Mervue Utd’s good run of form comes to abrupt end

Date Published: 04-Jun-2012

Waterford United 3

Mervue United 1

Mervue United’s tendency of starting games slowly away from home this season continues to cost Johnny Glynn’s side as they found themselves 2-0 down within half an hour in the RSC against Waterford Utd on Friday night.

Mervue travelled south to a venue that they had yet to record a win or a score at and that first stat was never in danger of changing after that opening half hour, although Alan Murphy’s second half strike did rectify the latter.

Having recorded two wins on the bounce, Mervue travelled south in a confident mood and Glynn made only one change to the side that advanced to the third round of the FAI Cup with Etanda Nkololo returning in place of Shane Keogh, though their cause wasn’t helped by the loss of both fullback Michael McSweeney and captain Mike Elwood through injury in the opening half.

A disastrous start for the visitors saw the home side hit the front in the second minute when Paul Phelan’s cross from the left picked out 18 year old Sean Maguire who turned brilliantly while controlling the ball at the same time and fired a low strike inside Ronan Forde’s near post.

Despite this setback Mervue responded well and got on top, putting pressure on the Waterford defence. However they struggled to fashion an opening until the 17th minute when Murphy’s left wing cross was met by Pat Hoban, but the striker couldn’t get enough power on his header to force it past home ‘keeper Packie Holden.

The home side doubled their lead just past the half hour mark to leave Mervue with a mountain to climb. The lively Maguire – who is currently attracting a lot of interest from UK clubs, combined again with winger Phelan. The Mervue defence afforded Maguire way too much space as he played in Phelan who slipped the ball past Forde to double the home side’s advantage.

Nkololo had been causing Waterford problems on the left wing and he almost reduce the deficit when he got past fullback Craig Burns before cutting inside just before the interval, but his effort was deflected just wide.

Sub Barry McEntee then forced an excellent save out of Holden a minute before the break when the home ‘keeper pushed his well struck 35 yard effort over the crossbar; while at the other end Maguire’s close range effort was well saved by Forde with some last ditch defending denying Peter Keegan from the loose ball as the half finished in exciting fashion.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Sentinel.