The Famous 6 in 8

Six notes, less than eight minutes to read.

(All photos courtesy of Alan Robinson Photography)

 

1.  Waterford’s defending has been an issue this season and it caught up with us against Bohemians. Grant Horton remains out so there are limited options available to Keith Long. The players we have are capable of defending better and have shown that in spells this season, but more consistency is needed. Maybe Monday night’s dramatics affected concentration levels, but four penalties conceded by four different players is a concern. The only one I would dispute was the one in Derry – the others looked fouls to me. Between two penalties and a defender being turned over in possession for the first goal, it was a bad day at the office against Bohs and they’ll need to work hard to improve. 

 

2.  We’ve been clinical with our chances in the first few games, but not last night. The Blues made their chances count in Sligo and in Derry, and eventually forced the goals against Cork, but couldn’t take advantage of the handful of opportunities they created against Bohs.

The most glaring and crucial one was the off-the-line clearance of a potential equaliser. That could have changed the entire game. It was probably the best footballing move by either team in the game, but wasn’t finished. Darragh Leahy squared the ball towards Pádraig Amond, but his shot was smothered by James Talbot and Waterford just couldn’t force the ball over the line. Within five minutes, Bohemians were two ahead and the points were out of reach by half time.

 

(A game of inches as Bohs manage to clear off the line)

 

3.  There weren’t many silver linings to be found in a 3-0 home defeat, but James Olayinka impressed off the bench. I’d argue that he and Matty Smith were Waterford’s two biggest signings this off-season and yet we were somehow top of the table without either of them playing. Olayinka played just over half an hour and looked sharp, enthusiastic and skilful. He has come pretty much straight from League One so should be high quality once he has the right attitude and he looked hungry last night even in a lost cause. Fellow substitute Maarten Pouwels has done well in both games this week and will surely come into contention against a physically imposing Galway United next week.

 

4.  The home support has to be mentioned, especially Block E where the singing and drumming never stopped despite being so far behind all through the second half. The players and staff have commented on it and will use that as a motivator going forward. The chant goes “you fight for us and we’ll sing for you” and the supporters definitely lived up to that last night. The team will show that fight now. Just on sheer numbers too, it was superb to see two attendances of over three thousand fans at the RSC this week. These are good times for the club.

 

(James Olayinka made a difference)

 

5.  It would be remiss of me not to mention the hat-trick hero in a game with three goals only. Colm Whelan is an outstanding talent and that was abundantly clear when he played Under 17s and 19s with Waterford. Even at that time, I always rated he and his fellow Kilkennyman Seánie Maguire as the two best talents produced in all the years of our academy system. Maguire went on to join West Ham and have a good career in England with Preston. Whelan was set to join Lincoln City, but missed that chance and two full seasons through injury. He showed with his first goal in particular why he can be one of the stars of this league. If he could only please stop scoring against Waterford!

 

6.  This really is shaping up into the most competitive League of Ireland ever. To date, only four games have been decided by more than one goal. There have been thirteen one-goal wins as well as seven draws in the twenty-four matches played. There is nothing between any of the teams so far. It’s a matter of who turns up best on the night and gets a bit of luck too. Drogheda, many people’s pick for relegation, top the table. The only other team with three wins is Waterford so, despite a heavy loss, we stay second in the table. Every team will take points off each other. It’s going to be an all-out war this season. The Blues need to put that bad night behind them and fight from the first bell next Friday.