Waterford United’s cup odyssey is now at an end, but they are still in the hunt for promotion to the Premier Division, and can take another step towards that when they entertain Shelbourne on Tuesday night (KO 7.45pm).
 
Defeat in the FAI Ford Cup semi-final at Sligo Rovers last Friday was a hard blow to take, but the Blues can take great heart from the performance, especially in the first half when they were very much the better side. Rovers are a team packed with outstanding League of Ireland players and are a far better side than their league position would suggest, but they had to be at their very best to edge United out for that place in the final.
 
And so, despite their third defeat in four games, the Blues can face into the meeting with Shelbourne with some confidence. The leggy lethargy on display in recent matches was absent at the Showgrounds, as the performance levels were upped considerably, and United will be hopeful of keeping that same level of performance for the remaining three games. A win over Shelbourne will be a tall order, however, as Waterford’s recent record against the Reds is not too hot, having only managed two draws against the Dublin outfit in the six games between this season and last, and none at all this year.
 
Even with a victory on Tuesday night, the Blues will still be dependant on other results going their way before the regular season is out to give themselves a chance of promotion, but all they can do now is win their remaining matches and see what fate has in store for them. They should be at near full strength for Tuesday’s game, as goalkeeper Michael Devine, full back Alan Carey and striker Willie John Kiely all return from suspension, with Devine, at least, likely to start despite the 19-year-old stand-in Kevin Burns’ heroics between the sticks against Sligo. Carey is also returning from a leg injury, which the extra few days off over the weekend will have cleared up. Winger Paul Walsh is also available for selection having been Cup-tied on Friday.
 

Suspensions:
none
 

Injury Update:
Paul McCarthy (groin – end of season)

Alan Carey (calf – doubtful)
 

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

Top Scorers (All Competitive):
23 -   Graham Cummins (17 League, 3 FAI Ford Cup, 3 EA Sports Cup)
17 -   Willie John Kiely (11 League, 4 FAI Ford Cup, 2 EA Sports Cup)
7 -     David Grincell (3 League, 1 FAI Ford Cup, 3 MSC)
4 -     Kenny Browne (2 League, 2 EA Sports Cup)
3 -     Vinny Sullivan (3 League)
         Gary Dunphy (2 League, 1 MSC)
         Joe Mulcahy (1 League, 1 FAI Ford Cup, 1 MSC)
         Kevin Waters (1 League, 1 FAI Ford Cup, 1 EA Sports Cup)
         Alan Carey (2 League, 1 FAI Ford Cup)
2 -     John Kearney (1 MSC, 1 EA Sports Cup)
1 -     Paul McCarthy (1 League)
         Kevin Murray (1 League)
         Paul Walsh (1 League)
         Own goal (1 League)
 

Form:
League: DWLWW WWWWW DWLLW WDWWW WLDDW WDLLW
All: WDWLW WWWWW WWWDW WLWLW WWLDW WWWWD WLDDD WWLWD LLWL
 

Last Match:    Sligo Rovers 1 (Blinkhorn 75) – Waterford United 0
 

Previous Meetings:
05 Jun 09       L       Shelbourne   v   Waterford United           1 – 0
 20 Mar 09      L       Waterford United   v   Shelbourne          0 – 1
07 Nov 08      L       Waterford United  v  Shelbourne            0 – 1
22 Sep 08      L       Shelbourne    v    Waterford United        0 – 0
04 Jul 08        L       Waterford United  v  Shelbourne            1 – 1
25 Apr 08       L       Shelbourne  v  Waterford United            2 – 0
 

Results This Season:
23 Oct 09          a            Sligo Rovers (FAIFC)              0-1       L
20 Oct 09          h            Mervue United (LOIFD)           1-0      W
16 Oct 09          a            Limerick FC (LOIFD)               1-2       L
09 Oct 09          h            Monaghan United (LOIFD)       0-2       L
06 Oct 09          h            Shelbourne (LOIFD)               p-p       postponed
03 Oct 09          a            Finn Harps (LOIFD)                1-1       D
29 Sep 09          h            Longford Town (LOIFD)          1-0       W
26 Sep 09          a            Bohemians (EASC)                 1-3       L
19 Sep 09          a            Athlone Town (LOIFD)            2-1       W
15 Sep 09          a            St Patrick’s Athletic(FAIFC)     2-0       W
12 Sep 09          h            St Patrick’s Athletic (FAIFC)    1-1       D
04 Sep 09          a            Wexford Youths (LOIFD)         0-0       D
29 Aug 09          h            Sporting Fingal (LOIFD)          0-0       D
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            Kildare 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
 

Remaining Matches:
31 Oct 09           h           Kildare County (LOIFD)
07 Nov 09           a           UCD (LOIFD)
 
 

Betting:
Waterford: 9/5
Shelbourne: 5/4
Draw: 11/5