Blues boss O'Brien hoping to go one better

Waterford United boss Paul O’Brien is calling on his team to forget last year’s play-off disappointment and go one better in their promotion chase.

The Blues lost to Dundalk in the Promotion Play-off after losing 2-0 in the RSC following a 2-2 draw in Oriel Park.  O’Brien is pleased that the club have kept him on as manager but hopes that experience will help his squad.

“Last year was wicked disappointing, we went so close and I thought we had it, I thought we were over the line to be honest, It was very hard to deal with that disappointment. The club are standing by me so I’m looking forward to the rest of pre-season and to the start of the league.

“Football is based on that disappointments, that’s how you learn and that’s how you grown stronger as a player, and hopefully this year we’ll be stronger. If we can get off to a good start, then you never know.”

The Blues have lost Gary Dempsey and teen sensation Seani Maguire, but the arrival of Vinny Sullivan and Paudie Quinn has brought more hope.

“Pre-season has gone pretty good so far, we’re adding players and trying to get a squad together. I’m after getting the majority of players that I’ve been after and that’s a good thing.

“We have basically the squad [that I want] now, maybe one or two more, but I think we have a decent squad, and we have a good variety in the squad, I’m happy enough with what we have. Gary [Dempsey] has gone back to Bray and Seani [Maguire] has gone across channel, but we have the nucleus of the squad we started out with. Packie Holden called it a day for different reasons, and he was a great servant to me last year.”

“We’re after adding too, with the likes of Vinny Sullivan coming in, and a couple of local players after coming in, Francis Rockett and Paul Quilty. It’s great to see them in here now and hopefully it’ll get more interest from the town.”

O’Brien also confirmed that a number of Premier Division teams had been in touch regarding friendly matches, and that dates would be released when they are confirmed.