Drogheda United and Waterford share the spoils in six-goal thriller

League of Ireland Horse Racing TV Listings GAA Fixtures The Video Review Sport meets news, current affairs, society & pop culture Rugby Weekly Extra Dive into all the news and analysis 3 times a week The Football Family Weekly insights from the week’s big talking points Advertisement More Stories Waterford's Benny Couto (file photo) unleashed a rocket for the final goal of the game. Tom Maher/INPHO Goals Galore Drogheda United and Waterford share the spoils in six-goal thriller Blues rescue draw with Benny Couto’s 86th-minute stunner. 10.23pm, 29 May 2026 Share options Drogheda United 3 Waterford 3 Barry Landy reports from Sullivan and Lambe Park BENNY COUTO’S 86TH-MINUTE stunner completed the scoring in a thoroughly rip-roaring six-goal affair at Sullivan & Lambe Park, but while Waterford rescued a draw, a point does little for their predicament at the foot of the table.

While this match hardly stood out amongst the full Premier Division programme on Friday, it proved to be the game of the night with two superb strikes from Couto and Shane Farrell the highlights, coming after Tommy Lonergan’s early opener. The drama is not finished in Drogheda! An unbelievable hit from Benny Couto levels the score once again. pic.twitter.com/MMA0gMWweX— League of Ireland (@LeagueofIreland) May 29, 2026 No sooner had the game begun than Sullivan & Lambe Park was stunned into brief silence. Tommy Lonergan scored the match’s first for Waterford just 15 seconds after referee Paul Norton kicked things off.

Advertisement Drogheda’s defending was dismal, with Conor Kane and Andrew Quinn at fault in equal measure as Longergan latched onto Padraig Amond’s flick-on. It wasn’t quite Markuss Strods’ eighth-second goal for Bohemians in Inchicore last month, but nobody of a Blues’ persuasion was concerned about that. Following on from their 95th-minute penalty winner when the teams met at the RSC just 11 days earlier, this was Waterford’s second goal in a matter of seconds against United. It took them another 20 minutes for their next but when it arrived, Graham Coughlan’s team were in dreamland.

Kevin Long, a 17-cap Republic of Ireland international, helped in Conan Noonan’ corner at the near post. Given Drogheda had already been dealt ignominy of becoming the first side this season to lose to Waterford at the RSC when the sides met in a rescheduled fixture 11 days earlier, Kevin Doherty was furious his team were once again being bettered by the side that has propped up the Premier Division from the off this term. He at least was comforted by Drogheda’s response. Brandon Kavanagh smacked a shot off the crossbar before seconds later, his free-kick was met by Mark Doyle.

The Meathman glanced a header low into the bottom corner to reduce the deficit before the break. Upon the resumption, Farrell barrelled in a strike from the edge of the area after Waterford failed to clear their lines from Kane’s long throw. Then Ryan Brennan, so often the hero around these parts, stooped to head in for 3-2. Then it became a question of whether Waterford would crumble or regroup for one last push.

They achieved the latter, as they pressed late on. The woodwork was scratched before Couto’s intervention. Just as with Farrell’s earlier goal, Drogheda did not fully clear after a long throw into their box. Couto struck true and firm, and it dipped beautifully under the crossbar and beyond Fynn Talley’s grasp.

Waterford remain well adrift from the teams above them. Graham Coughlan will take positives, for sure, but familiar vulnerabilities remain. They need to be rectified when the league resumes action in two weeks’ time if they are to have genuine hope of a revival in the season’s second chapter. Drogheda United: Fynn Talley; Edwin Agbaje, Leo Burney, Andrew Quinn; Shane Farrell, Shane Farrell, Ethan O’Brien (Dare Kareem, 83), Ryan Brennan, Conor Kane; Brandon Kavanagh; Thomas Oluwa (Jago Godden, 67), Mark Doyle.

Waterford: Stephen McMullan; John Mahon, Kevin Long, Hayden Cann; William Johnson, Samuel Glenfield (Cian Barrett, 83), Dean McMenamy, Benny Couto; Conan Noonan Trae Bailey Coyle, 83); Tommy Lonergan, Padraig Amond. Referee: Paul Norton Barry Landy Viewcomments Send Tip or Correction Embed this post To embed this post, copy the code below on your site Email “Drogheda United and Waterford share the spoils in six-goal thriller”. Recipient's Email Feedback on “Drogheda United and Waterford share the spoils in six-goal thriller”. Your Feedback Your Email (optional) Report a Comment Please select the reason for reporting this comment.

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