Wednesday, July 9

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Sports Mole previews Friday's League of Ireland Premier clash between Waterford United and Cork City, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Waterford United will be aiming to bounce back from a heavy defeat when they continue their League of Ireland Premier Division campaign against Cork City on Friday.

The home team will enter the match off the back of a 7-2 loss to Derry City, while Cork City, who are bottom of the League of Ireland Premier Division table, were beaten 3-1 by Shelbourne last time out.

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Match preview

Waterford have a record of eight wins, three draws and 12 defeats from their 23 league matches this season, with 27 points leaving them in eighth spot in the table, two points behind seventh-placed Galway United.

The Blues are actually six-time League of Ireland champions, with their last success coming back in 1973, but they finished seventh last term and are currently focusing on staying above ninth spot.

John Coleman's side will enter this match off the back of a 7-2 defeat to Derry, but their last match in front of their own fans finished in a 2-2 draw with Shelbourne on June 23.

Waterford were last victorious on June 20, beating Bohemians 2-1 on home soil, but they have only picked up 14 points from their 11 games in front of their own fans this season.

Cork City, meanwhile, will enter this match off the back of a 3-1 defeat to Shelbourne, which stretched their winless run in the League of Ireland Premier Division to 12 matches.

Gerard Nash's side have not been victorious in the league since a 2-1 home success over Waterford back in April, and there is no getting away from the fact that it has been a very tough season to date.

Indeed, the strugglers have a record of two wins, nine draws and 12 defeats from their 23 matches to collect 15 points, which has left them bottom of the table, five points behind ninth-placed Sligo Rovers.

Cork City won the 2025 League of Ireland First Division to secure promotion back to the top flight, but they have found it difficult to compete at this level of football.

As mentioned, though, Cork City beat Waterford 2-1 in their last meeting, and they will be bidding to make it successive victories over Friday's opponents for the first time since 2018 in this clash.

Waterford United League of Ireland Premier form:

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Cork City League of Ireland Premier form:

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Team News

Waterford's Padraig Amond has been in excellent form this season, finding the back of the net on 11 occasions, and there will be another spot in the final third of the field for the 37-year-old.

Tommy Lonergan has come up with five goals, meanwhile, and he will feature in the home side's attack, but Kacper Radlowski and Matty Smith are both out of the match on Friday through injury.

As for Cork City, Charlie Lyons is out of the match due to the red card that he was handed against Shelbourne.

Fiacre Kelleher is expected to be the player to benefit in terms of a starting role in the middle of the back three.

Kitt Nelson has come up with five goals this season, and he is set to feature in the final third of the field, but Ruairi Keating and Benny Couto are sidelined due to injury problems.

Waterford United possible starting lineup:

Wade; Horton, Boyle, Leahy, McDonald, Burke; Glenfield, Olayinka, Noonan; Amond, Lonergan

Cork City possible starting lineup:

Brann; Crowley, Anderson, Kelleher, Mbeng, Kiernan; Bolger, Murray; Nolan, Maguire, Nelson

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We say: Waterford United 2-1 Cork City

 

Both sides have found it difficult this season, and we are expecting this to be a close match, but Waterford's home advantage should be enough to see them collect all three points.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

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