Waterford United are back to league action with a bang when they host third placed UCD at the RSC on Saturday (KO 7.00pm).

Following their FAI Ford Cup exploits of the past week, when it took two games to overcome a dogged Crumlin United side, the Blues face into a tough series of matches – over the next three league games they will play the third, fourth and fifth placed teams in the division, albeit with the first two at the RSC. On Saturday night the first of these games sees the arrival of UCD to a ground where they have had quite a bit of success in recent times. It has been over ten years since the Students were last beaten on Suirside.

In fact UCD have had the upper hand both home and away for the last few seasons, the last Waterford win coming at the tail end of the 2005 campaign. But that has changed this year, as United battled to a 0-0 draw at the Bowl in May during the first series of league matches, and then outplayed the College side in the EA Sports Cup semi-final at the start of this month, running out 3-1 winners, also at Belfield. The Blues are unbeaten in eight games now since the Ipswich friendly (11 games in competitive football), and that goal conceded against the Students, a late penalty in the Cup semi, is the only one they’ve let in in the last six. On top of this, only Sporting Fingal have scored more goals than Waterford in either division, and in Graham Cummins they have a striker in top form, as he notched his 23rd goal in all competitions in the replayed Cup match on Tuesday.

Form like that will be tested to the full though, as after the UCD game United face Sporting Fingal at home on the 29th, then travel to Wexford Youths the following weekend, before taking a break from the league once more to contest the FAI Ford Cup quarter-final against an opponent yet to be decided. They will have to see out the season without midfielder Paul McCarthy, who will be recovering from surgery on a long-running groin injury, and David Grincell, who suffered a broken wrist in the first Crumlin match, and will likely also miss the rest of the season. Seamus Long will also sit out the UCD match with a one game suspension having reached four yellow cards.

Suspensions:

Seamus Long (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)

League Top Scorers:
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 W
All: WDWLW WWWWW WWWDW WLWLW WWLDW WWWWD W

Last Match:    Waterford United 2 (Cummins 3, Waters 40)  -  Crumlin United 0

Previous Meetings:
04 Aug 09    C       UCD   v   Waterford United        1 – 3
15 May 09    L       UCD   v   Waterford United        0 – 0
28 Sep 07     L      UCD   v   Waterford United         2 – 1
01 Jun 07     L       Waterford United    v    UCD      1 – 3
06 Apr 07     L       UCD    v    Waterford United      3 – 0
15 Sep 06    L       Waterford United    v    UCD       0 – 0
26 Jun 06     L       UCD    v    Waterford United      2 – 1
24 Mar 06    L       Waterford United    v    UCD       0 – 1

Results This Season:
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:
29 Aug 09           h           Sporting Fingal (LOIFD)
04 Sep 09           a           Wexford Youths (LOIFD)
11/13 Sep 09      tba         Unknown (FAIFC)
19 Sep 09           a           Athlone Town (LOIFD)
26 Sep 09           h           Bohemians (EASC)

Betting:
Waterford: 10/11
UCD: 5/2
Draw: 9/4

It has been confirmed today that due to a clash with the EA Sports Cup Final between Waterford United and Bohemian FC, which will take place on Saturday, September 26th at the RSC (KO 5.30pm), the scheduled First Division match between Waterford United and Longford Town will now take place at the RSC on Tuesday 29th September with a 7.45pm kick-off.

Also, because Waterford United have reached the Quarter-Final stage of the FAI Ford Cup, which is due to take place over the weekend of 11th/13th September, the First Division match against Shelbourne FC, originally scheduled for September 12th at the RSC, is to be re-fixed for a later date, to be confirmed in the near future.

Waterford United  2 – 0  Crumlin United

Waterford United proved to have too much for their Leinster Senior League opponents in the replayed FAI Ford Cup 4th round tie at the RSC tonight. Having been held to a scoreless draw at Richmond Park last Friday, it was a different United that set about making sure that passage to the next round was secured. The Blues raced into an early lead, were two to the good by half time – though in truth they might have been out of sight by then with a bit more luck in front of goal – and then saw the game out in reasonable comfort in second half.

The match began at breakneck pace, in marked contrast to last Friday’s encounter, and the Blues opened the scoring inside three minutes, albeit somewhat fortuitously. Graham Cummins, running onto a right wing cross from Alan Carey, fired low from the edge of the area, the ball striking a defender and looping up over the helpless Gareth Sutton and into the far corner of the net. Two minutes later Willie John Kiely got on to John Kearney’s clever through ball ahead of Ciaran Kenna, raced into the area, but pulled his shot across the face of goal. And another two minutes later Cummins should have scored again, getting a foot to Carey’s fizzed cross from the right, but only managing to steer it outside the far post.

On 11 minutes, another good move saw Kearney spring the offside trap as he got onto Carey’s neat ball into the right channel, but another low cross to the far post was taken off Kiely’s toe by Kenna. Those misses threatened to prove costly on 17 minutes, when the home side had a massive let-off. A Crumlin corner from the right side was knocked low to Daniel Loughran, and though Kiely blocked his first effort, Loughran recovered and turned to whip in a superb shot from the edge of the box that cannoned back off the inside of the far post. The ball bounced kindly for James Lee, but Michael Devine was quickly up off the ground to pull off a truly outstanding save as Lee drove the rebound goalwards.

On the half-hour, a great four-man move involving Stephen Grant, Kearney, and Kiely almost set up Cummins to score at the far post, but the shot was smothered. Grant was becoming ever more influential in the game, and he had a big hand in Waterford’s second. Carey started the move off with a low ball into Cummins, who had come short. The big striker clipped a lovely ball over the defence for Grant, flying in from the right. His low cross was aimed at Kiely at the near post, and though the shot was blocked, he recovered to touch it on to Kevin Waters, who swept home right-footed inside the far post from eight yards out.

Into the second half, and the Blues were almost on the scoresheet again within three minutes. Kiely, racing onto a long Kenny Browne pass down the middle, attempted to lift it over the outrushing Sutton, only for the Crumlin keeper to stand up tall and get a good hand on it. After that bright start, however, the chances dried up somewhat, though the home side stayed very much in the ascendant. On 57 minutes Kiely again came close, but just failed to connect with a header to Carey’s booming cross, and it wasn’t until the 65 minute mark that Crumlin threatened for the first time, James Lee heading his brother Patrick’s right sided cross tamely at Devine at the back post.

The pace was upped a bit when Cummins found himself free on the edge of the area on 72 minutes, but his low shot wasn’t struck well enough to trouble Sutton. And the visitor’s showed their teeth again two minutes later, Jonathan Clarke racing onto Patrick Lee’s through ball, and forcing a fine save from Devine. Moments later Stephen Larkin found himself in a good position but blazed over, as Crumlin pushed forward once more. 

In truth, though, Waterford were well on top all through the half, and they made their non-league counterparts chase shadows at times, as they saw out the remainder of the game. There was one final scare just before full time, when Devine came to punch a deep free kick, but could only knock it up in the air, and Clarke got a toe to it but prodded high over the bar. The three minutes added time only produced another red card for the visitors, as Kenna was dismissed for a nasty late tackle on Kenny Browne, and that was that. The Blues’ unbeaten record in Cup competitions this season continues, and their name is added to the hat for the Quarter-Final draw. Stephen Grant was unanimously named Man of the Match by the press box after the game, a deserved reward for the midfielder’s best game in a Blue shirt since re-signing in the Summer.

Waterford United: Michael Devine; Alan Carey, Kevin Murray, Kenny Browne, Seamus Long; Stephen Grant (Joe Mulcahy 85), Kieran Fitzgerald, John Kearney (Dave Warren 66), Kevin Waters (Declan Woodgate 82); Willie John Kiely, Graham Cummins – subs: Kevin Burns, Gary Dunphy, Paul Carey

Goals: Cummins 3, Waters 40

Booked: Browne, Warren, Fitzgerald

Crumlin United: Gareth Sutton, Gavin Kavanagh (Leon Johnston 71), Damien Cuffe (Chris McCreevy 49), Paul McCabe, Ciaran Kenna, Martin Cramer, Stephen Larkin, James Lee (Anthony Kavanagh 85), Daniel Loughran, Patrick Lee, Jonathan Clarke – subs: John Barrett, Colm Corcoran, Carl Redmond, Keith Conroy

Goals:

Booked: Loughran, Clarke, J Lee, Sutton, Larkin

Sent Off: Kenna 91

Referee: Graham Kelly (Cork)

The club wishes to remind all fans attending the Crumlin United match tomorrow night (Tuesday, KO 7.45pm) that as the game is part of the 2009 FAI Ford Cup, it is not covered by the season ticket.

No tickets will be issued ahead of time either, so entry will only be possible at the turnstiles on the night. Tickets are priced at the normal levels of €15, €10 and €5.

As entry will be slower than normal due to the need to pay at the gate, fans are asked to get to the RSC early if at all possible to avoid congestion.

After being forced off through injury at the end of last Saturday’s FAI Ford Cup 4th round tie against Crumlin United at Richmond Park, the club regret to announce that it has transpired that striker David Grincell sustained a broken wrist in the game.
A thorough examination after the match, and a subsequent X-ray, revealed a double fracture of the right wrist. At this stage it appears that the injury will take a minimum of eight weeks, and possibly several months, to heal, and so the likelihood is that David will miss the remainder of the season. All at the club offer their commiserations to the young striker, who had run into some good form over recent games, and wish him a speedy recovery!

Best wishes also from all at the club to Paul McCarthy, who this week will undergo a surgical procedure to correct an ongoing hip/groin problem the influential midfielder has been suffering with for some time. Paul has been playing through his injury for many weeks, and of late has been operating under different training and warm-up routines to keep him fit to play, but it is now thought to be the right time for the operation to procede. The recovery period will be equally long and frustrating for Paul, and we wish him all the very best in his return to fitness.

Crumlin United 0 – 0 Waterford United

Leinster Senior League chmpions Crumlin United proved a match for their more illustrious counterparts at Richmond Park last night, as they deservedly held Waterford United to a scoreless draw in their FAI Ford Cup 4th round tie. An interesting and entertaining game finished with with the right scoreline over the course of the 90, but both sides spurned great chances to win the game in the second half.

The first half was the more tense and tight of the two, both sides sounding each other out, but Crumlin would have went into the break the happier of the two. The Blues had the first clear chance on seven minutes, when a fine Kevin Waters cross from the left saw David Grincell flying in at the near post, only to send his header over the top. 13 minutes later, the same player sent another header wastefully wide of the other post from Willie John Kiely’s right wing centre. Grincell almost set up strike partner Graham Cummins on 23 minutes, but the shot from six yards out was well over the top. Crumlin had their first real sight of goal three minutes later, when Daniel Loughran raced clear onto a pass through the middle, checked back onto his right foot, and curled a shot around the far post from 12 yards out. On 34 minutes Grincell chased down a ball over the top into the left channel, staying on his feet despite a rash challenge from the keeper, and recovered to shoot from a tight angle, only for Derek Griffin to block behind. And two minutes later, at the other end, Patrick Lee did well to take down a high ball to the left side of the area, but he blazed his shot wildly over the top.

Things opened up after the break, and almost directly from the kick-off Loughran found himself in the clear, bearing down on Michael Devine’s goal, but he placed his shot low and just wide of the right post from 15 yards. Cummins and Patrick Lee then both saw half-chances go a-begging, before the Blues began to up the ante after the hour mark. On 62 minutes Kevin Murray headed straight at Gareth Sutton in the Crumlin goal after an Alan Carey corner caused panic the the home box. And a minute later Willie John Kiely was left cursing his rotten luck as, free at the back post from another Carey corner kick, he could only power his downward header into the ground and back up over the crossbar. On 65 minutes a wonderful Murray run from the half way line ended with a well struck 20 yard effort deflected behind, and three minutes later again Stephen Grant tried his luck, but could only head straight at Sutton from a good position at the end of a four-man move.

Sutton was called on again on 73 minutes, diving acrobatically to his right to get a hand to Waters’ low driven free kick from all of 35 yards. Kiely then twice fired fairly tamely straight at the Crumlin keeper from the edge of the area, but on 84 minutes the Dublin side spurned a second wonderful chance to nick the win, as Stephen Larkin broke clear onto a quick through ball, but dragged his shot wide of the left post, more under pressure from the next day’s headlines than the chasing Blues defence. Almost immediately at the opposite end John Kearney headed wide at the the back post from Kiely’s cross, and, despite Derek Griffin being sent to the line on 87 minutes - picking up a 2nd yellow card for a bad tackle that forced Grincell off the field – that was the last chance of note for the Blues, who will now be looking to make home advantage count as they strive to stay in the hat for the quarter finals. The replay will be at the RSC this Tuesday, August 18th, at 7.45pm.

Crumlin United: Gareth Sutton; Gavin Kavanagh (Damien Cuffe 83), Derek Griffin, Paul McCabe, Ciaran Kenna, Martin Cramer, Stephen Larkin (Carl Redmond 90+4), James Lee, Daniel Loughran (Chris McCreevy 89), Patrick Lee, Jonathan Clarke – subs: Anthony Kavanagh, Colm Corcoran, John Barrett

Booked: Kavanagh, Clarke, J Lee, Griffin

Sent off: Griffin 87

Waterford United: Michael Devine; Alan Carey, Kenny Browne, Kevin Murray, John Kearney; Willie John Kiely, Seamus Long (Kieran Fitzgerald 67), Stephen Grant, Kevin Waters; David Grincell (Gary Dunphy 89), Graham Cummins – subs: Kevin Murray, Declan Woodgate, Joe Mulcahy, Paul Carey

Booked: A Carey, Cummins

Referee: Neil Doyle

Waterford United put their league challenge on the back burner for a week as they travel to Richmond Park on Friday night to face giant-killers Crumlin United in their FAI Ford Cup 4th round tie (KO 7.45pm).

The game will take place at the home of St. Patrick’s Athletic rather than Crumlin’s Pearse Park ground, as the Inchicore stadium is deemed better able to handle a decent sized crowd. The Blues have never crossed swords with the current Leinster Senior League champions, but they have fallen foul of opposition from the same division in this competition in the past, most notably Wayside Celtic on two occasions in the 1990s. They also needed a second attempt to get past Tolka Rovers in 2007. And, of course, they will need no reminding that Crumlin dumped Shelbourne out of this year’s Cup over two 3rd round matches back in June. However, United have faced their fair share of potential non-league banana skins already this season, getting by Carrigaline United in the last round of this competition, and Douglas Hall, Clonmel Town and Rockmount in the Munster Senior Cup. Stephen Henderson’s men are not in the habit of taking anything for granted, and will prepare for this game as any other.

However, though they will be scrupulously professional in their approach to the match, the Blues must be considered strong favourites to progress. They are in fine form in recent games, winning their last five on the trot, and in Graham Cummins they have a striker in scintillating form right now. A brace at Kildare County last weekend makes it 13 goals in the last nine games, and 22 in all competitions this season. United also have an exceptional away record – in 15 competitive games away from the RSC this year, they have won 12 and lost only the once. That to Shelbourne in the league. Who were dumped out of the Cup by Crumlin…

Waterford have no suspensions to deal with, and the only injury worry is to midfielder Dave Warren, who limped off towards the end of the Kildare match with groin trouble, and has to be rated a slight doubt for Friday’s game.

Henderson Quotes:
On the Kildare match:
“I told the players that this was another cup final, before the game.”
“We all know that promotion is the main aim and every team that we play from here on in will be out to beat us.”
“Having said that, we dominated this game from the opening minute and I knew that we would go on to win.”
“We put the victory over UCD to the back of our minds here tonight and every single player did what was asked of him.”

On the upcoming Crumlin match:
“We are on a roll right now, and our away record is brilliant to date.”
“But we will prepare for that game [Crumlin] like every match we have played this season.”
“We will not treat it any differently from any other game.”

Suspensions:
none

Injury Update:
Dave Warren – groin (slight doubt)

League Top Scorers:
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):
22 -   Graham Cummins (17 League, 2 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)
2 -     Kevin Waters (1 League, 1 EA Sports Cup)
         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 W
All: WDWLW WWWWW WWWDW WLWLW WWLDW WWWW

Last Match:    Kildare County 0  -  Waterford United 2 (Cummins 58, 87)

Previous Meetings:
none

Results This Season:
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:
22 Aug 09           h           UCD (LOIFD)
29 Aug 09           h           Sporting Fingal (LOIFD)
04 Sep 09           a           Wexford Youths (LOIFD)
12 Sep 09           h           Shelbourne (LOIFD)
19 Sep 09           a           Athlone Town (LOIFD)

Betting:
Crumlin: 7/1
Waterford: 3/10
Draw: 7/2