Mervue Utd -v- Waterford Utd

• Terry Flaherty
• Sat, Apr 03 2010


Airtricity League First Division leaders Waterford Utd make their second trip to Galway in seven days as they face second from bottom Mervue Utd at Terryland Park on Saturday (kick-off 7pm)

Both teams go into this game in very contrasting form as Waterford have had a fantastic start to the season with a one hundred percent record to date of four wins and no goals conceded. Mervue on the other hand are still awaiting a first win of the season having lost three on the bounce and drawn their first game of the season against Limerick.

Last week Mervue were involved in an historic game at Turner’s Cross as the newly formed Cork City FORAS Co-op recorded their very first victory in the Airtricity League with a 4-2 win. Waterford recorded their fourth straight victory with a 1-0 win over Mervue’s Galway city rivals, Salthill Devon, thanks to a Vinny Sullivan first half goal.

Mervue manager Tom French commented, "We were obviously not happy with the result, I thought Cork were one of the best sides we have played yet, they keep the ball well and look to penetrate when on. For ourselves we will learn from the experience and take the positives out of the game. We were well in the game until we had a man sent off, when you have to chase an equaliser with ten men you leave gaps and that’s what happened with the last two goals scored by Cork.”

“On the positive side to score two goals in this match is good to go on with and I would like to congratulate Enda Curran for scoring his first senior goal and at the age of 17 he has a very good future ahead him. All said we are on the right track and I know it is only a matter of time until we start winning games,” French said.

Stephen Henderson commented on last week’s win in Galway “It was a tiny pitch and they made a real battle out of it. An ugly win I think they call it, but we won and kept another clean sheet and that is super”. On this weeks game Henderson said “Now we must focus on another trip to Galway next week. We expected a tough game from Salthill Devon and we will get another test on Saturday from Mervue United, but we will be ready for that game also.”

Henderson will be without the services of Liam Kearney this week following his late sending off in Drom, while Kevin Waters is out for several weeks after tearing a muscle in training. Goalkeeper Chris Konopka was withdrawn at half-time in the Salthill game with a knee injury, and remains a doubt for Saturday, though he is expected to recover.

French will have to plan without veteran Ollie Keogh who was sent off in Cork last weekend, while Dave Goldbey will be out long term having had a major operation on his ankle on Friday morning. French will also be without almost all of the club’s youth team players as Pat Hoban, Enda Curran, Dan Cunningham, Mike Elwood and Paul Scally all played in the club’s 5-3 FAI Youth Cup quarter final win over Clonmel Town on Friday evening. Goalkeeper Ger Hanley will be available as he only featured on the subs bench in that win, while Nicky Curran, Darren Young and Mike Tierney should all return having missed the Cork game. Eric Browne is also a doubt though due to a bug.

In the club’s three meetings last season Waterford collected all nine points on offer with three wins and without conceding a goal. The home team have proved resistant and tough opponents at Terryland, with Waterford taking until the 80th minute before breaking the deadlock through David Grincell and Graham Cummins only adding a second in the final minute in their last visit to Galway.

Venue: Terryland Park

Referee: S. Templeman

paddypower.com odds: Mervue United 13/2 Draw 11/4 Waterford United 2/5

Mervue United
Doubtful: Eric Browne
Injured: Dave Goldbey
Suspended: Ollie Keogh

Waterford United
Doubtful: Chris Konopka
Injured: Kevin Waters
Suspended: Liam Kearney

Extratime.ie Prediction: 2-1 to the unbeaten league leaders.