League Preview: Cabinteely FC -v- Waterford United

Cabinteely FC welcome Waterford United to Stradbrook this Saturday evening for an Easter weekend fixture. The match kicks off at 7.45pm.

CABINTEELY FC

Cabinteely have had an impressive start to the 2016 campaign following their debut season playing in the League of Ireland last year when they finished at the foot of the table just a single point behind their visitors to Stradbrook this weekend.

This match will be seen as an indicator as to how two very much revamped squads have improved during the close season and Cabo will be out to prove a point following the harsh lesson they received at Tolka Park in the League Cup earlier this week.

The Stradbrook based side have a very young squad this season and their youthful energy may see them finish higher up in the pecking order come the end of the campaign if they can gel as a squad and settle into that difficult ‘second’ season at League of Ireland level.

Nigerian defender, Victor Ekanem is the most senior member of their squad at 27 years of age whilst the rest of the roster, which includes four 17 year olds, does not age above 23 years old. This may or may not prove to be an advantage to them but any experience lost on the pitch is surely accounted for with Eddie Gormley at the helm.

Gormley knows that his young side will have to improve on the 5-0 thumping they were handed by Shelbourne at Tolka Park in the EA Sports Cup last Monday night if they are to contain a Waterford United side who impressed last time out against UCD.

WATERFORD UNITED

There has been a big news story surrounding Waterford United this week which overshadowed a fantastic victory for the Blues at the UCD Bowl last Friday night. The suspension of Roddy Collins from the dugout for six games caught the headlines and even that was not related to an incident during a Waterford United match but the consequence of an article worded by Collins and published in a national newspaper.  

On the pitch, the Blues will be hoping to build on the three points they picked up last weekend and Collins has spoken of better days to come for the Blues fans who have endured a couple of very tough seasons in recent memory..

“People need to understand that I’m still getting to know our players. We’re looking at them and we’re trying to get them to play as a team and to get a bit of stability about them. To a man, I was very happy with their attitude. I thought that the defence was superb but as I said, the performances will get better and we’ll definitely play better”.

The Waterford United boss is confident his side can get a result in South Dublin if they can maintain the level of their performances so far this season on the pitch but is also wary of the threat posed by a much improved Cabo side.

“We know the game against Cabinteely will be a very difficult game but the mindset that we have set for the players is that we haven't lost a second half this season. We've worked really hard and if we have put together the same performance as last week, we'll be difficult to beat.”

The Blues are hopeful that Roddy Collins Jr and Yohann Fellrath will be available for selection now that the paperwork involved in their registration has been complete.

Referee:Robert Rogers

MATCH STATS

A John McKeown goal 20 minutes from time was enough to seal the points and a 1-0 victory for Cabinteely when the sides first met at Stradbrook almost a year ago to the day.

Cory Galvin, Evan Galvin, Willie John Kiely (2 goals) and Shane Dineen who scored Waterford United’s five goals against Cabinteely last season, and all are no longer with the Blues.

Waterford United last won two consecutive league matches in 2014. They followed up a 4-0 victory at home to Cobh Ramblers on the 30th of May with a 1-0 win away to Shamrock Rovers ‘B’ four days later.

BETTING

Cabinteely 8/5; Draw 21/10; Waterford United 13/8.

PREDICTION

Cabinteely 1-3 Waterford United.

Cabinteely

Injured: None

Doubtful: None

Suspended: None

Waterford United

Injured: None

Doubtful: Roddy Collins Jnr and Yoann Fellrath

Suspended: None