The Waterford United team (and mascot) that beat Wexford Youths at the RSC last Friday.

The Waterford United team (and mascot) that beat Wexford Youths at the RSC last Friday.

Mick Wallace may have been celebrating an historic victory in Ozier Park on Saturday afternoon with his Wexford Football League Youth squad but on Friday evening he was on the losing side as his ‘seniors’ outfit lost 1-0 to Waterford United.

During the days leading up to the game the news broke that the local club were on the brink of financial ruin, but that was beyond manager Gareth Cronin’s control and all he could do was get his side geared up to try and build on the 5-0 drubbing of Monaghan United the previous week.

They did dig out a lone-goal victory over Mick Wallace’s side and Cronin was quite pleased with the outcome when he spoke just outside the team’s dressing-room ten minutes after the game. “In many ways this result is just as good as last weeks win over Monaghan because Wexford play a very unusual sort of game, getting as many as eight players back behind the ball at times.

“The result between Dundalk and Shelbourne (Shels won 3-1) meant that if we could get a win here we would be right back in the mix and that id what happened. Those sides have to come here in the second series and that is good for us because we have an almost perfect home record. We will have to improve away from home, of that there is no doubt, starting next Saturday away to Longford Town.

“Our record is not all that impressive up there but Flancare Park is a big pitch and that will suit us. Vinny Sullivan and Willie John Kiely combined superbly for the goal. It was going to take a little bit of magic to break Wexford down and thankfully we managed it.”

When asked about the financial situation, Gareth Cronin was pleased with the attendance which should help matters somewhat, at least in the short term. “It was good to see the new stand open and a decent crowd in both stands. We have some away games coming up right now with a midweek home game against Athlone Town and it is important that we get a big crowd for that game to keep things ticking over for another while.

“I have 19 totally-committed players wearing blue shirts right now and that has not always been the case with guys at this club. The time has come for the public of Waterford to get behind those players and the people running the club to insure we go on from where we are now,” Cronin urged.

 

*FOGRA: The Waterford United-Athlone Town midweek game has been fixed for Tuesday, May 20th at the RSC. Kick-off is 7.45pm.