Tramore's Michael Grant stretches for the ball between Waterford United's new signing Tim Purcell and team-mate
Tramore AFC 2; Waterford United 1
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Current Waterford Premier League champions Tramore were too strong for a Waterford United side in Graun Park last Tuesday night.
Fresh from their victory 48 hours earlier against Everton from Cork in the Munster Junior Cup, the side managed by the former Waterford United manager Alan Reynolds got the better of a Blues outfit who were playing their third pre-season game.
United had defeated Tralee Dynamos and the Cork Oscar Traynor Cup squad (both 3-0) but on this occasion they came up against a team who are really beginning to fire on all cylinders.
Afterwards Blues boss Stephen Henderson paid tribute to Tramore and the excellent playing surface, but admitted his players looked “leggy” on the night, having trained for over four hours the previous Sunday. Also, they’re still trying to settle into a pattern of play.
However, Henderson said he’d taken a lot from the game. He’s still chasing a centre half, a midfielder and a striker but he was not overly-confident of getting all three to sign on the dotted line. Timmy Purcell, a signing from UCD, played here but another newcomer, Gareth Cambridge had to watch from the sideline due to a hamstring injury.
Tramore played young Blues ’keeper Josh Byrne due to the fact that their regular netminder was injured and the ex-Bohs schoolboy produced some fine saves.
Former Waterford defender (and captain) David Breen also lined out for the seasiders during the second half and the current Wexford Youths player showed he is still a top-class performer.
Reynolds made five changes at half-time but Tramore still made life difficult for Waterford who began smartly enough with Conna man Liam Kearney, another newcomer, sending over a corner kick which Seamus Long headed powerfully beyond Josh Byrne but defender Martin Whelan headed clear.
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