Waterford FC will be hoping to make another giant step towards to promotion to the Premier Division when they make the trip to Stradbrook to take on Cabinteely in the SSE Airtricity League First Division on Friday evening with a 7.45pm kick-off.
With the Blues winning their last four games on the trot, they’ll be looking to win against the in-form team in the division for the third time this season after recording two 3-0 wins at the RSC with the other meeting at the South Dublin venue ending in scoreless stalemate.
The Blues currently sit nine points clear of second placed Cobh Ramblers with UCD a further three points back in third spot and victory in this game would put them in a great position with just five games remaining in the league.
Waterford FC defender Sean Heaney is happy with how things are going for him since his loan move from Shamrock Rovers. “I’ve been settling in great and the lads are an easy group to get along with. The lads have been great to me since day one so things are going very well for me. I think that it’s a lot easier to settle in when you’re winning and that has helped because we’ve four wins on the bounce.
“When I came down from Rovers I just wanted to play because I wasn’t getting the minutes that I wanted with them. I needed to get out and play football so that’s the reason why I came down to Waterford. I’m just delighted to be playing and to be playing well.
“Apart from us, Cabinteely are the best team on form in the league so we know that it’s going to be a tough game especially going up there. The pitch up there isn’t always the best so we’ll just have to go up there and hopefully get the three points.
“The new signings this week just shows the direction that the club is going and it’s the direction that we want to be going. When you bring in a player like Paddy Barrett, who is a top player in the league, people are going to take notice. I think it shows the direction next season where we want to go.
“I’m loving it here and long may it continue for the rest of the season. We want to get the league done and dusted as quickly as we can. If we win our next two or three games it’s over so we want to continue that form on Friday in Cabinteely.
“I have to say that the fans have been brilliant. When you’re getting crowd of 1500-1900 in the last few games, it’s brilliant. The fans are there and they are behind us so we just want to get this done for them more than anything.”
Team News: Kenny Browne, Anthony McAlavey and David McDaid are ruled out as they all serve one game bans for yellow card accumulation. New signings Paddy Barrett and Aaron Drinan are both eligible to make their debuts following their transfer deadline day moves from Dundalk and Cork City respectively. Mark O’Sullivan (back) and Sander Puri (foot) remain sidelined.
