Blues v Sligo Rovers Preview

It’s been an awful month for both these teams and the importance of tomorrow night’s meeting cannot be overstated. The visitors have lost four games in a row, the hosts their last five. They have both fallen into the bottom three and both managers are under serious pressure. A home win would be a huge tonic for Waterford and put an eight-point gap between the two clubs with Sligo left rooted to the bottom of the table. It simply has to happen.

The Blues will almost certainly be without Andy Boyle and it’s fair to assume Matty Smith isn’t part of the plans now. Losing our two biggest signings – two experienced league winners – has made things very difficult for Keith Long. On the plus side, Conan Noonan, who scored what was ultimately the winning goal in Sligo, will return this week. James Olayinka and Trae Coyle should be up to match sharpness now, having both missed the early part of the season. Both have shown flashes of quality and could add attacking verve that has been missing in recent matches. 

 

 

Sligo desperately need at least a point from this trip and I have no doubt they will target all three. They have been in the Premier Division since 2006 with only Bohemians and St Patrick’s Athletic in the top flight longer than them. In the heady days of 2010 to ’14, they won the league, three FAI Cups, the EA Sports Cup and the all-island Setanta Sports Cup. As recently as 2021, the Bit o’ Red finished third in the Premier Division and they had a respectable sixth place last season, but their status is already hanging by a thread. 

John Russell’s team started the year with three defeats, then picked up an impressive 2-1 home win against Shamrock Rovers and a point on the road in Cork. They have lost their last four, including three at home, and have fallen behind very early in all of them. Worryingly, they haven’t kept a clean sheet since September. 

The westerners have three ex-Blues in their ranks. Sam Sargeant began the season in goal, but was dropped after conceding ten goals in the first three games. He has lost his place to Conor Walsh – a 20-year-old graduate from their academy. Cian Kavanagh, scorer of Waterford’s Goal of the Season for 2021 against his current club, missed penalties in two of Sligo’s opening three matches and was red carded versus Shelbourne so it’s been a difficult start for the 22-year-old. Winger Will Fitzgerald, however, has started every game this season and assisted four goals. Now in his fourth year at the club, he is a reliable fan favourite.

 

 

Similarly to Waterford, Sligo line up with three centre backs and two wing backs. They have conceded 21 goals in nine matches including several with possession given away sloppily in defence. In attack, Dubliner Jad Hakiki and local lad Owen Elding both scored in the opening game against the Blues and have been Rovers’ brightest spots. Elding, son of former Sligo forward Anthony, has notched four goals this season including three in the last four fixtures. 

Confidence is low in both camps, but each will feel this is the game that could turn their season around. There were angry words exchanged at the end of last week’s match in Tallaght and Blues fans will hope that professional pride and desire will have kicked in enough to ensure that another bad result won’t be accepted. The home support will want to see a reaction from the team and for them to attack with venom. That said, a degree of patience is needed and strong support from the stands could make the difference in getting that vital win to stop the rot. It’s a must-win game for Waterford, but they’ll need ninety minutes of energy and effort to earn it.

(All photographs courtesy of Noel Browne)