City 3-1 Waterford - belated ratings

Robbie Horgan: 8.5
I still favour Brendan Kennedy, but Robbie's gloves bordered on the magnetic on Monday, just as they had against St. Pats on Friday. A big performance on a big night for the club.

Barry Burke: 7
Having been exposed, to some extent, as the makeshift full-back he is on Friday (the less said about Barry waving his foot at Keith Fahey like a chorus girl with cramp, the better), Barry was back to his ebullient best on Monday night. A battling performance featuring some superb forward surges.

Keith Foy: 6.5
Lack of mobility a major failing. When he did get forward it was generally to good effect. Lucky not to go for two desperately late challenges.

Ben Whelehan: 7
Given plenty to think about by Murphy and Sullivan, but battled through the barrage and probably came off best, despite losing more than he won in the air.

Wes Byrne: 8.5
Slotted in at centre-half and looked as though he'd spent his entire career in the position. Vast experience shone through; positional sense irreproachable. An unlikely contender for man of the match.

Cathal O'Connor: 7.5
Slightly more subdued than we've come to expect, but his fine, composed play led to the crucial second goal. Perhaps the classiest player on City's books.

Killian Brennan: 9 - Man of the Match
Rangy, tricky running down the left must have felt like a nagging itch to the Waterford defence. Just wouldn't stay down regardless of many fouls he attracted. Instrumental in the visitors' reduction in numbers. Despite the strong claims of Gary O'Neill and Wes Byrne, this first real indication of blossoming talent earns him my man of the match award.

Jason Colwell: 7
Not the most visible of players, but put a stop to innumerable Waterford attacks with vital toe-ends to safety. Receives my inaugural Viking Bravery Award for carrying on despite an unmerciful smack in the face with a cold, wet ball unleashed at full speed and close range (and by a team-mate, moreover.)

Dom Tierney: 7
First goal for the club, and it couldn't have come at a better time. A cracking eighteen-yard shot just as City's spell of pressure looked to be running out of steam. Still slowing the pace of the game down too much, but solid and assured on the night.

Gary O'Neill: 9
Everything But The Goal. If he didn't look quite the ubiqutious behemoth of previous games, it's probably due to the inclusion of fellow striker Philly Hughes and the subsequent halving of Gary's workload. His strength, tenacity and technique were all in evidence as he set up Dom Tierney's lead goal in near-impossible circumstances, perhaps the canonical example of what Gary O'Neill is all about.

Philip Hughes: 8.5
In precisely the right place to head (!) the vital second goal, and gave the visitors' defence waking nightmares everytime he got the chance to unleash his pace.

SUBS

Ray Scully: 7
Came on to shore things up, but decided he might as well blast home a twenty-five yard screamer while he was at it. A sweet moment.

Robbie Collins: 7.5
The value of his brief appearance should not be underestimated. Effervescent front-running helped keep heads up and minds focused after the fourth official dropped his "six minutes of added time" bombshell. A nice assist for the third goal, too.

Pierre Ennis: 6
The briefest of cameos, notable only for Pierre's being incorrectly credited with the third goal over the PA.