Tom Lonergan's late header delivered a key 3-2 victory for Waterford over Galway United at the RSC on Monday. The dramatic win, sealed in the 89th minute, lifts the Blues to 9th in the Premier Division standings with 34 points from 33 games, providing a significant boost in their fight to avoid relegation. Their record this season stands at seven wins, thirteen draws, and thirteen losses, having scored 45 goals and conceded 56.
Padraig Amond had given the home side a commanding first-half lead. He opened the scoring in the 18th minute, converting a cross from Lonergan. Amond then doubled the advantage in spectacular fashion deep into first-half stoppage time, connecting with an acrobatic overhead kick that sent the home supporters into raptures.
Galway United mounted a strong second-half comeback. Lee Devitt Molloy pulled a goal back seven minutes after the restart, and Stephen Walsh levelled the scores on the hour mark, finishing an assist from substitute Francely Lomboto. Waterford goalkeeper Hugo Cunha was called into action to deny a powerful effort from Jordan Houston, with referee Oliver Moran awarding a goal-kick.
Manager Graham Coughlan made a triple substitution around the 80th minute, introducing Dean McMenamy, Luke Heeney, and Jørgen Voilås. The changes paid off in the dying moments. With just a minute of normal time remaining, Bernardo Piexoto Couto delivered a cross from the right flank and Lonergan powered a header into the net. The striker, who is Waterford's top scorer this season with nine goals in 35 appearances, celebrated by removing his jersey. "Lonergan with the header and the jersey's off! How important is that going to be for the Blues!" the League of Ireland account said.
The match, played in front of 2,166 spectators, was preceded by a minute's silence in tribute to four members of an English family who died tragically. Waterford edged the statistics with 54% possession and 18 shots to Galway's 10. The victory extends Waterford's recent form to two wins, one draw, and two losses from their last five outings, a sequence that includes a 2-1 loss to Bohemians last Friday and a 2-0 win over the same opposition the week before. The last meeting between the sides ended in a 3-3 draw back in May. The win over Galway United, which follows a mixed run of results including a 3-2 loss to Shamrock Rovers and draws with Derry City and Dundalk, leaves Waterford 31 points behind the league leaders.
