League Preview: Waterford United -v- Athlone Town

Having been brought forward to Thursday, June 25th, this First Division clash between Waterford United and Athlone Town will be the first game to take place as the League of Ireland returns to action following the mid-season break. Kick-off in the RSC is 7.45pm.

WATERFORD UNITED

In this post-mid-season break clash of teams who must do better, bottom-of-the-table Waterford United need three points the most to kick-start their campaign. Both sides have changed their managers and Blues fans will be hoping that the interval has given Roddy Collins time to get to know his new players.

The former Bohemians and Derry City boss admitted to Extratime.ie after his first game in charge – a 3-1 win over Cabinteely in the RSC back in May – that it was his predecessor Tommy Griffin (still at the club as Head of Football Operations) who had picked the team that night.

The lift provided by Collins' appointment and the momentum which could have gathered from the win over Cabo was halted immediately as Waterford lost their next three games in all competitions, including an FAI Cup second round defeat to Leinster Senior League side Tolka Rovers. The Blues completed the first half of the season with a creditable home draw against Europa League-bound UCD.

There is a sense that with the players they have at their disposal, Waterford are in a false position in the First Division table at the moment. Collins will be telling those players there is no time like the present to begin rectifying that, starting with Athlone Town on Thursday. The Dubliner will have to plan without midfielder Anthony McAlavey, though, who is suspended.

ATHLONE TOWN

Just two weeks into the current season, the Executive Committee of Athlone Town issued a public appeal for support to combat “a financial drain of resources” in the club – with the previous season's relegation and “the assembling of a squad which in many respects is perhaps the best [Athlone] squad assembled in many years” cited as contributing factors to the Midlanders' difficulties.

At the gathering in March, concerned fans who turned out were told, as reported in the Westmeath Independent, that it wasn't “a Doomsday meeting” and that Athlone would not be giving up its League of Ireland place in the foreseeable future. Thankfully, this has proven to be true. However, on the pitch, things aren't going exactly according to plan.

The original appeal expressed a belief that the squad put together by Eddie Wallace was strong enough to bounce straight back into the Premier Division. At the time, Athlone were top of the table on goal-difference with four points from their opening two games.

Wallace would eventually resign his position in early May after a run of just two wins in seven league games, with Alan Mathews – himself only recently departed from Premier Division Bray Wanderers – brought in to turn the tide.

Inflicting a first defeat on league leaders Finn Harps in Lissywollen was a good start for Mathews. However, back-to-back 2-0 away defeats to Wexford Youths and Cabinteely left his new club sitting in fifth-place in the table heading into the mid-season break, three points behind Shelbourne.

The best Athlone squad “assembled in many years” will need to hit the second half of the season running in order to stay in the play-off hunt, but Mathews will have to plan for the first game back against Waterford without the services of Brian Shortall (suspended) and Marco Chindea (broken foot).

Referee: Tomas Connolly.

MATCH STATS

Waterford United are without a win against Athlone Town since the first-half of the 2013 season – when Roddy Collins was at the helm in Lissywollen. The Blues won 1-0 in Athlone in May 2013 thanks to a Paul Quilty goal and a missed penalty by Philly Gorman.

The last time Waterford beat Athlone in the RSC was in the same season and by the same scoreline, in April 2013. This time, it was David Breen who netted the winner against the Midlanders, whose task was made even more difficult when the manager's son was sent off after only 16 minutes – Roddy Collins Jnr. received his marching orders for a foul on Quilty.

Athlone Town haven't won in the RSC since March 8^th, 2002 when a Glen Fitzpatrick double earned the Lissywollen side a 2-1 win over Waterford.

Though Athlone have won two and drawn two of the last four meetings between the sides – including a 1-0 victory in their most recent clash in April – the Midlanders have only beaten Waterford three times in the last 13 years.

BETTING

Waterford United 9/4; Draw 11/5; Athlone Town 11/10.

PREDICTION

2-1.

Waterford United

Injured: Thomas Croke.

Doubtful: None.

Suspended: Anthony McAlavey.

Athlone Town

Injured: Marco Chindea (broken foot).

Doubtful: None.

Suspended: Brian Shortall.