Waterford United  0 – 0  Sporting Fingal

Waterford United last night missed the chance to really punish Shelbourne’s slip up against Wexford Youths, when they were held to a scoreless draw by Sporting Fingal at the RSC.

Though the game was light on incident, a makeshift-looking Blues side put in a much improved shift over last weekend’s against UCD, and at the end of the match were left to rue two missed opportunities that fell to Joe Mulcahy at either end of the second half. Kevin Waters’ suspension, Dave Warren’s on-going struggle with a groin strain, and a mid-week hamstring injury to Kenny Browne prompted a re-jig of the formation, that saw top scorer Graham Cummins return to his old berth at centre back alongside Kevin Murray. Mulcahy started on the left wing, and Vinny Sullivan made an immediate return to the fold, nominally starting up front alongside compatriot Willie John Kiely, but actually playing so deep as to be effectively a fifth midfielder, as the home side sought to match the 4-5-1 line-up of their opponents.

Fingal were first out of the blocks, Gary O’Neill getting his head to Alan Kirby’s cross from the left in the second minute, but putting it wide enough to not even momentarily trouble Michael Devine. On fifteen minutes the visitors gave more cause for concern, as Shaun Williams crossed from the right after a short corner. Devine half-cleared with a punch under pressure from O’Neill, but only as far as Conan Byrne on the edge of the box, whose poorly struck volley squirted through the crowded area and into the grateful arms of the keeper. At the other end, Alan Carey fired a 20 yard free kick just over on 18 minutes, and Vinny Sullivan had a couple of sights of goal, a well struck volley on 26 minutes that flew straight at Darren Quigley in the Fingal goal, and an ambitious long-range strike on the run two minutes from the break, well over the top. Chances were at a premium in a half characterised by the two sides cagily sounding each other out.

Just a minute after restart, though, United had a real chance to open the scoring. John Kearney sent Paul Walsh away down the right with a slide rule pass through the Fingal defence. Walsh’s cross was superbly delivered, and Joe Mulcahy ghosted in from the left to meet it, only to steer his side-foot volley over the top from eight yards out. Three minutes later, Conan Byrne’s inswinging free kick from wide on the left was allowed travel to the far post, with Devine needing to be alert to turn it away for a corner. After that early flurry of activity, the game settled back into the stalemate of the first half, only a couple of long range Blues free kicks to leaven the action.

It took until four minutes from the end of normal time for the second great chance for the Blues to grab the winner. Mulcahy did exceptionally well to win a long ball into the left channel, but he went for goal, blazing over from a tight angle when the low centre to Willie John Kiely in the six yards box, or a pull back to Dave Warren, unmarked on the edge of the area might have been more productive options. A quick break from the goal kick almost set Eamon Zayed away at the other end, but Devine, on his heels for so long in the half, was out quickly and down bravely to save at the striker’s feet. That was the last action of a game to forget for the fans, but after the match Stephen Henderson declared himself pleased with the way things went, and considering the changes forced upon his team, who proved more than a match for a very strong Fingal side, he might have a point.

Waterford United: Michael Devine; Alan Carey, Kevin Murray, Graham Cummins, Seamus Long; Paul Walsh, Stephen Grant, John Kearney, Vinny Sullivan (Dave Warren 67), Joe Mulcahy; Willie John Kiely - subs: Kevin Burns, Kieran Fitzgerald, Gary Dunphy, Paul Carey

Booked: Kearney, Kiely

Sporting Fingal: Darren Quigley, Brian Gannon, Lorcan Fitzgerald, Shaun Williams, Philip Byrne, Stephen Paisley, Conan Byrne, Robert Bayly (Robbie Doyle 79), Gary O’Neill (Eamon Zayed 79), Alan Kirby, Shane McFaul – subs: Chris Konopka, Eric Foley, John Frost

Booked: McFaul, Bayly

Referee: Graham Kelly (Cork)

Featured in the match programme this week:  

Brian Kennedy continues his look at world football with some infamous backhand shenanigans…

An in-depth stats breakdown on the season so far…

Brendan White with a round-up of the Series 2 games…

A Blues fan next to some of the same water, only further downstream…

And all the usual news, views and information.

Read more in Saturday’s matchday programme!

After defeat to UCD last weekend, Waterford United will be looking to quickly bounce back when they play host to Sporting Fingal at the RSC this Saturday (KO 7.00pm).

The Blues saw an eight game unbeaten run come to an end against the Students, in a game where they never really got going in midfield and attack, despite a numerical advantage for a large part of the match. It is true that United have had another intense spell of matches of late, with 8 games played in the month since July 25th, but manager Stephen Henderson refuses to use this as any kind of excuse, instead simply putting the defeat down to a bad day at the office for his men. The bullish boss is confident the team can put the defeat behind them and get back to winning ways against the Dublin club.

The opening match of the season saw the sides play out an entertaining 1-1 draw at the RSC, a late Gary Dunphy piledriver cancelled out almost immediately by Philly Byrne’s header, but the Blues will take confidence from the return fixture at Morton Stadium back in May, when they came from an early goal down to overrun their hosts and rattle the net four times. After the UCD defeat, though, Waterford find themselves below Fingal in fourth place on goal difference, which only adds to the need for a good result on Saturday. Sporting are on a great run at present, having won their last five games in a row, so the Blues will have to be on top of their game to pick up the points. If they do hit the form they are capable of, as Henderson knows, they can put themselves right back in contention for the title.

The squad has been buoyed this week by the return of striker Vinny Sullivan to the fold after a half-year absence, boosting the options up front, and he is expected to go straight into the squad for the match. David Grincell and Paul McCarthy remain on the long-term injury list of course, and a real doubt exists over the availability of inspirational goalkeeper Michael Devine, who sustained a suspected broken toe against the Students. Despite this, Devine is hopeful of being available to play, and will be assessed again closer to kick-off time. Kevin Waters serves a one match susppension for picking up his fourth yellow card.

Henderson Quotes:
On the UCD match:
“That was a bad day at the office. There is no point in saying anything else.”
“We did not win a ball up front and that is unusual for us.”
“We did not get a grip on the midfield either, even when they had a player sent off.”
“We prepared well for this game, and don’t tell me the players were tired. We have played a lot of games lately but we were ready for this game.”
“Fair play to UCD because they knocked the ball around superbly and deserved their win.”

On the season ahead:
“I have told the players that they can do one of two things. They can keep their heads down and just plod along until November. On the other hand they can keep their heads up and go out and play the way I know they can and win things, including the league.”
“We have 33 points to play for, and we must not leave it all behind us considering we have come so far.”
“We must keep our heads up.”

Suspensions:

Kevin Waters – 1 match (4 penalty points)

Injury Update:

Paul McCarthy (groin operation – out for remainder of season)
David Grincell (broken wrist – 8 weeks to end of season)
Michael Devine (doubtful – suspected broken toe)

Top Scorers (League):
17 -   Graham Cummins
11 -   Willie John Kiely
2 -     Gary Dunphy
         Kenny Browne
         David Grincell
1 -     Paul McCarthy
         Joe Mulcahy
         Kevin Waters
         Kevin Murray
         Alan Carey
         Own goal

Top Scorers (All Competitive):
23 -   Graham Cummins (17 League, 3 FAI Ford Cup, 3 EA Sports Cup)
15 -   Willie John Kiely (11 League, 2 FAI Ford Cup, 2 EA Sports Cup)
6 -     David Grincell (2 League, 1 FAI Ford Cup, 3 MSC)
3 -     Gary Dunphy (2 League, 1 MSC)
         Joe Mulcahy (1 League, 1 FAI Ford Cup, 1 MSC)
         Kenny Browne (2 League, 1 EA Sports Cup)
         Kevin Waters (1 League, 1 FAI Ford Cup, 1 EA Sports Cup)
2 -     John Kearney (1 MSC, 1 EA Sports Cup)
1 -     Paul McCarthy (1 League)
         Kevin Murray (1 League)
         Alan Carey (1 League)
         Own goal (1 League)

Form:
League: DWLWW WWWWW DWLLW WDWWW WL
All: WDWLW WWWWW WWWDW WLWLW WWLDW WWWWD WL

Last Match:    Waterford United 0  -  UCD 1 (D McMillan 70)

Previous Meetings:
22 May 09    L       Sporting Fingal   v   Waterford United        1 – 4
 07 Mar 09    L      Waterford United   v   Sporting Fingal         1 – 1
10 Oct 08     L      Sporting Fingal   v   Waterford United         3 – 1
01 Aug 08     L      Waterford United   v   Sporting Fingal         2 – 1
26 May 08    L      Sporting Fingal   v   Waterford United         3 – 1
28 Mar 08     L      Waterford United   v   Sporting Fingal         2 – 0

Results This Season:
22 Aug 09          h            UCD (LOIFD)                        0-1       L
18 Aug 09          h            Crumlin United (FAIFC)           2-0      W
14 Aug 09          a            Crumlin United (FAIFC)           0-0       D
08 Aug 09          a            Kkildare County (LOIFD)         2-0       W
04 Aug 09          a            UCD (EASC)                        3-1       W
01 Aug 09          a            Mervue United (LOIFD)          2-0       W
28 Jul 09            h            Finn Harps (LOIFD)               4-0       W
25 Jul 09            h            Limerick FC (LOIFD)              2-1       W
19 Jul 09            a            Monaghan United (LOIFD)      0-0       D
17 Jul 09            h            Ipswich Town (Friendly)        0-3       L
11 Jul 09            h            Finn Harps (LOIFD)               p-p       postponed
05 Jul 09            a            Longford Town (LOIFD)         3-1       W
19 Jun 09           h            Athlone Town (LOIFD)           2-1       W
13 Jun 09           h            Carrigaline United (FAIFC)      6-0       W  
05 Jun 09           a            Shelbourne (LOIFD)               0-1       L
02 Jun 09           n            Rockmount (MSC)                 2-1      W
30 May 09          h            Wexford Youths (LOIFD)        1-2       L
22 May 09          a            Sporting Fingal (LOIFD)         4-1       W
19 May 09          h            Shamrock Rovers (EASC)       2-1       W
15 May 09          a            UCD (LOIFD)                       0-0       D
09 May 09          h            Kildare County (LOIFD)         2-0       W
04 May 09          a            FC Carlow (EASC)                3-1       W
02 May 09          h            Mervue United (LOIFD)         2-0       W
24 Apr 09           a            Limerick FC (LOIFD)             2-0       W
22 Apr 09           a            Clonmel Town (MSC)            2-1       W
18 Apr 09           h            Monaghan United (LOIFD)     6-0       W
11 Apr 09           a            Finn Harps (LOIFD)              3-1       W
04 Apr 09           h            Longford Town (LOIFD)        1-0        W
29 Mar 09           a            Athlone Town (LOIFD)          2-1       W
20 Mar 09           h            Shelbourne (LOIFD)             0-1        L
13 Mar 09           a            Wexford Youths (LOIFD)       1-0       W
07 Mar 09           h            Sporting Fingal (LOIFD)        1-1        D
28 Feb 09           h            Douglas Hall (MSC)              2-0       W
20 Feb 09           a            Mayfield United (Fr)             4-1       W
13 Feb 09           h            Junior League XI (Fr)           3-0       W
07 Feb 09           a            Cork City (Fr)                     1-0       W

Next 5 Matches:
04 Sep 09           a           Wexford Youths (LOIFD)
12 Sep 09           h           St. Pat’s Ath / Monaghan Utd (FAIFC)
19 Sep 09           a           Athlone Town (LOIFD)
26 Sep 09           h           Bohemians (EASC)
29 Sep 09           h           Longford Town (LOIFD)

Betting:
Waterford: 7/5
Fingal: 17/10
Draw: 11/5

Tickets for the upcoming FAI Ford Cup Quarter Final, against either St. Patrick’s Athletic or Monaghan United, will be on sale at the RSC at this Saturday’s league match against Sporting Fingal (KO 7.00pm).

The opponents for the quarter final will not be decided until the Saints and the Magic Mons replay next week, but either way the game will take place at the RSC on Saturday September 12th at 7.00pm.

As a Cup tie it is not covered by the season ticket, so all fans wishing to attend will have to purchase a ticket, priced at the normal rates of €15, €10 and €5 at Saturday’s game. After that they will be available from next Monday at John Ryan’s shop on Patrick Street, or at the club office at the RSC.

Waterford United this evening secured a home draw against either St. Patrick’s Athletic or Monaghan United in the quarter final of the FAI Ford Cup.

The Blues were the fifth ball out of the drum, meaning the game would take place at the RSC, and were paired with the only undecided fourth round tie remaining. After a 0-0 draw at Kingspan Century Park on August 14th, that tie is to be replayed at Richmond Park on September 7th, due to the Inchicore club’s European run.

Should Monaghan come through the replay, it will be the first time the sides have met in the blue ribband event since 1997, when Waterford triumphed 4-0 in the first round at the RSC, on their way to the semi-final that year. Should Pat’s be the ones to win through, the meeting will be a repeat of their second round clash in 2005, when the Saints went through by the only goal of the game.

The rest of the draw is as follows:

Bohemians  vs  Sligo Rovers

Sporting Fingal  vs  Shamrock Rovers

Longford Town  vs  Bray Wanderers

The ties will be played on the weekend of the 11th/13th September. The exact date and kick-off time will be decided in the next few days.

As announced previously, the first division clash against Shelbourne at the RSC, slated for September 12th, will be re-fixed at a later date.

Waterford United  0 - 1  UCD

Waterford United went down to title rivals UCD at the RSC last night, unable to get to grips with the College side despite a numerical advantage for much of the game. The result was a setback for the Blues, who slip to fourth place in the table, six points behind leaders Shelbourne.

An unusual first half saw the visitors with the lion’s share of the attempts on goal, though Waterford had a real chance to take the lead just two minutes in, when Kevin Waters fed Stephen Grant in the area. Willie John Kiely had lost his footing on the slippery surface, and when Grant wildly dragged his shot across the box, the striker managed to get a foot to it on the ground, forcing a fine one-handed reaction stop from Billy Brennan in the UCD goal.

Ronan Finn fizzed a 30 yard effort inches over the top five minutes in, and moments later the same player drew a flying save from Michael Devine, turning Finn’s low strike behind as he raced in to meet Chris Mulhall’s cross. Keith Ward was next to try his luck from distance for the Students, before the home side conjured another chance of their own on 11 minutes, Waters putting just too much on a looping header back across goal after Grant had crossed from the right. On 20 minutes, and again four minutes later, Finn went close for the visitors, the first a low shot from 25 yards that flew a couple of feet wide of the left post, the second an immaculately struck effort from even further out that was matched by an outstanding, acrobatic reaction save from Devine as it swerved inside the right post at the last second.

Finn was getting the freedom of the park at this stage, and on 32 minutes he again had the space to fire in another well struck effort, this one whistling inches past the left post. Moments later though, he was very lucky not to see a card as a nasty lunge left John Kearney on the deck for some time. Five minutes from the break Mulhall was fed from the left, then allowed all the time in the world to advance to the edge of the area before attempting to curl one inside the far post, Devine once again equal to the effort. The Blues netminder was in some discomfort for the last moments of the half, having seemed to have landed awkwardly while claiming the resultant corner (he was later reveealed to have a suspected broken bone in his foot), but at the break it was still honours even. An unusual half because, though UCD had many more chances, and Finn was bossing midfield, most of the game was played in the Students half, albeit with few clear-cut opportunities for the home side.

Despite Waterford stepping up a level, the game continued in a similar vein in the second period, even after UCD were reduced to ten men on 50 minutes when Greg Bolger was dismissed for a reckless two-footed tackle from behind on Grant. Finn had been booked moments before, and considering how lucky he was not to see yellow in the first half, it could well have been him heading for the early bath. Instead he was able to marshall his troops so that they made light of their disadvantage. In fact, the teams were at parity for several minutes as Kiely was off the field getting treatment for a gashed head, which also necessitated a shirt change, such was the amount of blood. The Students were certainly displaying a steeliness not normally associated with them.

On 59 minutes a nice Blues move saw Alan Carey find Dave Warren through the middle, and he slipped Graham Cummins clear, only to shoot well wide of the near post. Three minutes later Carey and Warren combined yet again, the full back overlapping at pace, driving into the area, and forcing a fine block from Brennan at his near post. And on 66 minutes the home side came closest yet, a viciously swerving inswinging corner from John Kearney deceiving Brennan and slamming into the near post. As the ball broke up the other end, David McMillan whipped in a low cross from the right that just eluded the inrushing Ciaran Kilduff. The warning wasn’t heeded by the home defence, and they were caught napping four minutes later, as Peter McMahon clipped a ball over the top to McMillan on the edge of the area, and in one fluid move he controlled, turned, and slipped it past Devine from 15 yards.

Waterford piled on the pressure in search of an equaliser, and they missed a real chance within five minutes. Kevin Murray did superbly to steal possession in the left corner, swinging in a pinpoint cross for Paul Walsh, unmarked eight yards out, but he headed well over without having to get airborne. The Blues kept pushing, and right at the death Cummins met a Carey cross at the back post but his effort was bundled behind. Warren whipped the corner in, but Murray’s header was brilliantly saved by Brennan, and that was that. A better performance from the home side in the second half, and with chances to score no doubt, but in truth UCD were worth their win. They shackled both Blues front men very effectively for most of the match, and a man-of-the-match performance from Ronan Finn in midfield saw them make light of the loss of Bolger. Next week’s Sporting Fingal game now takes on added significance.

Waterford United: Michael Devine; Alan Carey, Kevin Murray, Kenny Browne, John Kearney; Stephen Grant, Dave Warren, Kieran Fitzgerald (Paul Walsh 65), Kevin Waters (Declan Woodgate 84); Willie John Kiely, Graham Cummins – subs: Kevin Burns, Gary Dunphy, Paul Carey

UCD: Billy Brennan, Gareth Matthews (Michael Leahy 77), Ciaran Nangle, Andy Boyle, Evan McMillan, Greg Bolger, Keith Ward (David McMillan 60), Ronan Finn, Ciaran Kilduff (Graham Rusk 82), Peter McMahon, Chris Mulhall – subs: Ger Barron, Timmy Purcell

Goals: D McMillan 70

Booked: Finn, Leahy

Sent Off: Bolger 50

Referee: Padraig Sutton (Clare)

Featured in the match programme this week:  

Brian Kennedy with more strange-but-true tales from around the football world…

How a Blues fan is helping to build an African orphanage…

Brendan White looks forward to the EA Sports final…

A Blues fan next to some water…

All the usual news, views and information, and more stats than ever before!

Read more in Saturday’s matchday programme!