Second half double sees Waterford end Treaty United play-off hopes
TREATY UNITED's hopes of reached the end of season play-offs came to an end this Friday evening following a 2-0 loss to Waterford at the RSC.
Both goals came in the second half for the home side with Ryan Burke giving them the lead on 55 minutes and Dean McMenamy adding a second in stoppage time.
It was scant consolation that Treaty were the better side throughout the contest but were left to rue two guilt-edged chances late in the first half. Their season comes to an end after the defeat.
Treaty had the better opening with Dean George creating their first opening of the game from the left hand side on 11 minutes but he was unable to cut the ball back for either Success Edogun or Conor Barry who were waiting inside the Waterford box.
Barry then whipped in a devilish corner from the left that Lee Devitt almost got to but the ball just evaded him at the back post.
Tommy Barrett's side kept their hosts at bay with relative ease in the opening 45 minutes with Mark Walsh and Ben O'Riordan solid as a rock at the heart of their defence.
They continued to have the better of things as the half wore on with Colin Conroy next to have a go at the Waterford goal from a cleared Marc Ludden corner but it was a tame effort that went harmlessly wide.
Treaty looked dangerous from set pieces and should have opened the scoring on 41 minutes when a Ludden throw that was expected to be flung towards goal went short to Conroy. He delivered a superb cross from the left to George but it was a poor effort that was well off target.
Another chance arrived moments later when Stephen Christopher came in along the left byline and cut the ball back for Barry. However, his strike failed to test Sam Sargeant in the home goal and cleared the crossbar.
Waterford made a better start to the second half with Ronan Coughlan going close off a long punt from Sargeant. The home side then got their reward in the 55th minute when Barry Baggley's corner was met first time by Burke and he powered a shot off the post and into the net beyond Corey Chambers.
They game fell back into the same pattern of the first half with Treaty looking the more dangerous when they pushed forward. However, they were unable to create any meaningful chances with George's effort on their only on target in the opening 25 minutes of the second half.
Treaty continued to push for an equaliser in the final stages with Barry coming closest with a first time shot from range but that effort flashed wide of the goal.
As Barrett's men piled forward, they were caught on the counter in the final minute. Roland Idowu played the ball beyond Chambers, who was well off his line, and played a simple pass to McMenamy for an easy finish that sealed the game for Waterford.
WATERFORD: Sam Sargeant; Darragh Power, Giles Phillips, Derik Oside, Ryan Burke; Roland Idowu, Barry Baggley, Rowan McDonald, Connor Parsons; Romeo Akachukwu, Ronan Coughlan; SUBS: Niall O'Keeffe for McDonald (60 mins), Shane Griffin for Baggley (60 mins), Dean McMenamy for Akachukwu (60 mins), Cameron Cresswell for Coughlan (67 mins), Sam Perry for Phillips (76 mins).
TREATY UNITED: Corey Chambers; Robbie Lynch, Ben O'Riordan, Mark Walsh, Marc Ludden; Conor Barry, Colin Conroy, Lee Devitt, Stephen Christopher; Dean George; Success Edogun; SUBS: Willie Armshaw for Christopher (73 mins), Enda Curran for Edogun (73 mins), Adam Lennon for Devitt (73 mins), Dean O'Shea for Lynch (80 mins).
REFEREE: Colin Sheehan (Cork).