King ruled out of Mervue Utd’s home tie

Date Published: 10-May-2013

 MERVUE United will look to maintain their positive start to the season when they host a resurgent Waterford United at Fahy Field this evening, Friday (7:45pm).

Having lost ground on league leaders Longford Town following a scoreless draw with local rivals Salthill Devon last weekend, Johnny Glynn’s charges will be anxious to return to winning ways against a team they have already accounted for during the current campaign.

Indeed, Mervue’s 4-0 demolition of Waterford back in March was nothing less than impressive, although it is worth noting that the South-East outfit have subsequently turned their season around and have not lost a game since.

Overall, the form guides for both sides have been good of late. Mervue have won three, drawn five and lost just the one while the visitors have won, drawn and lost three games. Those three losses, by the way, came in Waterford’s opening four games.

For Mervue, Martin Conneely (knee ligament) continues to be an absentee through injury while offensive midfielder Tom King is also out with a hamstring pull after being forced to retire from last Friday night’s derby game against Salthill Devon.

Also forced off through injury in that contest was goalkeeper Brian O’Donoghue, who sustained concussion, and, consecutively, he will miss this tie, leaving Conor Gleeson and James Healy to battle it out for the No. 1 shirt. In addition, midfielder Shane Keogh must undergo a fitness test on a back injury before this evening’s kick-off.

Understandably, Mervue boss Glynn felt the draw against basement club Salthill Devon in Drom was two points lost rather than a point won but insisted that their local rivals were an improving side.

“We totally dominated the game and created good chances, playing quite well, but we were just not able to put them away,” said Glynn. “Salthill, though, have not been conceding many goals of late and their defence is very strong, so they are hard to break down.”

The same may be expected of this evening’s visitors, who, despite that 4-0 thrashing by Mervue in the Spring, have steadied the proverbial ship, as underlined by their 1-1 draw against league leaders Longford Town last weekend.

Meanwhile, Salthill Devon, who still chase their first victory of the season after nine games, travel to Wexford Youths. Given, though, there are only four points separating second place Mervue and second from bottom Youths, it would suggest the Leinster men are better placed to secure all three points. Kick-off in Ferrycarrig Park is 8pm.