Waterford United ran out 3-0 winners over Tramore AFC in their friendly match at Graun Park today at midday, the goals scored by Paul McCarthy, David Grincell and Willie John Kiely.

The starting line-up consisted of:  Chris Konopka; Paul Carey, Shane Barrett, John Kearney, Michael Coady; Timmy Purcell, Paul McCarthy, Gary Dunphy, Kevin Waters; James O’Sullivan, and David Grincell.

The substitutions made at various times saw Vinny Sullivan and Willie John Kiely come on for Grincell and O’Sullivan, Daryl Kavanagh for Purcell, Seamus Long for Coady, Liam Kearney for John Kearney, and Alan Carey for Long, who unfortunately didn’t last long having picked up a knock.

Meanwhile, at the Tallaght Stadium, the Blues U-20s went down by two goals to one against a very strong Shamrock Rovers outfit, who vanquished UCD at Belfield last weekend. Details of the game will follow soon.

Waterford United today completed the signing of midfielder Daryl Kavanagh from Limerick FC, in a deal which will run until the end of the season.

The winger / forward returns to the Blues after a three year absence, having last played at the RSC between 2005 and 2007. A season with Carrick United in which he played in the Munster Senior Cup final, and won an FAI Junior Cup medal, was followed by a year with Stephen Henderson’s Cobh Ramblers in 2008, before signing with Limerick at the start of the 2009 season.

Kavanagh was released by the Shannonside club this week, and was quickly signed by Henderson, who was impressed with the soon-to-be 24-year-old during his spell at St Coleman’s Park. The Blues boss was delighted to acquire another local player who he feels can add much to the attacking qualities of the side.

The new signing is expected to make his debut in a friendly that has been hastily arranged for tomorrow at 12.00 noon. The Blues are delighted to be able to help out local clubs whenever they can, and so at the request of Tramore AFC, United will line out against their neighbours at Graun Park in Tramore, the third time the sides will have met this season.

Athlone Town  1 - 1  Waterford United

Waterford United had to settle for a share of the spoils at Lissywoollen tonight, giving up a sloppy equaliser not long after taking the lead, but rueing a series of missed chances in the first half that ultimately cost them two points.

The Blues made virtually all of the early running, and had the home defence in trouble within three minutes of the start, a teasing Liam Kearney cross from the left endline forcing Eoghan O’Shea to head over his own crossbar from close in. Shortly afterwards a half-cleared corner was nodded back in by Seamus Long to where Willie John Kiely lurked off the left-hand post, but his attempted lob header was a fraction undercooked, allowing Michael Schlingermann to hold the ball. Moments later neat interplay between the two Kearneys set up John to stand a cross up to the back post, where Timmy Purcell was charging in, only to put his header the wrong side of the post. Purcell again fired narrowly wide on 19 minutes with a crisp volley, after being well set up by Paul Murphy, and Murphy himself went close a minute later, testing Schlingermann with a fierce 20-yard drive that had to be tipped over.

Athlone did little to test Kevin Burns during the period, a 14th minute, 25-yard Ryan McEvoy’s volley, nicely teed up by Austin Skelly, their only attack of note, but just short of the half hour they came to life, when Skelly’s knock down set Shane Fitzgerald in against Burns, the Blues netminder staying big superbly to block the shot with his chest. Moments later, at the other end, a poorly cleared free kick fell to Murphy, who rifled back a stunning volley from 25 yards out that flew a foot over the top, and he was nearly in again on 34 minutes, forcing Schlingermann into a fantastic save to tip the ball high and wide after Kiely set him up with a clever backheel.

Athlone threatened again with six minutes left to half time, as good work down their right saw the ball worked to Skelly, unmarked eight yards out from goal. United were delighted with Alan Carey’s timely interception, but not so thrilled that it needed to be made. With time running out the Blues worked another good opportunity, Shane Barrett and Murphy combining well, the latter crossing from the right to the far post, where John Kearney’s header brought a fine close-range save from Schlingermann. And right at the death the home side had a big shout for a penalty as a shot crashed back off Long, but with his back taking the impact, even if it did hit him on the arm it could never have been given, and so it remained scoreless at the break.

The second half began as the first had ended, and within three minutes Timmy Purcell, racing in onto a neat Paul Murphy ball, brought a sharp save from Michael Schlingermann, down low at his near post, with a crisp 20-yard strike. Seconds later a great run forward from Alan Carey saw him flash a low centre right across the face of goal, that was just begging for a touch of any kind, but it wasn’t long before the full back’s efforts were rewarded. A second surging run down the right on 53 minutes saw Carey combine superbly with Willie John Kiely, a 1-2 bringing the full back into a position to cross low for the striker to deftly stab home from six yards.

Athlone’s response was almost immediate, as Ryan McEvoy’s neat pass gave Shane Fitzgerald the space on the left of the area to fire in a sweetly struck volley that had Kevin Burns scrambling, but crashed into the side netting. And despite the Blues dominating the subsequent passages, the home side were back on terms on 69 minutes, as a Denis Moran corner from the left was allowed slip through at the near post, and Paddy Collins slid in unmarked in the centre to stab home. Waterford almost had a real stroke of luck on 75 minutes, as Liam Kearney’s speculative shot from distance deflected off Kiely 12 yards out and almost wrong-footed Schlingermann, but it remained all square going into the final stages.

As the clock began to wear down, the outcome became ever more grimly familiar, the missed chances of the first half standing in ever starker relief for the travelling band of Blues fans. Right at the death, John Kearney almost provided a breakthrough, jinking well and testing Schlingermann with a well struck effort from the edge of the area, and when James O’Sullivan nodded Kearney’s chip just past the top far corner it was clear it was not to be, the Blues having to make do with a share of the spoils. Two big home games now loom large as the season heads towards the third and final phase.

Athlone: Michael Schlingermann, Wayne Colbert, Eoghan O’Shea, Paddy Collins, Des Hope, Denis Moran, Shane Fitzgerald (Kevin Williamson 79), Ryan McEvoy, Gordon Watson, Austin Skelly, Richie O’Hanlon (Jason Hughes 63) - subs: Scott Gaynor, Dean Marshall, Stephen Relihan

Goals: Collins 69

Booked: Hope

Waterford: Kevin Burns; Alan Carey, Kevin Murray, Seamus Long, Michael Coady; Timmy Purcell (James O’Sullivan 85), Shane Barrett (Gary Keane 91), John Kearney, Liam Kearney (Kevin Waters 87); Willie John Kiely, Paul Murphy – subs: Chris Konopka, Paul Carey

Goals: Kiely 53

Booked: J Kearney, L Kearney, Barrett

Referee: P McLoughlin (Monaghan)

The Town They Loved So Well

by Brian Kennedy

(first published in the March 2010 Derry City programme)

Stand up if you’ve been insane enough to travel on a work night to the Brandywell. Have you been that soldier who’s made the ultimate sacrifice, told the wife you were going for some milk and hop on a bus with a slab of Hoffmans and a packet of ciggies? I shall remain firmly seated. However for anyone who has ever made the 27,000 mile journey to the heart of the North I salute you. Thankfully for the first time in several seasons United fans have the chance to re-chart that 400 odd mile journey again this year as Derry City find themselves back in the First Division for the first time since they left it in 1987.
Like many clubs, Derry City do share a few similarities with us Suirsiders. Both have illustrious pasts, both some of the best strikers in League of Ireland history and both with a European pedigree of sorts. The clubs are over 80 years old and process a big link in the historical chain in Jimmy McGeough.
The Candystripes where actually founded two years before us in 1928 but played the first 20 years of their existence in the Irish League. Despite their recent troubles the club celebrates 25 years in The League of Ireland this year. Their first match in our League was on September 8th 1985 where the Northerners beat Home Farm 3-1. They actually became the first Irish League side to win a European tie over two legs in 1966, beating FK Lyn 8-6 on aggregate.
Derry where one of the first Irish clubs to somehow get a Brazilian to play in the League of Ireland.  Nelson Da Silva played for the Northerners in the late 80s, becoming a cult hero. I supposed we had a South American flavour in Kilcohan at the same time in Theo Brazil!
Funnily enough some of Derry’s most famous fixtures have been against the Blues and vice versa. Who can ever forget the Candystripes only ever real brush with relegation a few years back? Three points needed to stay up. Jimmy mcGeough’s last game for the Blues, RTE actually showing us on TV  for the first time since it was invented, and the eventual 1-0 win at the RSC that day which kept the Northerners up. Or our FAI cup semi-final in 2004, astonishingly again on TV. Daryl Murphy scoring, a sending off, woodwork continuously hit and a penalty-taking goalkeeper sending Waterford United to their first appearance since 1986 in an FAI Cup final. Good ole Dan Connor, he was sitting pretty in the final as well until two balls came on the field.
Some years before a player’s strike and a Blues club on the brink of extinction managed to throw together 11 players to travel to the Brandywell to fulfil what many thought would be the last game in the club’s history. That 1990/91 season proved to be a turbulent one for Waterford United and thankfully the 6-2 defeat that day wasn’t the end of the club.
Derry of course have entered a low point in their history having suffered relegation for the first time since they were promoted in 1987. From being the only League of Ireland club to win a domestic treble in 1989 the Candystripes where expelled from the league in 2009 in a well documented case. However, like Cork, they have endured and find themselves a league lower maybe, but still intact and still playing at the Brandywell.
Waterford & Derry have shared quality strikers throughout the years of course, though Pascal Keane would be the last of our frontmen to hit almost 30 goals in the top flight (though kudos to Graham Cummins’ haul in the First Division last season) Derry have had the better in that department most notably Liam Coyle and Jonathan Speak. Coyle hit over 112 goals in 370 appearances  in an injury hit career, hanging  up his boots in 2003; his last game a win over local rivals and all round nemesis Finn Harps,  however it’s probably Jonathan Speak who’s been the biggest pain in the arse with his goals throughout the seasons against the Blues.
Many is the time we’d be leading going into the 90th minute only for Speak to get his head, leg, knee, chest or arse to the ball (I actually remember him putting one injury time winner in with his left buttock) and deny us a win. He was the league’s top scorer in the 1987-88 season with 24 goals to his name. Speak also helped Derry to a domestic treble just a year later in 1989.
At Finn Harps, Speak scored 64 goals in 195 league games and is their fifth-highest ever goal-scorer in the league competition. He scored 83 goals in 263 games in all competitions with the club. Apparently he made his first league of Ireland appearance in 1984 but he’s been around so long I things it’s actually before the Civil War that he first turned out in the red & white, mind you his debut was actually with Dundalk.
Peter Hutton , also a legend at the cup only retired in 2009, packing it up after 93 years at Derry last season which saw him make a record 573 appearances in the red & white; his last game a 3-0 win against Bray Wanderers.
Whilst the names Matthews, Hale & O’ Neill are synonymous with the Blues, Derry processed one of the greatest outside lefts in Irish history in Jimmy Kelly. The Donegalman was a dual international having played for both the Republic & Northern Ireland. In a 21 year career between 1930 & 1951 he amassed an amazing 363 goals.
Whether the Candystripes know it or not their UEFA Cup run of 2006 gave a lot of League of Ireland fans just cause for celebration, particularly a certain game against Scottish club Gretna. One of the best games of football I’ve ever seen, Derry’s 5-1 hammering of Gretna was not only pleasing on the eye it was also further confirmation that Scottish football outside Celtic & Rangers (and those two wouldn’t even finish top ten in the Championship) is of very poor standard. I’d expect the ‘Blues to beat Hibernian, and Stradbally to nab a draw off Motherwell. Don’t even get me started on what Portlaw’s under 15s would do to Falkirk!
With a bit of luck both clubs will be playing Premier football within a couple of years (this season would do nicely) however the fundamental thing is both set of supporters have a club to support. A club to experience the joy, pain and severe depression that sometimes comes with watching League of Ireland football.
Oh and a 400 mile, six hour journey to enjoy as well.

Bobby Tambling: The Other Blue

by Shane Murphy
(first published in the March 2010 Derry City programme)

Frank Lampard recently claimed his 146th Chelsea goal and will soon pass both Peter Osgood and Roy Bentley to become the club’s third highest goalscorer of all time, but he still has a long way to go to achieve his ambition of beating the record set by former Waterford striker Bobby Tambling, who netted 202 times for the Londoners. While the story of the other Bobby (Charlton)’s sojourn in Waterford is well-known, younger fans may not be aware of the season that one of Chelsea’s greatest players spent with the Blues in 1977/78.

Sussex-born Tambling amassed his record tally in just 370 games for ‘the other Blues’ between 1958 and 1970. He was an instant hit with the fans at Stamford Bridge having scored the winner in a derby against West Ham when making his debut as a 17 year old, but it was in 1961 that he truly established himself, replacing the Milan-bound Jimmy Greaves as the team’s main attacking threat. Two years later, aged 21, he became the youngest captain in English league history to gain promotion to the top flight – scoring an incredible 35 goals in the process. His career continued on an upward path as he scored in both the 1965 League Cup final (a 3-2 aggregate win over Leicester) and the 1967 FA Cup final (losing 2-1 to Spurs).

Bobby was capped just three times by England (scoring against France in a European Championships qualifier) , but was a member of the preliminary squad for the 1966 World Cup and many at the time felt he was very unlucky not to make the final cut. The disappointment didn’t interfere with his goalscoring exploits as he scored five goals in a match against Aston Villa that September – equalling a First Division record. He was transferred to Crystal Palace for £40,000 in 1970 and is considered one of the greats of Selhurst Park too. The highlight of his stay was his two goals in the San Siro as Palace humbled Inter Milan 2-1 in the 1971 Anglo Italian Cup.

In a move which shocked many in English football, the 31 year old quit the Eagles in 1973 to move to Ireland. Bobby was a committed Jehovah’s Witness and left for evangelical duty in Cork. This didn’t keep him from football though, and on the advice of his former Chelsea team-mate Paddy Mulligan, he signed for Cork Celtic. Playing alongside Blues legend Alfie Hale at Turner’s Cross, he was part of Celtic’s only league-winning side and had his first experience of the European Cup.

Waterford manager John McSeveney signed Tambling in 1977 and he lined up with the likes of Peter Thomas, Johnny Matthews and Sid Wallace in what could be described as a transitional Blues team. He represented Waterford in a League of Ireland selection which lost 2-1 to the national side (including Giles, Brady, Heighway and Givens) in Dalymount Park that September and again when the League side travelled to face Argentina in April 1978 just two months before the hosts won the World Cup. Having scored 8 goals for the Blues, he left at the end of the season for Shamrock Rovers and, later, Cork Alberts before retiring in 1979.

Aside from Lampard’s pursuit of his goalscoring record, Bobby has also been in the news lately due to the demise of Cork City. He was City’s first manager when they were founded in 1984 although he only lasted a disastrous 13 games before he was sacked. He still lives in Crosshaven and managed the local Munster Senior League side in recent years. In 2004, Chelsea opened the Bobby Tambling suite in Stamford Bridge and he has been selected by the fans in their all-time greatest eleven.

So listen out in weeks to come when Lampard passes the 150 mark of Osgood and Bentley and thoughts turn to Bobby Tambling’s 202 goals. Remember that the hero of the Chelsea Blues also got the chance to play his part with ‘the real Blues’.

A Proper Footballing Occasion

The Last Word
by Brendan White

(first published in the March 2010 Derry City programme)

The Blues Supporters Club bus has helped many Blues supporters have the chance to see their team play for the past number of seasons. Last year it provided buses to places we would never consider going, as close as Wexford, and all the way up to Longford.

How else would we want to spend our Friday evenings? At home, watching TV, drinking a cup of tea, no chance. Supporting the Blues is the only option that enters most fans’ minds, and last Friday evening was no different. A Munster derby against our newly formed Cork rivals was too good to miss.

Departing at 5pm, two buses set off for Turners Cross, with a game with huge prospects on our minds. We packed onto our buses and were on our way. Arriving in Cork, we were sent through the St Anne’s entrance and took our seats. What we witnessed that night will go down as a proper footballing occasion. Up to 300 Waterford United supporters packed in behind the goal to the left of the main Donie Forde stand.

A ten minute delay was welcomed by Cork to allow the queues to make their way into the ground, but booed by the waiting Blues faithful. Following the delay, the teams emerged from under the new “Shed”, applauding the travelling Blues support. A huge City crowd was often drowned out by the large vocal Blues support, armed with new flags and banners to begin the friendly slagging match with the opposing City fans directly opposite us.

The game began with Cork having much of the ball in the opening 20 minutes without causing too many problems. Stephen Henderson made three changes, bringing John Kearney, Gary Dunphy and Gareth Cambridge into the team. Henderson had suggested he needed to make sure his side played the match instead of the occasion and he was not let down.

The ever reliable Alan Carey slotted home a 29th minute penalty after Vinny Sullivan was bundled over in the box. The Blues took over the game and doubled their lead with a goal with quality written all over it. As City pushed for an equaliser, a quick breakaway down the left sealed the victory. John Kearney crossed to the back post and Vinny Sullivan arrived to volley the ball high into the net. Vinny’s goal was all the better as it was at our end! Supporters celebrate a goal, but when the goal is at your end, the celebrations go above the norm with pumped up players sharing their delight with their own supporters. Things got better for Blues fans when Greg O’Halloran was sent off for an elbow.

Blues fans are known for travelling the length and breadth of the country, but the effort of fans to travel to so many games is fantastic, with the new banners a great addition, the “You can’t buy history” banner seemingly the best way to get at a City supporter!

4,400 supporters showed up to witness Cork City’s occasion and also to witness a Blues team who have promotion set in their sights, even at such an early stage in the season, and have already been priced as favourites. That favourite tag is likely to be swapped around with a few more teams before the season’s end with ourselves, Cork, Shels and tonight’s opponents Derry City, the bookies favourites.

Legend On The Line

Al Finucane talked to Tom Flynn

(first published in the March 2010 Derry City programme)

You’ve often heard the phrase in football ‘a true Blue’. That certainly is the manner to describe Al Finucane, captain of our Cup winning side of 1980. Al not only wore the blue of Waterford, but of his native city Limerick as well.

It was while in his 12th season with Limerick that he felt his career was getting a little stale, and the then-chairman of Waterford Joe Delaney got wind of this, and within a week Al was linking up with the chairman in South Tipperary. He did not mind the travel, and he would leave Limerick at 8am and meet up with his team mates at 12:30 at Dooley’s. Training was not too bad either as he was able to train at Market’s Field with Limerick.

In Waterford there were some lovely people, he recalls, from the board, the chairman, Noel Wallace, and John (Nish) Barnes who came to the rescue of injured players and administered first aid. The Cup team was superb, and Al’s memory of the local players who stood out were Mick Madigan and the ever-present Tony Dunphy, a very brave young player who would always give you no less than 100%. Al also recalls the time the great Sir Bobby Charlton lined out for Waterford, that was a great honour to call him a team mate, even for a short time.

As regards the League venues, the Showgrounds in Sligo was not a great pitch to play on, and the travelling would kill you! On the other hand, Glenmalure Park (Milltown) of Shamrock Rovers was a dream, as was the HQ of football at the time, Dalymount Park, home of Bohemians. His most difficult opponent would have been Mick Leech of Rovers, and of course Alfie Hale, who was also his manager of the 1980 Cup winning side, the winning of which he still counts as the highlight of his career at Waterford.

A former manager at Limerick, Ewan Fenton, was a great influence on Al’s career at club level, as was John Giles at international level. Al relates that Giles gave great direction on the field, players knew what they had to do, but they also had the freedom to play. He made 13 appearances for the Republic of Ireland, and the one that stands out in his mind is the away game against Turkey.

England won the World Cup in 1966, of course, and the following year the League of Ireland entertained an English League selection at Lansdowne Road. It ended in a one-all draw, England’s goalscorer was the late Ronnie Radford of Arsenal, and Ireland’s goal came from a penalty that sent Gordon Banks the wrong way, the scorer none other than Johnny Matthews of Waterford. Al had the honour of captaining the side that day, and in the end he made 26 appearances for the Inter-League Irish team.

Al also has the honour of being the oldest player to play in Europe at 44, against Bordeaux in 1986. I was lucky enough to be present on what was a wonderful trip to Bordeaux for all of us, management, players and supporters, and I felt it was just tiredness that beat us in the end. After the match we attended a banquet where Al was presented with a huge bottle of champagne, which he believed was for Man of the Match. Not so, he got it because of his youthful age of 44 and still going strong! When Al did announce his retirement from the game, a team mate from his days at Limerick, goalkeeper Kevin Fitzpatrick, encouraged Al to stay on a while longer to help out Newcastle West.

When he finally hung up his boots, Al worked first for a brewery, and then in sales for an oil company. He is married, with four sons, two of which play at junior level in Limerick. What of the future? Al may yet make more appearances for Limerick in an administrator / ambassador role, a job which, like all through his career, would be tackled in a first class manner.

Those Were The Days: FC Vorwärts

Michael Butler takes a look back at our first Euro opponents

(first published in the March 2010 Derry City programme)

Waterford’s first away match in European competition was against East Berlin side Vorwärts FC, of the old East Germany, in September 1966.
Having lost the first leg 6-1 in Dalymount Park – Mick Lynch scoring Waterford’s only goal – the Blues travelled to Berlin with only 13 players to play the second leg. Also on the flight was team manager Paddy Coad and trainer/kit man Johnny Barnes, along with three directors. No national or local press or any supporters accompanied them on their journey. The Blues were beaten 6-0 on the night, losing 12-1 on aggregate to the East German champions.
Vorwärts FC was originally founded as an Army club in Leipzig in 1951, and were relocated lock, stock and barrel two years later to Berlin by the East German authorities. Amazingly, in 1971 the club were moved again, to Frankfurt an der Oder, on the Polish border, to replace the local secret police sponsored team which had been disbanded.
After German re-unification in 1990 the team dropped its affiliation with the military and became FC Victoria Frankfurt/Oder, but after three years of financial problems and reorganisation they underwent another metamorphosis and re-emerged as Frankfurter FC Viktoria 91, which remains the club’s name to the present day.
From having been East German champions six times in the late 50s and 60s, and qualifying for the UEFA Cup four times in the 1980s (as Vorwärts Frankfurt/Oder), they have more recently slipped down the divisions, and currently play in the fifth level of the German league system, in the regional Brandenburg league.
For the record, the surprisingly small squad of thirteen players who travelled to our first ever away European Cup tie were: Peter Thomas, Tommy Taylor, Dick Ryan, Harry Hale (RIP), Vinny Maguire, Paul Morrissey, Mick Lynch, Al Casey (RIP), Alfie Hale, Jimmy McGeough, Shamie Coad, Johnny Matthews and Terry Stafford (RIP).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Team Bulletin
Athlone Town v Waterford United at Lissywoollen 
Thursday, July 29th, 2010 (KO 7.45pm)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Waterford United travel to take on Athlone Town at Lissywoollen on Thursday (KO 7.45pm) looking to build on their form of the past couple of weeks.
 
The Blues ran out deserved 2-0 winners over Longford Town at the RSC last Friday night, a solid performance from back to front, and though Longford had chances to get themselves on the scoresheet – one, in particular, late on - United too fashioned several more opportunities that went a-begging. Manager Stephen Henderson is keen to build on that result – and the draw at Finn Park the previous week, where his side came from a goal behind for the first time this year – and is now simply taking each remaining game as it comes, concentrating on taking as many three-point hauls as possible, as much as his team can do now in the race for second spot.
 
Athlone managed a scoreless draw at the RSC last time the sides met, but after a solid spell earlier in the season they are without a win in the last six games, and haven’t won at home since the end of April. The Blues took full points on both their visits to Lissywoollen last year, but they will be still mindful of the season before, when all four games between the sides ended in stalemate. Henderson pointed to his side’s reliance on set pieces to get the goals against Longford as something of a worry, and he will be looking to his front men to be rather sharper in front of goal if the team are to get a favourable result against the Midlanders, who have strengthened significantly in recent weeks.
 
The Blues boss has no injury worries, but striker Vinny Sullivan sits the game out with a one match suspension. Timmy Purcell is in line to make a return to the side.

Henderson Quotes 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“I am delighted with the clean sheet because we looked solid at the back all through and the midfield players worked hard for the 90 minutes also.”
“Our two forwards ran their legs off and they looked dangerous every time we got the ball forward.”
“On the downside I don’t think we took the chances that came our way this evening and that is something we must improve on. It took two set pieces for us to win tonight and that is a worry. We had enough chances to score a lot of goals and improve our goal difference.”
“We did not have a steady back four when we played them in May and June but we have now and that was the main difference. Seamus Long and Kevin Murray were very dominant and they kept a tight hold on Peter Hynes who is a handful at the best of times.”
“It is good to be back in second place, but although the results went our way tonight we have to concentrate on ourselves and not be depending on other teams to do us favours.”
“All we can do is try and win every game from here on in and see where it takes us.”
“The past fortnight has been good, and we must build on what has been a good period for the team.”

Suspensions & Injuries:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Suspensions:
Vinny Sullivan – 1 match (4 yellow cards)
 
Injuries:
none

Top Scorers (League):
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
9 – Vinny Sullivan
6 – Willie John Kiely
4 – Alan Carey
2 – George O’Callaghan
2 – Kevin Murray
2 – Liam Kearney
2 – Paul McCarthy
2 – Paul Murphy
1 – Timmy Purcell
2 – own goal
 
Top Scorers (All Competitions):
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
9 – Vinny Sullivan (9 Lge)
9 – Willie John Kiely (6 Lge, 2 EA, 1 MSC)
8 – George O’Callaghan (2 Lge, 5 EA, 1 MSC)
5 – David Grincell (2 EA, 3 MSC)
4 – Alan Carey (4 Lge)
3 – Paul McCarthy (2 Lge, 1 MSC)
2 – James O’Sullivan (1 EA, 1 MSC)
2 – Kevin Murray (2 Lge)
2 – Liam Kearney (2 Lge)
2 – Paul Murphy (2 Lge)
2 – Timmy Purcell (1 Lge, 1 MSC)
1 – Gareth Cambridge (1 EA)
1 – John Kearney (1 EA)
1 – Kevin Waters (1 MSC)
2 – own goal (2 Lge)

Recent Form:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Last Match:
Waterford United    2 – 0    Longford Town
Murray 18, A Carey 71 pen
 
Form:
All: WWWWW WWLWW LDWWL WDLLL WWWDL DW
League: WWWWW WLWLD WLDLW WDLDW

Head-to-Head:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
04 May 10   Lge    Waterford United    0 – 0    Athlone Town
19 Sep 09   Lge    Athlone Town    1 – 2    Waterford United
19 Jun 09    Lge    Waterford United    1 – 1    Athlone Town
29 Mar 09    Lge    Athlone Town    1 – 2    Waterford United
03 Oct 08    Lge    Waterford United    0 – 0    Athlone Town
29 Jul 08     Lge    Athlone Town    1 – 1    Waterford United
20 May 08   Lge    Waterford United    1 – 1    Athlone Town
21 Mar 08    Lge    Athlone Town    0 – 0    Waterford United

Betting:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Athlone: 3/1
Waterford: 4/5
Draw: 9/4

Results This Season:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
23 Jul 10      h     Longford Town                       (ALFD)       2-0       W
16 Jul 10      a     Finn Harps                             (ALFD)       1-1       D
09 Jul 10      h     Monaghan United                    (ALFD)       1-2       L
02 Jul 10      a     Limerick FC                            (ALFD)       0-0       D
25 Jun 10     h     Mervue United                        (ALFD)       3-0       W
10 Jun 10     h     Midleton FC                            (MSC)       3-1       W
08 Jun 10     h     Salthill Devon                         (ALFD)       8-0       W
04 Jun 10     a     Longford Town                      (FAIFC)       0-1       L
01 Jun 10     h     Dundalk                                (EASC)       1-2       L
29 May 10    a     Derry City                             (ALFD)       0-2       L
21 May 10    h     Cork City FORAS Co-op            (ALFD)      1-1       D
18 May 10    a     Limerick FC                            (MSC)       3-0       W
14 May 10    a     Wexford Youths                     (ALFD)       0-1        L
11 May 10    h     Tralee Dynamos                     (EASC)       9-0       W
07 May 10    a     Shelbourne                            (ALFD)       1-0       W
04 May 10    h     Athlone Town                        (ALFD)       0-0        D
01 May 10    a     Longford Town                       (ALFD)       1-2        L
23 Apr 10     h     Finn Harps                             (ALFD)      2-0        W
20 Apr 10     h     Tramore AFC                          (MSC)       3-2        W
16 Apr 10     a     Monaghan United                    (ALFD)       0-1        L
12 Apr 10     a     Kerry League                          (EASC)      2-0        W
09 Apr 10     h     Limerick FC                            (ALFD)       2-1        W
03 Apr 10     a     Mervue United                        (ALFD)       3-2        W
27 Mar 10     a     Salthill Devon                         (ALFD)       1-0        W
19 Mar 10     h     Derry City                              (ALFD)       1-0        W
12 Mar 10     a     Cork City FORAS Co-op            (ALFD)       2-0        W
05 Mar 10     h     Wexford Youths                      (ALFD)       3-0        W

Next 6 Matches:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
06 Aug 10    h     Shelbourne (ALFD)
13 Aug 10    h     Wexford Youths (ALFD)
20 Aug 10    a     Cork City FORAS Co-op (ALFD)
03 Sep 10    h     Derry City (ALFD)
11 Sep 10    a     Salthill Devon (ALFD)
17 Sep 10    a     Mervue United (ALFD)