Holden applauds team mates

At 33 years-of-age, Packie Holden is currently enjoying what are often regarded as the golden years of a goalkeeper’s career. Whilst outfield players begin looking over their shoulders and showing the signs of physical decline once over the hill named ‘thirty’, goalkeepers – like good wines – get better with age. Able to call on years of hard-earned experience, these elder custodians can be invaluable due to the calmness and leadership they bring to a team. 

Holden is now in his third spell on Suirside, having returned to the Blues from neighbouring Wexford at the start of the season, and his influence has proved crucial to a back-line heavy on talent but light on experience. Speaking exclusively to Extratime.ie after Waterford’s 2-1 victory over Limerick at the RSC on Friday night, the Kilkenny-born shot-stopper was eager to praise his fledgling corps of defenders. 

“Young Dylan Mernagh, it’s his first season in the league, Craig Burns the same, PC [Paul Carey], unbelievable. A special mention for Breener [David Breen] there, I think it’s only his second game this season, you know; he was outstanding. . All year we’ve had a brilliant back four, whether it’s been Shammy [Seamus Long] in there – to give everybody a mention – it’s been outstanding.”

Holden does not necessarily see himself as a mentor to his younger team-mates however, as he is eager to ensure his own performances remain consistent and reach the level he expects of himself. 

“Not at all, no. My job is to play in goal and the lads look after themselves. First and foremost, I have to look after myself and if I can give the boys a hand along the way, fair enough,” said the former Cobh Ramblers net-minder, before giving his assessment of Waterford’s current position in the hunt for promotion. “We’re a long way off the end of the season, we’re only halfway there, [so] there’s going to be results that you’re not expecting and to be honest we still have a lot of ground to make up on the top two. We’re just hanging on to their coattails and coming up slowly but surely.”

This was Waterford’s third league victory over Limerick this season and Holden spoke of the impact these previous wins had on his side’s mentality as they went into the half-time break a goal down on Friday evening. 

“Well, obviously we’ve beaten Limerick twice before tonight and confidence was never an issue. We always had belief in our own ability and it paid off in the second-half – in the second-half I think you saw the real Waterford United [of] this season. There was never a doubt in our minds, once we were in the game. That’s why there was no panic in the dressing room at half-time; in fairness Paul [O’Brien] just said ‘keep it going and things will turn, just keep working hard.’ [The conditions weren’t easy] but in fairness the lads coped brilliantly with them and I think the ability they have was on show for everybody to see in the second-half. They were outstanding.”

This win has brought The Blues to within four points of their defeated Munster rivals, and cemented their hold on third place in the First Division table. Waterford next welcome SD Galway to the RSC before a hugely-important clash away to league-leaders Longford on the 21^st of this month. If the Suirside club is to finally throw off the shackles of second-tier football, it will need its flame-haired elder statesman at his very best. To complete the wine analogy, they need a vintage year.