AS HE ADDRESSED the media in the bowels of the old stand at the Regional Sports Centre on Friday night, Waterford FC manager Alan Reynolds was relatively upbeat for a man who had been sent off, along with two of his key players, just a few moments earlier.
“We’re nearly safe [from relegation],” he joked, when asked about his side’s title credentials this season following a 2-1 victory over defending SSE Airtricity League Premier Division champions Cork City.
In spite of the controversial conclusion, the outlook is promising for Reynolds and Waterford in the grand scheme of things.
Midfielders Bastien Hery and Stanley Aborah, as well as the Waterford manager himself, will face disciplinary action after being dismissed in the aftermath of an ugly brawl which marred the win over the Leesiders. Cork City boss John Caulfield and players Steven Beattie and Garry Buckley also received their marching orders from referee Rob Rogers.
Suspensions to Hery and Aborah will hurt Waterford. The pair were instrumental in the second half as they came from behind — having conceded a second-minute goal to Conor McCarthy — to take all three points courtesy of a Conor McCormack own goal and an 80th-minute Izzy Akinade effort, which was helped over the line by Courtney Duffus.
The bigger picture for Waterford is that after a 10-season absence from the top tier of Irish football, the RSC is buzzing again. A healthy crowd of 3,684 saw them secure bragging rights in Friday’s Munster derby, which means only Dundalk’s superior goal difference is keeping the Blues from the summit of the table. Reynolds has every right to be in high spirits.
“I didn’t think we were good in the first half. I told them we could up the performance and be better in the second half — play on the front foot and take chances. I thought we did,” Reynolds said, after watching his team — who boast a 100% home record — win for the seventh time in nine games this season.
“They [Cork City] are hard to break down. It came back to 1-1, it went end-to-end and I thought it was a really good game. Anyone could have scored at that stage but I’m delighted with our performance in the second half.”
Aided by the financial backing of former Ireland U21 international Lee Power — the chairman of English club Swindon Town who took control of Waterford in November 2016 — the Blues have undergone a sizeable transformation over the last 18 months.
After being promoted back to the Premier Division for the first time since 2007 by winning last season’s First Division title, Reynolds strengthened his squad significantly over the winter. The likes of Hery, Akinade, Gavan Holohan and Dave Webster were signed from other League of Ireland clubs, while Aborah, Duffus and goalkeeper Lawrence Vigouroux have all made a positive impact since arriving from the UK.
Reynolds: “I spoke to the players about where this club was two years ago, if you want to say, and where it’s come to now. A lot of that is down to those players and the performances they put in. They excite people. We’re a sleeping giant but finally we’ve woken up.”
A native of Tramore, Reynolds had three spells with Waterford during his playing career. He won a First Division title in 1998 and reached the FAI Cup final, as player-manager, in 2004 when they lost to Longford Town. As well as being a Premier Division winner with Shelbourne in 2006, he had stints with Cork City, Shamrock Rovers and Longford.
The heady days of the 1960s and 70s, when Waterford dominated Irish football by winning six league titles in eight seasons, are a distant memory. Reynolds will do his best to keep a lid on local expectations, but supporters could be forgiven for beginning to dream again given the nature of their start to the 2018 campaign.
“Look, Cork and Dundalk are two top sides and we just keep looking at it game-by-game. That’s what you’ll get from me every week,” said Reynolds, whose side face a tricky trip to the Brandywell this Friday. “People saying it’s a title challenge… I don’t know. I’m just looking at Derry next week.”
He added: “I’ve been at clubs down through the years and I’ve always wished that we’d have that buzz and that crowd here. It’s great to see on that end of it. Me, being a local lad, it means an awful lot to me. Your family, friends and everyone is behind you. But that only comes with results. You also get the flip side of it. You lose games and they turn on you.
“We’re not getting carried away with it at all. You’re waiting for me to say ‘we’re going to win the league’ here. But we’re not getting carried away. First and foremost you’re coming in, hoping the players will gel. The sooner that happens, the better.
“I do think we can improve. I’ve said that to the lads. I think we can improve as a team. No doubt Cork, Dundalk, Derry and the likes will improve too. But I think there’s more in us.”
