Waterford beat St Patrick's Athletic 2-0 as Bohemians defeat Sligo Rovers 3-0
Waterford won 2-0 away to title-chasing St Patrick's Athletic, while Bohemians defeated Sligo Rovers 3-0 at Dalymount Park to move level on 50 points in second place.
Waterford defeat St Patrick's Athletic at Richmond Park
St Patrick's Athletic lost 2-0 at home to Waterford on Friday evening, stalling their pursuit of the Premier Division title before a crowd of 3,965 at Richmond Park. Despite controlling 75% of first-half possession, Stephen Kenny's team struggled to convert possession into chances against a disciplined Waterford defence. Waterford goalkeeper Stephen McMullan kept out a low shot from Luke Turner on 19 minutes, while Evan McLaughlin missed a close-range volley following a counter-attack. Waterford broke the deadlock ten seconds after the restart when Tommy Lonergan hit the crossbar, before scoring in the 55th minute. Zach Elbouzedi lost possession under pressure from Lonergan, who crossed for Norwegian winger Jørgen Voilås to direct home his fourth goal of the season. Defender John Mahon secured the win on 76 minutes, heading in Benny Couto's cross after goalkeeper Joseph Anang failed to clear in a crowded goalmouth.
Bohemians cruise past bottom-side Sligo Rovers
Across Dublin at Dalymount Park, Bohemians earned a 3-0 victory against Sligo Rovers through three first-half goals. Alan Reynolds's side took the lead in the eighth minute after right-back Darragh Power and Harry Vaughan combined to feed Dawson Devoy, with the team captain finishing into the bottom corner. Douglas James-Taylor made it 2-0 in the 28th minute, putting in a rebound after Sligo goalkeeper Sam Sargeant parried an effort from Vaughan. Bohemians extended their lead before the interval when Carl McHugh fouled Ross Tierney outside the penalty area, allowing Jordan Flores to curl a 25-yard free-kick into the top corner. Bohemians controlled the second half to secure their third consecutive win across all competitions following their European exit to Midtjylland.
- Dawson Devoy opens the scoring for Bohemians against Sligo Rovers
- Douglas James-Taylor scores Bohemians' second goal from a rebound
- Jordan Flores curls in a 25-yard free-kick for Bohemians
- Jørgen Voilås converts Tommy Lonergan's cross for Waterford
- John Mahon heads home Benny Couto's delivery to seal Waterford's 2-0 win
League standing movements across Dublin
The two Dublin fixtures altered the balance of the Premier Division table. Bohemians moved level on 50 points with second-placed St Patrick's Athletic, placing both clubs four points behind league leaders Shamrock Rovers. Shamrock Rovers hold two games in hand and face Derry City at the Brandywell on Sunday. St Patrick's Athletic's eight-match unbeaten run came to an end ahead of their upcoming FAI Cup quarter-final against Bohemians next Saturday.
Relegation battles and European form
Waterford extended their unbeaten run to 10 league matches under manager Graham Coughlan, continuing a turnaround since late May when the club sat nine points adrift at the bottom of the table. Waterford remain eighth in the division with a four-point lead over ninth-placed Drogheda United, while trailing Derry City by one point. Sligo Rovers remain bottom of the Premier Division with seven games remaining, having secured three points from five matches under manager Darren Purse. Latvia national team manager Paolo Nicolato and assistant Massimo Paganin attended Dalymount Park to evaluate uncapped Bohemians midfielder Markuss Strods, who came on as a 69th-minute substitute.
