Galway United v Waterford Preview

Waterford ended one away ground hoodoo by winning in Derry two weeks ago. Can they do it again by beating Galway tomorrow night? The Blues’ run of results in Eamonn Deacy Park is even worse than in the Brandywell. Waterford are on a five-game losing streak away to Galway and haven’t beaten them away since 2007. 

Our overall results against John Caulfield’s Tribesmen have been very poor with two points from a possible twenty-four over the past two seasons coming from a draw each year at the RSC. There were two wins in late 2022 as Danny Searle’s Blues beat Galway 2-1 at the RSC and then 3-0 at the neutral Market’s Field in the playoffs. Earlier that year, Waterford, under Ian Morris, led by two goals at half-time in Galway only to end up clinging on for a 2-2 draw. That was the last time they picked up a point in the ground formerly known as Terryland Park.

Waterford and Galway haven’t met that often since the turn of the century as they have tended to be in different divisions, while Galway also didn’t participate in the league in 2012 or ’13. The clubs didn’t meet for eight seasons until that clash in March 2022. The Blues had lost twice there in 2014 and you have to go back to 2007 for the previous time they shared a division. That time, Waterford had two wins and a draw in their three encounters while the clubs drew 0-0 in 2002 in their only other meeting on the west coast this century.

 

The heroes of Waterford’s last win away to Galway were David Breen and Vinny Sullivan on the August bank holiday weekend in 2007. That was a first away win of the season for Gareth Cronin’s Blues and lifted them out of the Premier Division’s bottom two. It was an explosive affair with a breaking out between fifteen players near the end of the match. Goalkeeper Gary Rogers pushed his head into Vinny Sullivan’s and the subsequent skirmish saw Dave Mulcahy pushed over a wall and punches thrown, but the only red card shown was to Waterford physio Eddie Jackman. 

The Blues suffered terrible luck when falling behind as Dean Delany’s save hit Robbie Hedderman’s back and rebounded into the net for an unfortunate own goal. Breen equalised with a header from a Cathal Lordan free kick and Sullivan earned the points with a goal of real quality. He picked the ball up forty yards out, slalomed through tackles and slotted the ball past the out-rushing Rogers to make the score 2-1. 

Prior to that, Waterford’s last win away to Galway was in December 1997 when Pádraig Dully scored the only goal of the game. The Blues did beat Mervue United in Terryland in the intervening time, but our record now stands as one win away to Galway United in twenty-eight years.

 

And so, to tomorrow, as Keith Long brings a 100% away record so far, but Galway are unbeaten this season with one win and four draws to date. Waterford’s away form has been excellent over the past twelve months – apart from in Eamonn Deacy Park. Grant Horton should return to the defence and winger Trae Coyle will come into the reckoning for the first time having recovered from injury. James Olayinka impressed as a substitute last week and Maarten Pouwels would provide a physical presence that is often needed against Caulfield’s team so Long has options now if he decides to freshen the team up after the disappointing loss to Bohemians.

Galway have lots of experience throughout their side with Brendan Clarke in goal, Ireland international Greg Cunningham along with Gary Buckley, Jimmy Keohane and Conor McCormack in midfield and Stephen Walsh up front. They are masters at grinding out results and rely heavily on set-pieces with big men like Americans Patrick Hickey and Vincent Borden attacking the ball. Their two home games in 2025 have seen them beat St Patrick’s Athletic 2-1 and draw 1-1 with Shelbourne. 

As ever, it will be a very tough task for the Blues, but Long finally has almost all of his squad fit and available. Even a draw to end that five-game losing streak in Galway might be considered a big result.

(Top and bottom photos by Noel Browne)