Waterford United -v- Longford Town

WATERFORD UNITED

After a sticky beginning to their league season, Waterford United have settled into a steady rhythm and they approach Friday’s clash with league leaders Longford Town on the back of three straight league wins.

Paul O’Brien’s men are also unbeaten in five, a run that has elevated the Blues to third place in the First Division table, eight points behind Longford who lead the way.

"We are a more confident team now”, said O’Brien ahead of the game, “and we will welcome them to the RSC and go all out to beat them and make it four wins on the bounce. I felt we should have taken at least a point against them when we played them in series one because we had a lot of the play that night."

The six point difference incurred by Longford’s 3-2 win in Flancare Park back in March makes up most of the difference between the two sides in the current league table, a fact that puts the scale of Waterford’s revival into some kind of perspective.

If the Blues are to continue their upward climb they will have to do so without long term injury victims Adam McSherry and Willie John Kiely, while Daragh Walshe will also be missing with an ankle injury. Full back John Frost is also a doubt with a hamstring issue, though O’Brien’s squad are, at least, free of suspensions.

LONGFORD TOWN

Similarly to Waterford, Longford enter the weekend on a run of three consecutive league wins, their only defeat of the season coming four weeks ago when they went down 3-1 at home to Finn Harps. With a total of 25 points, they currently lead the First Division, four points clear of nearest rivals Limerick and eight points ahead of third placed Waterford.

Manager Tony Cousins made several impressive additions to this season’s squad, a fact underlined by a look at their top scorer’s chart where new boys Colm James and Noel Haverty lead the way on four goals each.

Longford remain unbeaten on their travels this term, a 0-0 draw at basement club SD Galway being the only occasion on which they have not taken the full three points away from home.

Another reason for Longford fans to be cheerful is that their side have scored in all ten of their league games to date, though the fact that they have only managed to keep two clean sheets (away to Mervue and at home to Wexford Youths) hints at a level of defensive uncertainty not always found in League leaders.

Referee: Keith Callanan.

MATCH STATS

Waterford United have failed to score on just three occasions in the ten rounds of league games to date. At the other end they have kept five clean sheets, four of which have come in their last five league games.

Almost half of Waterford’s 13 goals conceded this year came on the opening night of the season when they let in six without reply to Wexford Youths.

Like their hosts, Longford are on a run of three straight wins in the league and have gathered 25 points to so far, a total they did not reach last season until July 8th.

BETTING

Waterford 6/4; Draw 11/5; Longford 8/5.

PREDICTION

With both sides on a decent run of form expect any winning margin to be tight, a draw being the most likely outcome, 2-2.

Waterford Injury News: Adam McSherry (knee), Willie John Kiely (elbow), Daragh Walshe (ankle). Doubt - John Frost (hamstring).

Waterford Suspension News: None.

Longford Injury News: Unavailable.

Longford Suspension News: None.