Waterford fans enjoyed a familiar triumph over Cork City, echoing their 2023 playoff win. In their first meeting since Corkβs Premier Division return, Waterford once again came from behind to secure a 2-1 victory, just as they did in the Promotion/Relegation Playoff Final.
For City, the first meeting with the Blues since that night in November 2023 was a chance to seek revenge.
Both sides were off to positive campaigns in 2025. The hosts had just travelled back home after a 2-1 win away to Derry City and were looking for their first home win of the season whilst the Rebels had stunned Bohemians on Friday night with a late winner from Ruairi Keating at Turners Cross.
With both sides being tipped for a relegation scrap this year, the chance for another three points set the RSC up for a mouthwatering Munster Derby.
The fans were in a boisterous nature pre match. No doubt aided by their strong starts to the season in addition to the local derby element.
After a chaotic opening, tricky play down the right-hand side from Cork Cityβs Alex Nolan led to the gameβs opening goal inside ten minutes as he sped into the Waterford box past Darragh Leahy and unleashed a rocket into the roof of the net past Stephen McMullan.
Shortly after, Waterford had their first big chance of the night as Dean McMenamy hit the crossbar from outside the box. The Munster derby had sprung into life.
Another half chance arrived for the Blues after a clipped ball from McDonald was headed into the centre of the box towards strike partner Amond. However, the captainβs effort was skewed high and wide.
Former Blue Sean Maguire pulled up at the halfway line inside twenty minutes. Not the return to the RSC he would have wished for.
Immediately after the subsitution, a clever ball cut the Waterford defence in half and Alex Nolan was sent through to make it two nil to the Leesiders. But he pulled his effort wide. The RSC breathed a sigh of relief.
The pace of the Cork City front line was causing the Blues all sorts of problems in the first
half with incisive passes splitting the three centre backs a key tactic for the away side.
A set piece from Waterford led to a scramble in the box after the second ball was won by the
home side, but Lonergan put the header wide.
And Cork Cityβs injury troubles continued as the half went on with Goalkeeper Troost going down after the misfiring effort of Lonergan. However, after some treatment, the Dutchman was able to continue.
Waterford were beginning to knock on the door with sustained phases of play within the City half but Troost in goal had yet to be called upon in a meaningful way.
Intricate play from Waterford inside the box eventually found Conan Noonan in space but the Cork City defence quickly rushed to block his volley for a corner.
Meanwhile Cork continued to look a threat on the counter. 1-0 at half time.
After intricate play from Waterford to start the second half Noonan found his way inside the Cork City right channel where he laid the ball to McDonald on the edge of the area who laced an expert low cross into the path of PΓ‘draig Amond who levelled affairs with aplomb. The Munster derby was living up to its billing. Game on.
With their tails up, Waterford went searching for a second.
A ball into the box from Conan Noonan was headed away to the edge of the box and after yet another scramble for possession of the breaking ball, the ball fell to Bakboord on the half volley whose powerful drive was blocked away for a corner. Cork City who were resolute in the first half were now being asked serious questions.
After a sharp turn from Tommy Lonergan, Freddie Anderson felled the Fleetwood Town loanee and was shown a second yellow card. And from the resulting free kick, Noonan hit the bar.
With less than thirty minutes left to play, Waterford were in the ascendancy. Cork were hanging on and starting to rue their missed opportunities when on top in the first half.
Radkowski after scoring Waterfordβs all important second goal away at Derry City on Friday night, let a rasper fly towards goal from twenty-five yards out which required a flying save from Troost in goal.
But with Waterford dominant, Radkowski was then caught in possession by profilic striker Ruairi Keating and with the forward bearing down on goal, a crucial block came in from the retreating Waterford defenders resulting in a corner kick for the ten men.
But with less than five minutes of normal time remaining, Kyle White stabbed the ball home after Troost made a phenomenal save from a header. The makeshift left backβs second goal in four days that got the RSC was in full voice.
With the full time whistle looming, Waterford kept things pragmatic as they were serenaded home by the Blues faithful.
Chants of βWe are top of the leagueβ roared around the Regional Sports Centre as Waterford held onto the Munster bragging rights.
Waterford 2 (Amond 47β, White 86β)
Cork City 1 (Nolan 8β)
Referee: Damien MacGraith
Attendance: 3,017
Waterford FC: McMullan (GK); Bakboord, Boyle, Radkowski, Leahy, White; McDonald
(Yellow), Noonan, McMenamy (Pouwels 74β), Amond Β©, Lonergan
Subs: Wade (GK), Horton, McCormack, Olayinka, Dempsey, Glenfield, Roberts, OβSullivan
Cork City: Troost (GK); Crowley, Anderson (Sent Off 63β), Lyons Β© (Yellow), Couto; Nolan
(FitzPatrick 78β), Bolger (S Murray H/T), Nelson (Shipston 78β); Dijksteel (Mbeng 64β),
Keating, Maguire (Skieters 22β)
Subs; Brann (GK); Kiernan, M Murray, Healy