Loads of Red; Cian Kavanagh of Sligo Rovers, right, celebrates with teammates after scoring their side’s third goal during the SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division match between Waterford and Sligo Rovers
With just four wins combined from the two sides in action at the RSC on Good Friday, a big 90 minutes for both Waterford and Sligo Rovers lay in wait.
The home side came into the encounter off the back of five straight league defeats and being dumped out of the Munster Senior Cup at the semi-finals stage to Rockmount.
The visitors on the other hand were rooted at the bottom of the table with just four points to their name from the first round of fixtures.
Both managers needed a result in the south-east for their first of two games across the bumper Easter weekend.
However, before kick-off two pitch inspections were required as a result of the heavy downpour the area suffered throughout Friday with a yellow rain warning in effect until Saturday morning.
After gaining the green light, both teams were left with three vital points to fight for at such an early stage in the season.
The first real chance came for the visitors after an intricate corner kick led to a point-blank diving header that was somehow headed wide. But the away side were applying the early pressure.
And the early pressure told when Gareth McElroy rose highest from a further corner kick. A goal which meant that Waterford were to go ten matches without a clean sheet.
And the Bit O’Red were really starting to dictate the tempo of the affair when they made it 2-0. Lovely play down the Sligo left hand side led to a lovely clipped ball to the back post which young striker Owen Elding was only too happy to head home past McMullan. The nineteen-year-old continued his blistering start to 2025.
The Blues first real moment occurred after 25 minutes when a lovely cross in from the left just sped past the onrushing Amond on the quick, wet surface.
But for the first time at the RSC, the home side were beginning to control the tempo.
However, the North-Westerners looked absolutely deadly going forward and if not for a superb save from McMullan, Elding could have made it 3-0.
The visitors were defending resolutely to keep their two goal cushion before half time.
Lonergan struck a rasper from a rebounded free-kick. But fortunately for Sargeant in the Sligo goal, it was straight at the English netminder for the home side’s best chance of the half.
Sligo on the other hand were continuing to show their strengths in attack and if not for a last ditch Grant Horton clearance, Sligo would have added a third before the hour mark after a lightning breakaway from the Bit O’Red.
And if things were going bad for Waterford. They got a whole lot worse when Kyle White was dismissed for a second yellow, just minutes after picking up his first.
And shortly after, Cian Kavanagh pounced after McMullan spilled a cross from a corner. The dozens of Sligo fans in sheer delirium at their sides comprehensive display.
And the cherry on top was applied by Francely Lomboto with less than five minutes of normal time remaining. Exactly what the away side deserved for a thoroughly dominant showing.
Waterford: McMullan (GK); Bakboord (Boyle 46’), Horton, Radkowski, Leahy; White, Noonan, Olayinka (McCormack 71’), Coyle (Glenfield 75’); Lonergan (McMenamy 68’), Amond (Pouwels 71’).
Subs: Wade (GK), Burke, Dempsey, O’Sullivan.
Sligo Rovers: Sargeant (GK); McElroy, Mahon, Hutchinson; Reynolds (Patton 71’), Manning (Wolfe 82’), Doyle-Hayes (Malley 71’), Hakiki (Lomboto 82’), FitzGerald; Kavanagh (Mallon 71’), Elding
Subs: Walsh (GK), Wolfe, Van Hattum, Lomboto, McDonagh, Cannon.
Referee: Aaron O’Dowd
Attendance: 1,974