Waterford United vs Sporting Fingal

Third plays second as Waterford United welcome high-flying Sporting Fingal to the RSC this Friday night (KO 19.45).

The crunch encounter will provide a stern test of both team's title credentials with the season just past the half-way stage. The Blues come off the back of a somewhat disappointing outing at Athlone Town on Tuesday, which ended in yet another stalemate, the third such result against the Midlanders this season.

Manager Gareth Cronin declared himself happy enough with the overall play for much of the match, but bemoaned his team's inability to keep the lead, comparing the game to that at Wexford where they also struggled to close out the game and then conceded a late equaliser.

Fingal's 2-0 win over Limerick the previous night saw them leapfrog United into second place, and the Blues boss will be anxious to get his side back in the winning habit to reverse that switch. The two games between the teams to date have each seen the home side well on top, and Cronin will be hoping that the pattern repeats itself for the third encounter.

Sporting are on a great run at the moment though, having won the last five on the bounce, but the Blues will look to their own league record, unbeaten in eight, in other words every game since the last time these sides met. The Blues boss is relishing the challenge, highlighting the quality in the Fingal squad, but backing his players to take the game to the visitors.

He will have to plan without the services of Karl Bermingham, who serves the second of his suspensions for the red card against Shelbourne, and midfielder Gary Dunphy, who damaged ankle ligaments in training last week and will likely be out for two weeks. Packie Holden is back in contention for a place between the sticks after suffering a facial injury last Friday, and more good news was provided by the quicker than expected recovery of midfielder Paul McCarthy, who should be back in training in a few weeks.

Gareth Cronin is under no illusions that this game is going to be a battle royale.

"Fingal are flying, and, of the top four, are the only club with the wherewithal to strengthen their squad considerably in the transfer window. Their squad has immense quality, but we are the home team, and I expect us to make a real fight of it." Liam Buckley has this week brought four new players into his squad as the July transfer window closes. Experienced defender Barry Ferguson has joined from Shamrock Rovers on loan until the end of the season as have St. Patrick's Athletic duo John Frost and and Brendan Clarke. Sporting has also snapped up UCD striker Paul Byrne on a permanent deal. Fingal will be without both Brian Kelly and Jim Crawford for the game as they are nursing back and calf injuries respectively. Buckley is delighted with his team's recent run of five straight wins and especially pleased that no goals have been conceded during that period. "We've hit a good patch recently and it's all about maintaining that consistency," he said. "It was important to bolster our squad with the few additions heading into the last four months of the season. I'm glad to have signed the four lads; there's a mixture of experience and youth amongst them." "Waterford have their own ambitions of winning the title and they looked good when I watched them on Tuesday against Athlone Town."

The match kicks off at 19:45.