Big win for Waterford leaves Shamrock Rovers soul-searching

SSE Airtricity Premier Division: Shamrock Rovers 1 Waterford 3 

Further to their promotion play-off success at the same venue last November, Waterford made a winning return to Tallaght Stadium to record a glorious first victory over Shamrock Rovers in Dublin 24.

Superbly struck goals from Dean McMenamy and Connor Parsons, following a Leon Pohls own goal, did the damage from Keith Long’s side to leave the champions with some soul-searching.

Their first back-to-back wins of the season moves Waterford up to sixth place as Rovers rue the chance to have potentially gone top for the first time this season.

Deploying five at the back, Waterford started positively, forcing an early corner from which they took the lead on three minutes.

Padraig Amond and Parsons initially profited from sloppy Rovers play to break down the left and to force the corner.

Hoops keeper Pohls failed to gather McMenamy’s delivery, flapping the ball into his own net despite the best effort of Markus Poom to keep it out.

In a lively opening to the game, Trevor Clarke blazed wide from a Sean Kavanagh cross before Rovers were level on eight minutes.

Waterford keeper Sam Sargeant could only parry Johnny Kenny's header. Dan Cleary’s follow-up was parried by Sargeant back to Kenny who swept home his fourth goal in successive matches.

Blues were close to regaining the lead just a further four minutes later, Amond again linking with winger Parsons who cut inside Roberto Lopes to curl his shot not far wide.

With their confidence sky high, the visitors did regain the lead on 17 minutes.

Parsons combined well once again with Amond whose drive rebounded back off Josh Honohan. But only as far as ex-Hoop McMenamy who chested the ball down to drill a shot from some