League Preview: UCD -v- Waterford

• Dave Donnelly
• Fri, Jul 26 2019




UCD

Another hugely important home game in the battle to avoid relegation faces UCD as Waterford visit the Bowl on Friday night (kick-off 7.45pm).

Collie O’Neill’s side returned to the bottom of the table on goal difference following a 7-0 defeat to Shamrock Rovers on Sunday, their heaviest reverse of the season.

That result also brought to an end the three-match unbeaten run that had seen the Students claw back a four-point deficit to Finn Harps.

O’Neill conceded before the match that it was a free shot against a side he regards as the best his team have faced, but he was angered by the manner of the defeat.

“It’s not acceptable, really,” O’Neill told extratime.ie.

“I don’t know if it was one of those games where we were already defeated in our head before they turned up, but that’s not of the standard I’ll stand for.

“I’m not happy, but it’s over with, it’s done with, and we’ll have to move on from it and learn quickly.

“It was more than seven mistakes – it was 77 mistakes. It could have ended up being 12. It was a bad afternoon and we have to just scratch it off and move on.”

O’Neill will be without the injured Evan Osam, Josh Collins and Sean McDonald, while Dara Keane picked up a concussion on his full league debut against Rovers.

Goalkeeper Conor Kearns returns after missing the Rovers game with suspension, but he is set to incur a ban of several additional matches next week.

New signings Sam Byrne and Liam Kerrigan, who arrived from Bohemians and Sligo Rovers this week, could be available should the transfers be cleared in time.

WATERFORD

Waterford face the prospect of being drawn back into the relegation dogfight should the result not go their way at the UCD Bowl.

The 1-0 defeat to Finn Harps last week was the Blues’ fourth defeat in five – the other being a scoreless draw in Sligo – and they haven’t won since UCD visited the RSC in May.

Mikey Place won and converted a penalty with 11 minutes remaining as Harps joined UCD on 17 points, just seven behind Waterford.

“We were very disappointed with the result last week,” said Blues boss Alan Reynolds the club’s website.

“We had good chances and didn’t take them, and were then hit with a sucker punch. It’s three home defeats in a row so that’s disappointing for us, but we have to look forward.

“The supporters were great last week and we know they’re frustrated. The players are hurting.

“They know what it means to everybody and they’re working hard to get us moving in the right direction, starting this Friday.

“UCD lost last weekend but they’ve had some really good recent results so we’ll expect another tough game because we know Collie always has them well organised.

“We’ve had it tough up there recently so we need to be on our game to get something on Friday.”

Reynolds will be without the injured Sam Bone and Kevin Lynch but Rory Feely returns from suspension Zack Elbouzedi could play some part after sustaining a shoulder injury in the Toulon Tournament.

Referee: Paul Tuite

MATCH STATS

UCD and Waterford are the two most recent winners of the First Division, Waterford having topped the table in 2017 and the Students the following year.

This is the third meeting between the sides this season with both having recorded home wins to date.

Goals from Gary O’Neill, Yoyo Mahdy, Richie O’Farrell and Sean McDonald saw Collie O’Neill’s side to a 4-1 win at the Bowl in April.

The following month saw the tables turned at the RSC, where Waterford won 1-0 thanks to a first-half strike from Ireland under-21 winger Zack Elbouzedi.

BETTING

UCD 9/2; Draw 16/5; Waterford 4/9.

PREDICTION

UCD 1 – 0 Waterford

UCD

Injured: Josh Collins, Dara Keane, Evan Osam, Sean McDonald.

Doubtful: None.

Suspended: None.

Waterford

Injured: Sam Bone, Kevin Lynch.

Doubtful: Zack Elbouzedi.

Suspended: None.