The Blues return to action after last week’s International Break, as Matt Lawlor’s side welcome Derry City FC to the RSC this Friday for our penultimate home league game of the 2025 League of Ireland season – and we have everything you need to know ahead of kick-off!
Waterford FC vs Derry City FC
SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division
Friday 17th October 2025
RSC
7:45pm
WATERFORD FC
Just under two-weeks since our last game, the Blues return to action once again this Friday as we welcome Derry City to the RSC for another important night in the 2025 SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division.
A fortnight-ago saw our Friday night game against Drogheda United postponed due to incliment weather conditions, being rescheduled for the Sundyay 48-hours later, as Matt Lawlor’s time as a Blue got off to the perfect start with a 2-0 win against Kevin Doherty’s side.
Tommy Lonergan opened the scoring 10 minutes into the second-half, before Jesse Dempsey fired home his first-ever senior League of Ireland goal in injury time to give the Blues a huge win in-front of their home support.
Now welcoming Tiernan Lynch’s side to RSC this Friday, the Blues will be hoping to pick up their third win of the season against the Candystripes – having defeated Derry 2-1 at the RSC in April & 2-1 at the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium at the end of February.
Waterford sit in eighth position in the league table, with 37 points to our name – sitting three points ahead of Galway United as we enter the final weeks of the 2025 season.
DERRY CITY FC
Derry City make the 900km round-trip to the RSC on Friday looking to maintain their second-place in the league table, as they aim to secure their place in Europe for 2026.
The Candystripes head into Friday’s game unbeaten in their last 7 league games (3 wins, 4 draws), most recently picking up an important 1-0 win at home to Sligo Rovers two weeks ago thanks to Michael Duffy’s 94th minute winner.
Tiernan Lynch’s side sit in second-position in the league table on 54 points, 2 points ahead of Shelbourne in third as they enter the final weeks of the campaign.
MATT LAWLOR’S THOUGHTS
“It’s been two weeks since we last played so to keep that momentum is difficult, but we’ve trained really well since the Drogheda game, so hopefully we can bring that form into our last three games of the season.
Derry tomorrow night is a massive task. Obviously the last game against them was a crazy game of football, so we know we’re up against a really good footballing side.
There’s no easy match in this league. We’ve beaten Derry twice this season, they’ve beaten us once, and the last time I was here we beat Derry 2-1 at the RSC with a really good performance – and I would take your hand off clean to get that result again tomorrow.
This group [of players] have never not tried. It made it easier going into a two-week break between games with a win, it made it more bouncier, but I’d expect that regardless of the result against Drogheda because thats what type of manager I am.”
MATCH TICKETS
Tickets for Friday’s game remain on sale, and will be available in-store & online right up to kick-off. You can purchase your tickets online by clicking HERE, or head over to our Club Shop opposite the RSC at Kingsmeadow Retail Park to buy in-store.
