Waterford United 0 Ipswich Town 3 TWO goals from Owen Garvan helped give Roy Keane's side a perfect start to their weekend in Ireland.Kevin Lisbie gave Town a first half lead and after a sluggish start Town eased past a game Waterford side with better finishing once more proving the difference.

Derek Davis

Waterford United 0 Ipswich Town 3

TWO goals from Owen Garvan helped give Roy Keane's side a perfect start to their weekend in Ireland.

Kevin Lisbie gave Town a first half lead and after a sluggish start Town eased past a game Waterford side with better finishing once more proving the difference.

Ipswich's defence looked steady and even though Waterford threatened Richard Wright had few saves to make.

Keane handed a first senior appearance to trialist Shane O'Connor, a Cork boy who was with Wilton United, before moving to Liverpool's academy where he won an FA Youth Cup winners' medal.

The diminutive O'Connor went in at left back with Republic of Ireland international Alex Bruce on the right and skipper Gareth McAuley partnered by Pim Balkestein as the centre half pairing.

Alan Quinn, who didn't play at Brentford due to an ankle injury, created the first good opening but his low cross was cut out by Michael Devine.

Waterford, who are fourth in the League of Ireland Division One, had a good chance early on when Paul Walsh had a free header eight yards out but nodded over the bar.

Town's first shot on target arrived on the half hour but Devine was behind Norris' drive from 25-yards. Moments later Jordan Rhodes had the ball in the net but the offside flag had already been raised

The opener came eight minutes before the break when Alan Carey failed to clear the danger just outside his 18-yard box and Rhodes laid a little pass off to Lisbie who lashed it in from 25-yards.

That goal will give him a lift as it had been six months ago to the day since he scored in the 3-1 win at Crystal Palace.

Rhodes scorned a good chance when he lifted the ball over the bar, unmarked from 14 yards.

A double switch at half time paid instant dividends when Tommy Smith, on for O'Connor, crossed from the left and after Devine fumbled, Owen Garvan showed good composure to control, evade a defender and finish from close range.

The Dubliner showed good awareness and tenacity for his second in the 63rd minute as he intercepted a loose ball by Paul McCarthy then forced his way between the centre halves before finishing low past the keeper.

United substitute Graham Cummins was denied by a combination of pressure by Balkestein and a one handed save from Richard Wright, while Waterford had two claims in vain for hand ball but Town's defence kept a welcome clean sheet.

Connor Wickham went through legally and netted but the flag was up for offside against Jon Stead and the goal wrongly scrubbed off.

The game was played at Waterford's Regional Sports Centre which has the look of Brighton's Withdean Stadium about with a running track around the pitch and trees around the perimeter but still very open.

Such was the attraction of Keane and his team that Irish sports minister Martin Cullen was among the sell-out 3,500 crowd, some 3,000 more than normally watch United and added around �22,000 profit to their coffers.

Cork City, who are in danger of being wound up due to financial difficulties, would welcome such a return for the game at Turners' Cross tomorrow, which is not yet a sell out.

Lee Martin, Damien Delaney, Jon Walters and David Wright, all went through fitness work before the game and so were not used in this game but are likely to figure against City.

Waterford United: Devine (Burns, 64) A Carey (Long, 46) Murray (McCarthy, 46) Browne, Kearney, Walsh (Dunphy, 64) Grant (Mulcahy, 46) Fitzgerald, Waters (Cummins, 46) Warren (P Carey, 75), Grincell (Kiely, 46) All subs used:

Ipswich Town: R Wright, Bruce, O'Connor (Smith, 46) McAuley, Balkestein, Shumulikoski, Quinn, Garvan, Rhodes (Wickham, 64) Lisbie (Stead, 64) Norris (Trotter, 46). Subs not used: Supple.

Referee: Keith Callanan (Cork)