Credit: Extratime Team (ETPhotos)
Waterford United -v- Wexford Youths
- Colman Hanley
- Fri, Mar 05 2010
‘The Blues’ and ‘The Youths’ are set to kick off their respective seasons tonight, with Waterford hoping to begin their 2010 league season with three points and Wexford aiming to repeat their win in the RSC last May.
The 2010 season is set to be a make or break season for Waterford’s manager Stephen Henderson. With high profile signings Liam Kearney from Derry City and Chris Konopka from Sporting Fingal having joined, Waterford will be expecting to achieve promotion following last year’s fourth place finish and EA Sports cup final appearance. However, Henderson was realistic that a repeat of last year’s results would not be acceptable.
"Football managers will always be judged on what they achieved, not what they nearly achieved, so last season was not a success in my eyes. Being so close to winning so many different competitions last season has left us very determined to do it right this time."
For the Youths, they are set to kick-off the season without Mick Wallace at the helm and Noel O’Connor now in charge. O’Connor will have to manage without star playmaker Conor Sinnott, the youngster having left for Saint Patrick’s Athletic. However in young players like Shane Dempsey,Gary Sheahan and Danny Furlong available for another year at Ferrycarrig Park, Wexford can still expect to compete with some of the top teams like Waterford.
However after a successful pre-season (sixteen goals scored in six games), three points was the aim for Henderson’s first game of the season. “Our pre-season was excellent, the lads worked extremely hard. We need to start the season well and improve on our home form from last year."
With such focus being shown by the Blues manager, Waterford look set to start the season strongly.
Venue: Waterford Regional Sports Centre (RSC)
Referee: G. Kelly
Paddypower.com odds: Waterford 1/2, Wexford 13/5, Draw 5/1.
Waterford United:
Injured: None.
Doubtful: Paul McCarthy (ankle).
Suspended: John Kearney.
Wexford Youths:
Injured: None.
Doubtful: None.
Suspended: None.
Extratime.ie prediction: Waterford to start the season strongly in this south-east derby, 2-0.
About Colman Hanley
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