Mohammed Boudiaf's second-half header made sure that Longford Town left Waterford with a point after Darragh Lynch’s own-goal was cancelled out at the RSC.The draw puts an end to a difficult week for Stephen Henderson and his team as they opened their First Division campaign with a loss to Athlone Town and Crumlin United knocked them out of the Leinster Senior Cup.As for the Blues, who controlled the game and were rightfully ahead at the break, it was a stinging result after their derby win in Wexford.Danny Searle named an unchanged team from that 3-0 win at Ferrycarrig Park and they almost scored inside 20 seconds through Christopher Conn-Clarke.
This went out for a corner, and it was the first of nine set pieces that the Blues took in the opening half hour.Their third, put in by Barry Baggley, went to Lynch at the back post and the ball went in off the Longford forward.
Henderson's team were determined to put this week behind them and they immediately pushed high into the Waterford half. Lynch looked determined to make things right and one of his first balls in would have found Aodh Dervin if not for good positioning by Baggley.Then Derek Daly managed to get into space inside the area and his attempt got blocked by Eddie Nolan.As quickly as Longford’s advance started it was over as Waterford wrestled control of the game back.The best opportunity they created during this spell was a Baggley corner that went to the back post and Jack Brady clawed this out.Once this flurry of set-pieces died down, a cross from Tunmise Sobowale came off Brady and landed at the feet of an unmarked Connor Parsons.
The Longford goalkeeper reacted straight away by spreading himself and blocking the shot on the line.Waterford almost doubled