Waterford United vs St Patrick's Athletic - prediction, team news, lineups

A resurgent Waterford United volition invited high-flying St Patrick's Athletic to their Regional Sports Centre connected Friday, for a clash that volition interaction some ends of the Irish Premier Division.

The Blues are looking for their 3rd triumph connected the bounce, portion the Saints could marque it 4 victories from 5 games.

Match preview

Manager Graham Coughlan has revitalised Waterford since taking implicit from Jonathan Daly successful aboriginal May, and the caller brag could usher his squad retired of the relegation places this week.

Last clip out, the Blues triumphed 4-2 implicit Derry City, fuelled by a brace from Tom Lonergan - his 2nd successful successive outings.

That triumph followed up an awesome 3-2 comeback against Dundalk, and considering that Coughlan's broadside kicked disconnected June by thrashing relegation rivals Sligo Rovers 4-0, they travel into Friday's showdown having won 3 of their 4 astir caller games.

Such beardown signifier has lifted Waterford up to ninth successful the Premier Division, an exceptional turnaround fixed they were bottommost of the table, and 9 down Sligo, erstwhile Coughlan took the reins.

Having climbed disconnected the ft of the pile, the hosts' adjacent people is guaranteed safety, and aft seeing their squad suffer conscionable 1 of their past 7 location clashes, fans volition beryllium optimistically looking astatine Drogheda United, who beryllium lone 2 points supra the Blues this week.

Meanwhile, Stephen Kenny's St Pat's person ambitions of their ain that necessitate a triumph - chasing down existent Premier Division champions and league leaders Shamrock Rovers.

The Saints are 3rd successful the array with 41 points, 9 down the Hoops, but the challengers person played 2 games less than some of the clubs supra them.

Last clip out, Kenny's broadside bounced backmost from a 2-0 decision against second-placed Bohemians by thrashing Galway United 3-0, courtesy of 3 goals successful conscionable 15 first-half minutes from Ryan Edmondson, Kian Leavy and Aidan Keena.

That triumph marked St Pat's' 3rd triumph successful 4 outings, a agelong that besides saw them commendably support 3 cleanable sheets.

Friday's visitors cognize that they cannot spend to driblet points connected their travel to Waterford, but fixed that the Saints person not won immoderate of their past 5 fixtures connected the roadworthy - drafting 3 and losing 2 - supporters would beryllium forgiven for harbouring doubts.

Waterford United League of Ireland Premier form:

St Patrick's Athletic League of Ireland Premier form:

Team News

Waterford person been without versatile midfielder Evan McLaughlin since May owed to a limb injury, though Conan Noonan, Will Johnson and Dean McMenamy should beryllium connected manus to commencement successful the centre of the parkland this week.

Elsewhere, near wing-back Finlay Armstrong has been dealing with a musculus issue, truthful expect to spot Benny Couto and Jordan Houston commencement either broadside of centre-backs Hayden Cann, John Mahon and Kevin Long.

As for St Pat's, they are missing goalkeeper Joseph Anang, who was portion of the 26-man Ghana squad astatine World Cup 2026, and portion the Black Stars were beaten 1-0 by Colombia successful the circular of 32, the shot-stopper is not successful enactment to diagnostic connected Friday.

In the meantime, Daniel Rogers is acceptable to proceed betwixt the posts, shielded by a backmost 3 of Sean Hoare, Joe Redmond and Luke Turner.

Waterford United imaginable starting lineup:

McMullan; Houston, Cann, Mahon, Long, Couto; Noonan, Johnson, McMenamy; Lonergan, Amond

St Patrick's Athletic imaginable starting lineup:

Rogers; Hoare, Redmond, Turner; Brown, Lennon, Palmer, Elbouzedi; Leavy, Keena; Edmondson

We say: Waterford United 1-1 St Patrick's Athletic

Waterford whitethorn presently inhabit the relegation playoff spot, but they are successful fantabulous signifier aft winning 3 of their past 4 games.

With that successful mind, expect to spot a close-fought contention connected Friday, particularly fixed that St Pat's person struggled connected the roadworthy successful caller months.

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