Mervue United -v- Waterford United

• Terry Flaherty
• Fri, Sep 17 2010


Third placed Waterford United make the trip to Galway for the second weekend in a row as they travel west to take on a struggling Mervue United side who are looking to halt a run of nine straight defeats. Kick-off is at 7.45 p.m. in Terryland Park.

Waterford’s 1-1 draw in Drom last Saturday night saw Mervue’s city rivals, Salthill Devon, draw level with them at the foot of the First Division table. Stephen Henderson will be hoping his side can secure a better return from their trip west than last week if they are to close the gap on both Derry City and Monaghan Utd at the peak of the First Division.

It has been a long July and August for Tom French’s Mervue side, as a run of nine league defeats, since a 4-3 home win over Longford in early July, have followed. September has been no different as defeats to Wexford Youths (5-2) and Cork City (2-1) has seen no change in fortunes for the club.

Last Friday night the concession of two goals inside the first seven minutes looked like making it a very long night in Cork, but French’s young side never let their heads go down and could have secured a point in the end after Barry McEntee’s very first senior goal reduced it back to 2-1.

In the five meetings so far in the First Division between the sides, Waterford have won all five. The last meeting in Terryland back in early April produced a cracker of a game with Waterford edging it 3-2, after a five goal thriller in what was a great advert for the league. A more comfortable 3-0 win for Henderson’s side followed in the RSC in June. Waterford have won three of their last four games, Mervue have won three games all season.

Waterford have the luxury of selecting from a full squad for the first time in a while. Full back Alan Carey came through last weekend’s game with no ill effects following his return from injury, and midfielder Shane Barrett returned to training this week after a six-week lay off following an appendix operation. Left back Michael Coady returns from suspension.

Mervue will once again be without Tommy and Simon Walsh as both conclude their suspensions, while Mike Tierney (ankle) and Kenny Farrell (knee) remain on the sidelines. On the plus side Mike Elwood returns from suspension and Enda Curran and Eric Browne should return to the squad having missed last week’s defeat in Cork.

As the league nears its dramatic conclusion both sides will be looking to gain maximum points for very different reasons as they sit at opposite ends of the league table.

Extratime.ie Prediction: A 2-1 away win.