A look at the Blues

Pól O’Hare takes a look at tonight’s visitors with the Blues next up at Brandywell. You can read Paul’s article, and much more beside in tonight’s Cityview

Ticket remain available for tonight’s fixture here

Staying in the Premier Division by beating Bray Wanderers in the play-off last season, Waterford will be aiming to climb the table in 2026 after a busy transfer window. The Waterford faithful will hope for a season less turbulent than last as former St Pat’s and Dundalk manager Jon Daly has come in to take the reins after a spell as Galway United’s assistant manager. The Blues will be out to avoid a promotion/relegation play-off come November, as has been the case in four of the previous five seasons.

Transfer Business & Ones to Watch:

Incomings

• Hayden Cann (Derry City)
• Arlo Doherty (Derry City)
• Conan Noonan (Shamrock Rovers)
• Conor Carty (St Patrick’s Athletic)
• Grant Horton (Harrogate Town)
• John Mahon (Sligo Rovers)
• Brad Wade (Ballymena United)
• Ben McCormack (Bray Wanderers)
• Muhammadu Faal (Maidstone United)
• Navajo Bakboord (RKC Waalwijk)
• Josh Miles (Blackpool)
• Finlay Armstrong (Rochdale)
• Jordan Houston (FC Haka)
• Cian Barrett (Shamrock Rovers – loan)
• Stephen McMullan (Fleetwood Town – loan)
• Will Johnson (Fleetwood Town – loan)

Outgoings

•  James Olayinka (Derry City)
•  Ryan Burke (Bohemians)
• Darragh Leahy (Linfield)
• Jordan Rossiter (Sporting JAX)
• Luke Heeney (Drogheda United)
• Kacper Radkowski (Kazincbarcikai SC)
• Benny Couto (Cork City)
• Evan McLaughlin (Cork City)
• Jordan Faria (Valour FC)
• Jorgan Voilas (Umea)
• Matt Smith (retired)
• Andy Boyle (retired)
• Muhammad Oladiti (Wexford – loan)

With the amount of movement both in and out of the RSC in the transfer window, including within the managerial team, it will likely take time for Jon Daly to work out his best eleven. Key, experienced players such as former Ireland international Andy Boyle, Ryan Burke, and Darragh Leahy have been mainstays in the Waterford defence prior to their departures over the winter. Hayden Cann, who impressed at the Brandywell last year, will slot in at centre back while fellow new boys Luke Heeney and John Mahon have bags of experience at this level. Jordan Houston comes in at right-back and played alongside former Derry City striker James Akintunde with FC Haka in Finland last year.

Goalkeeper Stephen McMullan was called up to the Northern Ireland senior squad last year after impressing in Munster, while former Derry City deputy stopper Arlo Doherty comes in to challenge him. Jordan Faria and Jorgen Voilas bring a spark to the flanks, coming to Ireland from Canada and Sweden respectively.

Veteran forward Pádraig Amond has been one of the league’s most clinical strikers since signing two years ago, topping the league’s goalscoring charts in both 2024 and 2025. He has signed a new contract, while Conan Noonan is the big-name signing after coming in from Shamrock Rovers. A loanee at the RSC in 2025, the 23 year old is Waterford’s most
expensive ever signing. Tommy Lonergan, who made his loan from Fleetwood permanent in July, scored Waterford’s equaliser at home to Shelbourne on the opening day. That’s also Waterford’s only goal in three games so far this year. Versatile Derry-man Evan McLaughlin and Portuguese fullback Benny Couto are two astute signings from relegated local rivals Cork City.

Form:
Waterford finished 2025 level on points with Galway United but were condemned to the play- offs due to their goal difference. Despite finishing second last in the Premier Division, they ended the year with a fifteen point buffer on tenth placed Cork City. The Blues were never really threatened by automatic relegation, but with just one win from their last eleven league matches, Waterford’s form was far from ideal in late 2025.

After beating Bray Wanderers despite going behind in the promotion/relegation play-off, Waterford had a strong showing in preseason. They suffered defeats to Cork City (1-0) and Bohemians (4-1) but got the better of Wexford (1-0), Kerry (3-2), Cobh Ramblers (3-1) and Bray Wanderers (2-1). To date, that form hasn’t translated into league action. Daly’s men
began with a 1-1 draw at home to Shelbourne before losing 2-0 away to Drogheda United in matchday two, conceding twice in the first ten minutes. A 0-0 stalemate followed at home to bottom placed Sligo Rovers last week.

Head to head:
Derry City and Waterford beat each other twice in league action last year. Waterford took the early advantage, beating City 2-1 both home and away in February and April. The Candystripes earned their biggest win of the season back in July in a home game against Waterford, hammering the Munster side 7-2. It was a 2-1 win for Derry in the final meeting
between the two back in October.

The year before last, Derry City beat Waterford in all four of their meetings, scoring nine goals and keeping a clean sheet in each encounter. In the last ten meetings in league and cup action between the two, the side from the northwest won eight, including a 4-2 win in theEA Sports Cup semi-final back in 2019. David Parkhouse netted all four for City that day, six
and a half years ago, while current City centre back Rob Slevin was sent off for the visitors.