A fully sold-out RSC hosted a crucial game for both Waterford FC and visitors Shamrock Rovers. Only three points separated the two sides in the table, with Waterford sitting in third place with 37 points and Shamrock Rovers in fifth place with 35 points.
Waterford came into the game hoping to bounce back from their disappointing defeat against Drogheda United at Weavers Park last week.
The Hoops came into the tie having lost their UEFA Champions League 2nd Qualifying Round 6-2 on aggregate to the Czech Republic's Sparta Prague. Having not played a league game since the beginning of July, Stephen Bradley's side was hoping to return to the league with a bang.
The Blues were certainly up against it even before the opening whistle blew as the number one choice between the goalposts Sam Sargeant, was already ruled out of playing after picking up a fractured hand in training last week. Louis Jones replaced him between the sticks.
Shamrock Rovers dominated the opening moments of the first half, and Waterford saw very little of the ball inside their own half, let alone in the opposition's half. It didn't take long for the visitors to open the scoring as Cory O'Sullivan tucked away an opportunity in the eighth minute to put the Hoops one goal ahead.
Dean McMenamy had a golden opportunity in the 10th minute to equalize, but he just managed to catch the ball wrong in the box, sending it wide for a goal kick.
Rowan McDonald produced one of the two only other chances for Waterford in the first-half with a curved shot from just outside the box that didn't really trouble Rovers' Leon Pohls.
Dean McMenamy again, in the 45th minute, struck the ball wrong sending it flying over the crossbar.
Stephen Bradley likely went in at half-time a very happy man considering his defense didn't see too much action in the opening 45 minutes.
Half-Time Score: Waterford 0-1 Shamrock Rovers
Waterford came out all guns blazing in the second-half. Early on Christie Pattisson produced a promising chance before the best opportunity came to Waterford so far with some lovely passing play finding Pádraig Amond who just couldn't get on the end of it.
The new energy brought in by the Blues in the second have paid dividends as in the 51st minute Rowan McDonald found the head of Christie Pattisson who was able to head the ball over Rovers' keeper to level the game up at a goal-a-piece.
Rovers certainly weren't down and out though as in the 60th minute they nearly took the lead again with a low driven shot that produced a magnificent save from Louis Jones in goal.
Equally, Pattisson almost put the hosts in front in the 69th minute with a near post shot that required a save from Pohls to put the ball out for a corner.
Louis Jones was proved he's more than able to fill Sam Sargeant's boots as he stopped another breakthrough opportunity for Shamrock Rovers with a terrific low save in the 76th minute.
It wasn't long before the 25-year-old shot stopper was called into action again as Trevor Clarke shot a well placed high shot from just outside the box that looked like it was heading directly for the top corner. However, Jones managed to unleash an astonishing acrobatic save to send the ball out for a corner.
Both sides were desperately in search of a goal to put them ahead and Shamrock Rovers eventually found the net in the 84th minute to put the visitors in the lead courtesy of a goal from Graham Burke.
Unfortunately for Waterford that's how the game would end. Despite a massive performance in the second-half, a poor first-half performance cost the Blues three vital points.
Full-Time Score: Waterford 1-2 Shamrock Rovers
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