Shamrock Rovers ... 2 Waterford Utd ... 0They left it late, but goals from Gerard Rowe and Tadhg Purcell gave Shamrock Rovers a merited win as they regained third place in the Premier Division table.
Waterford came, competed and frustrated Rovers for much of the game, before collapsing on 81 minutes as Rowe, on as a 63rd-minute substitute, broke the deadlock.
David Cassidy raced away down the left to send over a super cross and Rowe stooped to head past Dean Delaney.
Having twice been denied decent shouts for a penalty in the first half, Rovers doubled their winning margin from the spot on 86 minutes, courtesy of the intervention of referee's assistant Mark Douglas.
Referee Declan Hanney had given a free just outside the area after a foul by left-back Robbie Hedderman on Cassidy.
But Douglas, with the Rovers faithful wailing in his ears in the main stand behind him, flagged and insisted it was inside the area.
Purcell confidently sent Delaney the wrong way from the spot for his 10th goal of the season.
Dominant from the start, though with chances at a premium, Rovers were infuriated by what appeared a decent shout for a penalty on 35 minutes.
Purcell looked to be in on goal from strike partner Andy Myler's clever through ball and appeared to be hauled down by Kenny Browne. But Hanney waved away Rovers' pleas.
Rovers' goalkeeping problems mounted minutes later when Stephen O'Brien, only playing as first choice Barry Murphy is out with a neck injury, injured himself kicking the ball out and was replaced by John McGuinness for his league debut.
Rovers enjoyed some real pressure approaching half-time, and Myler's header from Davie Tyrrell's free-kick had plenty of power but was directed straight at the well-positioned Delaney.
Further penalty appeals went unanswered when again Browne impeded Purcell inside the area, before the Rovers striker wasted a glorious chance in first-half stoppage time.
Picked out by Danny O'Connor's sublime diagonal pass, Purcell lost his composure and completely scuffed his effort.
Waterford's first effort on target on 54 minutes almost brought them a shock lead as captain David Breen's header from Cathal Lordan's corner bounced over off the top of the bar.
But Rovers remained well on top into the second half and had the ball in the net on 62 minutes, but Cassidy's effort from Tyrrell's corner was ruled out for pushing.
But the goals arrived late on to give them their just deserts.
SHAMROCK ROVERS:S O'Brien (McGuinness, 38 mins); G O'Brien, Ferguson, Lawrence, Clarke; Martin (Cassidy, 55 mins), D McGill, D O'Connor, Tyrrell; Purcell, Myler (Rowe, 63 mins).
WATERFORD UNITED:Delaney; Flynn, Browne, Breen, Hedderman; Kiely (Brosnan, 57 mins), Lordan, Scully, McCarthy, Bermingham; Sullivan.
Referee:Declan Hanney (Dublin).
