Rockmount knock Waterford out of Munster Senior Cup with famous win thanks to Adam Crowley's first half goal

Rockmount 1 

Waterford 0

Adam Crowley fired Rockmount passed League of Ireland side Waterford and into the Munster Senior Cup final at Whitechurch on Tuesday evening.

The goal at the end of the first half knocked out the defending champions in the semi-final and sets up a meeting with Cobh Ramblers in the decider.

It was a rematch of last year’s semi-finals, which Waterford comfortably won at the SETU Arena.

Everything about this meeting between the two clubs felt different, from the mood around the ground before kick-off to the intensity of Rockmount’s play.

Every player wearing the yellow and green jersey went up a level, and it started with a shot from Shane Barry going out for a corner in just the second minute.

These clear-cut moments were rare, but they came from the close control and movement by a forward line that had Evan Galvin and Kieran Kenneally working in tandem.

Rockmount kept their shape without possession, and this involved players like James O’Connell stepping back and covering space in front of a back-line marshalled by Cian Murphy.

The Republic of Ireland amateur international was on hand to deal with Waterford’s first chance, and that involved blocking down a low strike from Kyle White.

Bobby Keohan also tried crossing into the box during this burst by the Blues, and this was knocked way by Rockmount.

At the other end of the pitch, Shane Barry thought he scored after blocking down a Brad Wade goal-kick but the ball went back into the hands of the Waterford goalkeeper.

The Blues went on to wrestle control and assert themselves, their issue during was the blanket nature of the Rockmount back-line.

Keane and Keohan kept running into walls, with no room to shoot or play a pass.

Rockmount did their work defensively and took their chance when it came. Niall Hanley set this up in the 43rd minute and Crowley hit the back of the net to give the Munster Senior League side a 1-0 lead.

A chance to equalise fell to Marteen Pouwels in the dying seconds of the half and the forward knocked the ball straight into the hands of Oisin Barry.

The game restarted with White putting an inviting cross into the box and Rockmount getting this away.

The 55th minute saw Pouwels and Ben McCormack combine on the left, and O’Connell worked with Murphy to put an end to this.

The Blues never relented, while Rockmount continued to buckle down and hold firm.

With 10 minutes left to play, the Munster Senior League were under siege as Waterford pushed every blue jersey forward in the search for an equaliser.

The chance to get back into the game and force extra-time came with 90-seconds left to play, and the ball hit the side netting.

Rockmount: Oisin Barry; Martin Connolly, Jonathan Hanafin, Adam Crowley, Cian Murphy, James O’Connell, Niall Hanley, Alex Anthony O’Brien, Kieran Kenneally, Shane Barry, Evan Galvin.

Subs: Brian O’Mahony for O’Brien (75); Ryan Hakeem for Galvin (87).

Waterford FC: Brad Wade; Jesse Dempsey, Noah O’Brien, Ben McCormack, Roland Marteen Pouwels, Bobby Keohan, Kyle White, Sean Keane, Alan Kborowski, Samuel Glenfield, Liam Roberts.

Subs: Zak O’Sullivan for Pouwels (64) Romeo Lapite for White (64), Shane O’Sullivan for McCormack (64), Dylan Warren for Glenfield (64), Aaron Cass for Roberts (82).

Referee: Alan Belmajdoub.