for his second foul of the night. A good turn by Tommy Lonergan sent him running at the City backline. Lonergan skipped past Anderson, but fell to the ground after seemingly minimal contact from the American. Despite this, Damien MacGraith showed no hesitation in bringing out the yellow card to send Anderson down the tunnel. Milan Mbeng was introduced for Malik Dijksteel to switch City’s shape to a 441.

City were clinging on, having to deal with waves of attacks from the hosts for the remaining twenty five minutes, and Waterford will wonder how they didn’t find the breakthrough with thirteen minutes to play. Kacper Radkowski received the ball in a central position twenty yards out. Radkowski took a touch before sending a rocket of a strike towards the top left corner, that was somehow tipped around the post by an outstretched Tein Troost.

City were so close to seeing out the draw, but they ran out of luck with three minutes of normal time to play. Radkowski slipped a ball to Padraig Amond out on the wing, who floated a cross into the box. Tommy Lonergan got on the end of it and sent a header goalward that was unbelievably clawed away by Tein Troost. Unfortunately for the Dutchman, Kyle White reacted quicker than Josh Fitzpatrick and was on hand to poke the rebound into the back of the net.

That would be the last major action of the game and it was the hosts that came away from this year's first iteration of the Munster Derby with all three points. In the first half, City were the better side and could have gone into the break two or three up. The loss of Seani definitely staggered the fluidity of the attack, with the visitors visibly struggling to keep the ball up there at times, but the first forty five had City fans quite pleased. A major point of the game however was the halftime substitution of Greg Bolger due to injury. City lost control of the midfield and it allowed Conan Noonan to dictate the centre of the park and start Waterford attacks. The red card buried any chance of three points for City as an already poor second half showing was topped off by the loss of Freddie Anderson, whose dismissal was wrongful in my opinion. Waterford put the pressure on and got their justified reward with three minutes to play.

As for Waterford, they had quite a poor first half and were quite lucky to only come into half time a goal down. Their response to this half though was superb. They took full advantage of CIty’s absences in Greg and Seani and were able to run the second half and eventually made their dominance count and secured three well deserved points.

As for events post match, Tim Clancy was sent off after receiving two quick yellow cards while having a heated argument with referee Damien MacGraith. Clancy commented on it in his post match interview: “I said to Damien after the game “I thought you were shocking” and what he said back to me was an absolute disgrace. He said “ Well I think your team was absolutely shocking” I then said “That’s your ego getting the better of you” and then he gave me two yellows and sent me off”. These comments by Damien MacGraith will certainly add even more of a sour taste in the mouths of City fans.

My Man of the Match goes to Conan Noonan. Noonan was one of the few creative sparks for Waterford in the first half, and after Greg Bolger came off he sprung to life. Noonan worked brilliantly in the attacking midfield area and orchestrated many of Waterford’s attacks that would eventually lead to them finding the two goals that would win them the game.

City now have to turn their attention to Friday’s encounter with Sligo Rovers at Turner’s Cross, meanwhile Waterford will host Bohemians, also on Friday.