Derry City fall to defeat against Waterford at the Brandywell

Derry City 1

Waterford 2

Derry City missed chance after chance in the second half, but they paid the price for a poor first half as they fell to defeat against Waterford. 

Tiernan Lynch's team have now lost two of their first three games this season, with a trip to St. Patrick's Athletic now looming on Monday. 

Derry City defeated Waterford four times last season without conceding a goal, but that was all forgotten about very quickly as the visitors enjoyed a dream start. 

Conan Noonan’s ball picked out Kyle White in space in the City area. The wing-back shaped to shoot and avoided a last-gasp lunge from Thomas before producing a great finish with the outside of his left foot past Brian Maher.

White found himself with another chance within five minutes as Derry City were cut open again, but this time he couldn’t beat Maher, who smothered his shot from close range.

It went from bad to worse for Derry City just five minutes before half-time. Gavin Whyte gave a way a free-kick just 10 yards outside his own penalty area, and when Conan Noonan delivered the ball into a packed area, Liam Boyce glanced it on, but only to the feet of Kacper Radkowski at the back post, and he drilled it past Maher into the net from the angle to make it 2-0.

The comeback should have started quickly in the second half with Thomas’s cross picking out Whyte for a free header in the centre of goal, but the midfielder’s effort lacked power ad direction and was easily gathered by McMullan.

The Derry City chances were falling to the wrong players it seemed as another huge chance came and went shortly afterwards. Thomas’ free-kick found Carl Winchester peeling off at the back post and he nodded it down perfectly for Mark Connolly, but the centre-half somehow scooped the ball high and wide from all of three yards.

Yet it could well have been 3-0 moments later as Padraig Amond led a counter-attack and his ball across the area saw Noonan outpace every backtracking player in red and white, but his effort was cleared off the line and behind for a corner by Connolly.

Lynch had seen enough by this stage and made four substitutions just past the hour mark – Sam Todd, Ben Doherty, Robbie Benson and Pat Hoban.

The changes had an immediate impact as within seconds of their arrival, City were awarded a penalty when referee Aaron O’Dowd penalised Navajo Bakboord for holding Doherty and Hoban, with his first touch, sent McMullan the wrong way from the penalty spot.

Derry had over 20 minutes to save themselves after that, and the addition of Sean Patton in attack meant that the home side were going all out. Doherty in particular was making a real difference on the left side and his cross almost created an equaliser for Duffy but he headed over at the back post.

Waterford were so lucky to survive just minutes later however when O’Reilly’s cross looked perfect for a Robbie Benson tap in from six yards, but the former Dundalk man somehow skewed his effort wide of goal when it seemed he must score.

Teams

Derry City: B Maher, C Harkin (S Todd 59’), M Connolly, K Holt, S Ferguson (B Doherty 59’); C Winchester, A O'Reilly, G Whyte (R Benson 59’); D Thomas (Pat Hoban 59’), L Boyce (S Patton 74’), M Duffy.

Waterford: S McMullan, N Bakboord, K Radkowski, A Boyle, D Leahy, K White (S Glenfield 75’); D McMenamy, R McDonald, C Noonan; P Amond, T Lonergan.

Referee: Aaron O'Dowd.