SSE Airtricity First Division
Athlone Town -v- Waterford FC
Tuesday, 24th October 2023
Kick-Off: 7.45pm
Referee: Oliver Moran
Waterford FC are on the road this Tuesday to face Athlone Town in the Play Off semi final 1st leg at the Athlone Town Stadium.
The sides will then meet this coming Saturday in the RSC (tickets here) for the 2nd leg, for a place in the First Division Play Off final.
Keith Long’s side ended the regulation season with a 2-0 win against Treaty United at the RSC on Friday night. Ryan Burke gave the Blues a second-half lead before Dean McMenamy ensured the win to end the league campaign on a high, and send the Blues into the Play Offs on the back of a win.
The Blues finished the season in 2nd position and face 5th-place Athlone Town over two legs to progress in the Play Offs.
Four times the sides have met this season in the league, with the Blues picking up two wins and a draw – winning and drawing in the Athlone Town Stadium.
A 0-0 draw with Longford Town at the weekend secured the Play Off spot for Athlone Town – having won 14 games this season to pip Treaty United to the final play off spot.
From The Dugout: Speaking ahead of Tuesday’s match, assistant head coach Alan Reynolds said:
“Friday [v Treaty] it was scrappy in the first half but second half we were a lot better, more like ourselves and really looked a threat every time we attacked. We’re aiming to be right for the play offs and Friday was a good step in the right direction.
“We’ve played Athlone four times already so we know each other, and they’ll be a threat because they’ve got some good players.
“We’re just focussing on one game at a time and looking to Tuesday though. The support has been great all season and we’ll need that this week to get behind the lads again. We’ve got players back from injuries towards the latter half of the season now and everyone is chomping at the bit to get on the pitch on Tuesday.”
Team News: The Blues have no further injury concerns ahead of Tuesday’s match.
(IMAGE CREDIT: Noel Browne)