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Team Bulletin
Longford Town v Waterford United at Flancare Park
Saturday, July 21st, 2012 (KO 7.30pm)
Airtricity League Division One
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Third plays second in the league this Saturday, as Waterford United make the trek northwards to take on Longford Town at Flancare Park (KO 7.30pm).
The Town sit in second place from Limerick only on goal difference, and with United a mere four points behind the pair, the game takes on the characteristics of a promotion six-pointer as the season approaches its final third. After a comfortable 3-0 win over SD Galway last weekend, the Blues are on a winning run that now spans seven games, including one in the FAI Ford Cup, stretching back to the last time these sides met, at the RSC in early May.
That day Longford ran out 2-0 winners, scoring a late second as the home side pressed for what would have been a deserved equaliser. And, in the first match of the season at Flancare Park, the Blues felt they also deserved something out of the game for their performance. So it is a well-prepared, confident and motivated side that travels to Strokestown Road for the Saturday showdown, looking to close the gap on at least one of their promotion rivals to a single point.
Manager Paul O’Brien can welcome back wide midfielders Paul Phelan and Aidan McGrath from injury, but Peter Higgins has been ruled out with a quad muscle problem, joining longer-term absentees Daragh Walshe and Gary Dunphy. Right back Paul Carey is suspended for the game, allowing the possibility of loan signing Stephen Mulcahy making a debut start in the role he subbed last weekend if Paul O’Brien does not fancy moving the impressive Peter White from central midfield. O’Brien has another problem up front as the in-form striker Peter Keegan is rated only 50/50 with a hamstring injury, but to balance that up somewhat Willie John Kiely is almost back to full fitness, and is also rated at 50/50 to play a part.

Coach Quotes:
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First team coach Alan Barry:
“We did very well in the first half but we found it difficult to lift ourselves in the second period. We had an idea that would happen to be honest.”
“[But] to win ten games from eleven tells its own story and now we will head to Longford in great heart.”
“We’ve been very unlucky to lose to them twice this season, so we will not fear them in the least.”
“In Flancare Park we were the better team and Gary Dempsey and Gary Dunphy scored two wonderful goals that night, but we still lost which was disappointing.”
“We did pick up some injuries tonight, [...] it will be later in the week when we get to know if they can play against Longford.”
“Having said that we have some good players to come in if they fail to make it, so we will have no fear when we make our way up there.”

Match Trivia:
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If Willie John Kiely does prove fit enough to play a part in the game, Longford might not be too thrilled with the news. As with so many other sides Kiely is the Blues’ top scorer against the Town, with five in the last five seasons, though he hasn’t scored against them since a brace in October 2010.

After defeat to Longford in their last meeting at the RSC the Blues stood 11 points behind the leaders. After winning every game since then, ahead of Saturday’s match that gap is now just four points.

Longford Town have won the last three meetings between the sides at Flancare Park, though only by a single goal in each case, 3-2 this season, and 2-1 and 1-0 last year.

And notwithstanding Waterford’s still largely positive head-to-head figures, the Town have had very much the upper hand in the past three seasons, winning six times out of nine, and losing three.

The last draw between the teams was a 1-1 at the RSC in early 2008, 16 games ago!

The Missing List:
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Suspensions:
Paul Carey – 1 match (4 yellow cards)

Injuries:
Daragh Walshe – long term
Gary Dunphy (hip) – out
Peter Higgins (quad) – out
Willie John Kiely (dislocated elbow) – 50/50
Peter Keegan (hamstring) – 50/50

Recent Form:
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Last Match:
Waterford United    3 – 0    SD Galway
Higgins 11, Maguire 26
Doherty 87

Form:
Incl Pre-Season: (LLWWL) LWWLL LLDDW WWLWW WWWWW
League: LWWLL DDWWW LWWWW WW

Head-To-Head Stats:
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Home League Record:
Played 26 – Won 11 – Drawn 9 – Lost 6 – Goals For 35 – Goals Against 21
Away League Record:
Played 29 – Won 14 – Drawn 5 – Lost 10 – Goals For 41 – Goals Against 28
Total League Record:
Played 55 – Won 25 – Drawn 14 – Lost 16 – Goals For 76 – Goals Against 49
Record Home Win: 8-1 (12/11/1989)
Record Away Win: 6-1 (April 1990)
Record Home Defeat: 0-3 (05/06/2005)
Record Away Defeat: 0-3 (02/09/2005 and 22/07/2006)

Head-to-Head Recent Results:
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11 May 12   Lge    Waterford United    0 – 2    Longford Town
24 Mar 12    Lge    Longford Town    3 – 2    Waterford United
01 Oct 11    Lge    Longford Town    2 – 1    Waterford United
01 Jul 11    Lge    Waterford United    1 – 0    Longford Town
16 Apr 11    Lge    Longford Town    1 – 0    Waterford United
15 Oct 10    Lge    Longford Town    0 – 2    Waterford United
23 Jul 10    Lge    Waterford United    2 – 0    Longford Town
04 Jun 10   FAIC    Longford Town    1 – 0    Waterford United
01 May 10    Lge    Longford Town    2 – 1    Waterford United
29 Sep 09    Lge    Waterford United    1 – 0    Longford Town
05 Jul 09    Lge    Longford Town    1 – 3    Waterford United
04 Apr 09    Lge    Waterford United    1 – 0    Longford Town

Results This Season:
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13 Jul 12      h     SD Galway                           (Lge)       3-0      W
06 Jul 12      h     Limerick FC                          (Lge)       2-1      W
29 Jun 12     a     Wexford Youths                    (Lge)       2-1      W
22 Jun 12     a     Athlone Town                       (Lge)       4-1      W
01 Jun 12     h     Mervue United                      (Lge)       3-1      W
27 May 12    a     Everton AFC                       (FAIFC)     1-0      W
18 May 12    a     Finn Harps                           (Lge)       1-0      W
11 May 12    h     Longford Town                     (Lge)       0-2       L
04 May 12    a     SD Galway                           (Lge)       2-0      W
27 Apr 12     a     Limerick FC                          (Lge)       1-0      W
20 Apr 12     h     Wexford Youths                    (Lge)       4-0      W
13 Apr 12     h     Athlone Town                       (Lge)       1-1      D
06 Apr 12     a     Mervue United                      (Lge)       0-0      D
31 Mar 12     h     Finn Harps                           (Lge)       0-2      L
26 Mar 12     h     UCD                                  (EASC)      1-6      L
24 Mar 12     a     Longford Town                     (Lge)       2-3      L
20 Mar 12     a     Cork City                            (MSC)       0-1      L
16 Mar 12     h     SD Galway                           (Lge)       1-0      W
09 Mar 12     h     Limerick FC                          (Lge)       3-1      W
02 Mar 12     a     Wexford Youths                    (Lge)       0-6       L

24 Feb 12     a     Shamrock Rovers                   (Fr)        1-8       L
18 Feb 12     h     Waterford Junior/U19 X           (Fr)        5-1       W
10 Feb 12     h     Castleview FC                      (MSC)      5-1       W
05 Feb 12     a     Bray Wanderers                     (Fr)        0-5       L
03 Feb 12     h     Cork City                              (Fr)        0-3       L

Next 6 Matches:
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27 Jul 12   h    Finn Harps (ALFD)
03 Aug 12   a    Mervue United (ALFD)
10 Aug 12   h    Athlone Town (ALFD)
17 Aug 12   h    Wexford Youths (ALFD)
24 Aug 12   h    Mervue United (FAIFC)
31 Aug 12   a    Limerick (ALFD)

Top Scorers (League):
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9 – Sean Maguire
4 – Gary Dempsey
3 – Peter Keegan
2 – Ben Ryan
2 – Paul Phelan
2 – Peter White
2 – Willie John Kiely
1 – Daragh Walshe
1 – Dylan Mernagh
1 – Gary Dunphy
1 – Jack Doherty
1 – Peter Higgins

Top Scorers (All Competitions):
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10 – Sean Maguire (9 Lge, 1 EA)
5 – Gary Dempsey (4 Lge, 1 MSC)
3 – Ben Ryan (2 Lge, 1 MSC)
3 – Peter Keegan (3 Lge)
3 – Peter White (2 Lge, 1 MSC)
2 – Paul Phelan (2 Lge)
2 – Willie John Kiely (2 Lge)
1 – Adam McSherry (1 MSC)
1 – Daragh Walshe (1 Lge)
1 – David Breen (1 FAIC)
1 – Dylan Mernagh (1 Lge)
1 – Gary Dunphy (1 Lge)
1 – Jack Doherty (1 Lge)
1 – Paul Carey (1 MSC)
1 – Peter Higgins (1 Lge)

Betting:
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Longford: 13/10
Waterford: 15/8
Draw: 11/5