Despite two days' heavy rain, and poor recent weather including a weekend thunderstorm, the match will go ahead as planned.

In team news, Wexfordman Pat Sinnott is rated 50/50 as being in the started eleven, having languished in the reserves for most of the season. Some fine performances as substitute recently has brought him into contention for a first team place.

With John "Chilly" Power and Sean Riordan doubtful, new signing Karl Gannon - snapped up from Home Farm Everton during the week - could make his debut for the Blues this evening.

As for Pats, manager Pat Dolan may be blufing in saying that his squad are badly ravaged by injury - no Ian Gilzean or Willie Burke, with Eddie Gormley and Paul Osam under threat of not being match fit.

Dolan says of his opponents tonight:"I consider Waterford to be a Premier Division outfit. Tommy Lynch has done a brilliant job and a strong Blues side can only be good news for Irish football."

He continues: "I saw them beat Galway with ten men and Tommy is a colossus in the middle of the pitch. It's going to be a fantastic occasion and a real battle."

With temporary seating behind the country goal, and specially constructed terracing opposite the stand, all is set for a great night's fotball - albeit on a heavy pitch - and a possible record crowd of eight thousand plus.

Hewitt tweaked a groin muscle in last week's victory over Bray, an incident which has caused Waterford manager Tommy Lynch a headache or two during the week. He admits it's a match they must win...

"I've been happy with our last two performances, but that could be undone if we don't win tonight. I expect Cobh to make it hard for us."

Ramblers manager Stuart Ashton, meanwhile, has snapped up 20-year-old English midfielder Kevin Ward on a month's loan from Finnish side Vartt with a view to making the deal permanent. He's expected to make his debut tonight.

This revelation, made by Stephen Finn in "The Star", shows that things may have been so much different for the lowly Cats, who themselves have only scored seven times this season. Full story

Hearts Attack
Meanwhile, Jose Quitongo has written himself in lights after a powerful display for Hearts in the Edinburgh derby against Hibernian.

Having been brought on as substitute late in the game, the former Waterford United winger added to John Robertson's early strike by beating two Hibs defenders and unleashing a low powerful drive to make it 2-0.

Coming with two minutes to go, it clinched the derby for Hearts, and catipulted the diminutive Portugeuse to near hero status.

The league table shows the latest standings in Division One.

Unbeaten in nine games since their opening day defeat at the hands of the Seasiders, United are hoping that the battle of the League's two highest scorers will be won by their marksman Tommy Hewitt.

"Tommy has been a revelation since coming to us from Evergreen during the summer," states Blues boss Tommy Lynch. The 26-year-old Tipperary striker set a unique record of scoring the winner in three consequtive matches this season, helping the Suirside outfit to second position, just a solitary point behind leaders Wanderers.

During that spell, Waterford United notched up five clean sheets in a row, the first time they've ever done that in one season. A previous record of five clean sheets in a row was acheived across two seasons back in the sixties.

Memories of their 3-0 thrashing at the hands of Bray back in September will still be relatively fresh, but retribution is not on Tommy Lynch's mind.

"We're not going for revenge," insists the Limerick native, who adds: "In many ways, we are thankful to Bray for the lesson they handed us at the start of the season.

"We want to go straight up this year... we remember too clearly the disappointment in the dressing room after the play-offs defeat by Dundalk last season.

"But we thought it was there for the taking and the Bray defeat gave us the kick in the backside," matter-of-factly says Lynch, whose only injury concerns Paul Carr, who has a pulled hamstring.

As for Bray, defenders Bo McKeever and Anto Whelan are major worries for boss Pat Devlin. McKeever has ankle problems while Whelan's got a popped hamstring.

But the only joint leading scorer in the Division, Richie Parsons, is set to rise from his sick bed to help the cause. Parsons has been suffering from flu all week, but the prospect of this encounter is proving a tonic for the Bray striker.

"I don't think Richie will want to miss this one," says Pat Devlin. "Waterford have a much more experienced side than we do so it's important we have our older heads available."

One of the biggest crowds of the season in the First Division is expected tonight for the 7:45 start.

And to cap off an unsatisfactory weekend for the Blues, their reserve outfit go down 2-0 away to.... Bray Wanderers.

Having taken a first half lead through a John Power penalty, Waterford couldn't take any further advantage and an own goal by Tommy Lynch midway through the second half gave the visitors a share of the spoils.

Further details in the match report.

Bray Wanderers has taken full advantage of their rivals' draw, as a 2-1 victory for the Wicklowmen over Athlone Town puts them back on top of Division One.

However, Bray Wanderers continue to breathe down their necks with a 7-0 victory over Cobh Ramblers.

Formerly a member of the Seanad and Wexford County Council, Mr. Enright was a popular figure in Wexford soccer, having put many teams through their paces during his involvement in the game. A teacher at Kilmuckridge Vocational School, Michael Enright's contribution to Wexford soccer was displayed by the fact he was one of the people asked to launch soccer magazine "Full Time" in Wexford last March.

The tributes have been led by Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, Fine Gael leader John Bruton, and Prionnsias de Rossa, leader of Democratic Left, for whom Mr. Enright served.

He is survived by wife Mary and daughters Ciara and Carol. May he rest in peace.

Portugeuse flyer Quitongo, who wowed First Division crowds in the South-East during the 1994-95 season, has two goals to his name so far this season, and had firmly become a fans' favourite at Hamilton.

Quitongo guested for Hearts in the Craig Levine benefit match against Hibernian during the weekend before signing terms. Jose has promised the Hearts supporters he would try in every game to send them home with a smile on their faces, adding he dislikes fans leaving any game bored with the action. He's likely to be on the bench for Saturday's visit of Celtic.

Additional reporting: TeamTalk

Michael Devine returns to keep goal for the Suirsiders, which means loan star Jody Byrne can return to Finn Harps.

Waterford stay second in the League table with Bray defeating Home Farm Everton 2-0.

Meanwhile, a new sponsorship deal with local laundry company Duds N' Suds means every clean sheet by a Waterford United goalkeeper in the League and Cup this season will be rewarded with £50. More details in "Sidelines".

Garlick, voted Player of the Year by Blues fans in 1995-96, came on in the 90th minute for regular custodian Tom Presthus. With the deciding penalty shoot-out - a requirement when matches finish level in America - going to five sudden-death rounds, Garlick made a decisive save from New England's tenth penalty, giving Eddie Pope the opportunity to strike the winner.

Facing Garlick - and the rest of his 1996 MLS Cup-winning team - on the New England side were World Cup stars Walter Zenga and Alexei Lalas. For more details, check out the report from ESPN or how MLSnet described it.

Details from Barrie Rogers.

As a player and manager, Alfie always put in major work, no matter where he was. His most recent club success in Waterford was to guide Waterford Crystal to the local League and Cup double, before embarking on a new adventure with Kilkenny City. Alongside Mr. Kilkenny City himself, Jimmy Rhatigan, Alfie bought shrewdly (particularly from Waterford) and as a result, the Cats have now taken their place in the top flight.

Despite going down at the weekend - Waterford 3-0 to Bray and Kilkenny 2-1 at Shels - both sides will be keen on giving a good show of themselves in what should be a wonderful atmosphere. Added impetus has been given to this fixture with the surprise news that Kilkenny hurling star DJ Carey has signed for Kilkenny's soccer brethren, and will be making his debut tonight. Having shown his prowess on the hurling field, where he has made his name as one of the country's elite forwards, Carey will be looking to provide the same flair and imagination in the 11-a-side game.

Sadly, this fixture is clashing with the Eoin Hand Testimonial at Tolka Park, where a National League selection play Mick McCarthy's national side. Kick-off at Buckley Park is at 7:45, with a reception in Kilkenny City afterwards.

The biggest surprise of the evening though is the re-appearance in blue of Donal Golden. The Tipperary man returned to Shelbourne last May having been on,loan to Waterford United for four months. Golden was listed as a substitute for last night's Cup-Winners' Cup clash with Kilmarnock, but this appears to have been incorrect. Apparently, the deal was officially signed on Wednesday night, and announced fifteen minutes before kick-off.

Despite offering Golden on permanent terms to the First Division outfit during the summer, it had been thought that Shels would hang on to Golden, particularly after recent injuries to Stephen Geoghegan and Dessie Baker. However, the dynamic duo have now recovered, and Golden is now in Waterford.

It's still not certain if the deal is permanent or not. In some ways, it would make sense for Shels to just loan Golden for a month or two until Waterford's injury problems up front are ironed out. Some commentators though feel that the deal will be a permanent one. As it happens, Golden was possibly the best player on the pitch tonight, and even hit the bar in what was a formidable Bray performance.

Donal Golden was last season's top scorer for Waterford with ten goals.

Sponsorship Deal
The match also marks the beginning of a new sponsorship deal with bus company Rapid Express, which brings to a close the long alliance with Hoffmans.

According to the head of Rapid Express, J.J. Kavanagh, the company wanted to put something back into the local community. Now Ireland's second largest bus company behind Bus Eireann, Rapid has bases at Waterford, Cork, Dublin, Carlow, Urlingford, Limerick and Nenagh, while also serving Galway, Thurles, Cashel and most of County Tipperary.

News Archive
Volume 1: March 10 - May 5, 1996
Volume 2: May 11 - October 11, 1996
Volume 3: April 24 - May 31, 1997
Volume 4: June 18 - July 16, 1997
Volume 5: July 17 - August 27, 1997