Debut Nicky Butt di manejerial, Warren Joyce stay di Manchester.
Waterford 1 United XI 2
A Manchester United XI posted a 2-1 victory at Waterford United courtesy of goals from James Wilson and Jack Barmby.
The forwards struck either side of half time to ensure Conor Whittle's rocket strike was no more than a consolation for the hosts as Nicky Butt took charge of the young side.
Wilson opened his account for the campaign with a sweet finish after his initial attempt by keeper Chip Sanders while Barmby's effort followed a neat dribble past a couple of defenders. Whittle blasted a 30-yarder past Jonny Sutherland but the visitors were good value for the win.
In front of 2,830 fans, the Reds started the game brighter with Andreas Pereira looking most likely to cause problems. Tom Lawrence could have opened the scoring minutes after kick-off when cutting in from the left but Waterford defender David Breen made an important block.
Pereira continued to trouble Waterford and he forced keeper Sanders into a great save after 13 minutes, dancing his way past the challenges of three Waterford players before unleashing a strike towards goal. Sanders was alert though, and pushed the ball to his left away from the goal.
Ben Ryan almost gave the home side the lead five minutes later. Donald Love fouled Conor Coad on the edge of the penalty area but Ryan’s free kick grazed the top of the bar on its way over. United went down the other end almost instantaneously and struck the bar themselves. Wilson let fly from 25 yards but saw his effort strike the bar, before seeing his follow-up saved by keeper Sanders.
United deservedly notched the opening goal when Wilson finally got the better of Sanders after seeing his initial effort saved, he made no mistake with his second attempt; curling the ball into the top left corner away from the dive of Sanders.
Coad almost levelled for Waterford on the stroke of half time, but Pierluigi Gollini got a touch to force it over the crossbar, only for the Reds to double the lead just six minutes into the second half through Barmby. The son of ex-England star Nick dribbled around two challenges in the Waterford penalty area, held off defender David Breen and superbly fired across goal past Craig Hyland into the back of the net.
Both teams mad changes throughout the second period which affected the tempo before Waterford got back into the game. Substitute right-back Whittle advanced unchallenged down the right before unleashing an unstoppable strike past Sutherland.
Joe Rothwell almost made it 3-1 within minutes when he latched onto a loose ball on the edge of the box, but Blues keeper Hyland touched over his brilliantly curled effort. With ten minutes to go, the home side should have levelled. Philip Drohan drove down the left and forced Sutherland into a good save. The ball broke to Peter Higgins, 12 yards from goal, but he scuffed his shot across the penalty area with the goal at his mercy.
Love went close to adding another with five minutes to go but Whittle got the vital clearance on the line, before Sam Byrne almost got on the scoresheet minutes later but his header went over the crossbar.
United: Gollini (Sutherland 46); Weir, Rowley, McNair, Love; Barmby, Rudge, Pereira, Rothwell, Lawrence (Byrne 60); Wilson (Adarabioyo 60).