The Famous Six in Eight

1. So near and yet so far. Fans were utterly traumatised at the final whistle of the 2-2 draw with Derry City on Friday night. Having a well-deserved first victory of the year snatched away so late was devastating after the Blues had battled and battered their way through a much-improved showing. Call it clutching at straws or a refusal to surrender to the inevitable, but there were enough positives in that effort for fans to believe that there is still reason to hope with sixty points to play for between now and the end of October. There was more fight in the team on Friday and that augurs well. We saw that in the second half against Dundalk also and the first half in Inchicore. While Friday’s match was still far from a complete ninety-minute performance, it was a clear step in the right direction and new boss Graham Coughlan wasn’t alone in thinking the players were outstanding on the night. 

2. The Blues are finally scoring goals in recent weeks. Having only managed nine goals in thirteen games under Jon Daly (five of which came in defeats in Derry and Galway), Waterford have scored six in the last three games compared to one in Daly’s final three fixtures. Friday night’s equalising goal came from the penalty spot – Waterford’s fourth award of the season and the third converted by Tommy Lonergan. Former Blue James Olayinka presented the opportunity to his old teammate by kicking John Mahon in the head after a well-delivered corner from Conan Noonan. Lonergan sent goalkeeper Eddie Beach the wrong way for his fifth of the season. The second involved Lonergan again as he collected a great diagonal ball from Will Johnson and teed it up for Benny Couto to loft a wonderful cross into the box. Kevin Long did the rest with a huge leap and powerful header smashed to the net for his first Waterford goal.

 

Celebrating Kevin Long's lead goal (Noah Bradfield)

3. As heartening as it is to be scoring, Waterford still conceded goals number 33 and 34 of this young season and they were as sloppy as most that have preceded them. Jordan Houston faced probably the toughest job in the League of Ireland – marking Michael Duffy. The Scot had started reasonably well before committing a needless foul on the league’s reigning Player of the Year running away from goal. In the half-second that Houston turned his back and left his defensive area vacant, James Clarke had darted into space behind him and collected Brandon Fleming’s quickly-taken free. That was all it took to undo the early good work as Clarke’s cutback found Kevin Dos Santos, whose shot took a deflection off Mahon to wrongfoot Stephen McMullan. Then, there was the cruelty of two points stolen away as the clock hit 93:57. Barry Cotter’s long throw was glanced away by Long, but Fleming retrieved, crossed and Henry Rylah jumped high to head home from three yards while Couto remained rooted to the ground. 

4. There were a few noticeable changes under Coughlan – some of which raised eyebrows when the team news was released. The switch of goalkeepers was unexpected. Arlo Doherty had been fantastic in the seven games since he was brought into the team following an injury sustained by McMullan on international duty. Coughlan admitted in his pre-match interview that Doherty felt aggrieved to lose his place and it was a bold call by the new manager, but one which he is entitled to make. It would appear that the deciding factor was kicking and that Coughlan, perhaps, favours the deliveries by McMullan. The keeper took almost all of the free kicks from Waterford’s half and that pushed the rest of the team a further twenty to thirty yards forward. The manager has spoken about the need to capitalise on set-pieces and frees from long distance will be one weapon, together with Will Johnson’s long throws – one of which was an acrobatic off-the-line clearance from yielding a major dividend. Another tweak was moving Mahon to the middle of the three centre backs with the left-footed Long now on the outside to provide that natural balance. 

 

The view from Block E for one of Waterford's improved set-pieces

5. Aside from changes in personnel, there were clear changes in approach too now that Coughlan and coach Lee Bullen have had a week to work with the team. The ball went back to front quickly without too many frills. While Blues fans have traditionally favoured expansive, passing football, surely few will argue with any approach that secures points in the current crisis. Waterford pressed aggressively from the start and maintained that in-your-face style throughout the game. Noonan’s closing down of defenders and goalkeeper led to a great early chance for Lonergan when the striker intercepted a pressured pass, but failed to make Derry pay when his shot was smothered. Relentless work-rate will be the mantra for the rest of the season. 

6. Waterford’s home record now stands at six draws and two defeats from the eight games played at the RSC this year. While that doesn’t quite make the home ground a fortress, the Blues have certainly proven harder to beat there than on the road where only one point has been earned from a possible twenty-four in 2026. Going back to last summer, Waterford have now won just one of their last twenty-seven Premier Division games. To keep hopes of a miraculous escape alive, that breakthrough first win of the season surely has to come against Drogheda United tomorrow night.