A massive three points but where’s my gear bag?
Waterford FC's Padraig Amond celebrates his goal against Dundalk in the SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division at the RSC on Friday night last. Photos: Noel Browne.
It was back to winning ways for us on Friday night as we beat a very spirited Dundalk side 2-1 for our first victory in three games. For seventy-five minutes of the game, we played very well, and we controlled the majority or the possession which gave us the platform to go on and win the game.
We started the game quickly taking the lead after only five minutes when Sam Bellis (who was making his first league start since signing in the summer window) opened the scoring with a very clever finish. Sam has great pedigree in the development of the career and at just 21 he can count Manchester City and Southampton as his former clubs. He has been excellent since he came to the club in training and has had to bide his time as he got up to speed and ready for action with a mini pre-season for us.
The second goal was the all-important goal in the game, and we were playing with a real confidence in the build up to it. it was a very well worked team move which finished off with the ball in the back of the net after a Barry Baggley cross was headed home by me.
We probably should have finished the game off and made it more comfortable for us but a well worked Dundalk goal with just fifteen minutes left us scrambling towards the end and defending for our lives which thankfully we were able to do and get all three points.
It was a really nice night personally as I was able to walk out for the game with my son Eóghan as mascot and he loved it although there were a few tears when he realised that he had to leave the pitch, and he couldn’t stay to play more football with us.
The biggest hiccup of the night actually happened after the game although I didn’t realise until Sunday night that it had happened. I went to get my football bag ready for training on Monday morning and it was nowhere to be found (and as of yet it still isn’t anywhere to be found).
After the game Eóghan came into the dressing room with me and then I had to do an interview at the RSC on the running track and I must have left the bag there so I am hoping that by the time you are reading this that it has turned up and there isn’t a panic to get new boots and all sorted before the game on Friday night away to St Patricks Athletic.
While we were holding on to victory on the pitch on Friday night against a very battling Dundalk side, off the pitch the club are fighting a very different battle as they try to save the clubs existence and finish the season. How it has come to this for a club who have been in the Europa League group twice since 2016 is anyone’s guess and there are a lot of questions that need answering from not only the club but also from the powers that be who allowed a takeover of the club to happen by someone who from the looks of it did not have the finances to take over the club. The club couldn’t pay the players last month’s wages, and they had to rely on the FAI to advance them money earned through competitions so far to pay the wages.
It would be a huge blow to the domestic game if the worst-case scenario was to happen and Dundalk were to go bust and it would have huge implications on the title race and the European places also if the results were to be expunged. Nobody wants to see clubs in trouble and tougher restrictions need to be put in place to make sure owners have the money to takeover clubs and they aren’t just doing it to make a quick buck if they get that little bit of luck with European football. I hope Dundalk can be saved for the supporters, staff and players at the club. None of those people deserve this to happen to them and there are desperate attempts to try and save the club going on at this moment so only time will tell if it is to be good news or another sad day for the domestic game in Ireland.
