Tense time as trapdoor awaits

Bray Wanderers manager Eddie Gormley may be right when he predicts the big winners at the bottom end of the table this evening will be the side that keeps its nerve as others lose theirs but it is Waterford United rather than Bray Wanderers who stand to gain or lose most in tonight's final round of games.

Gareth Cronin's Waterford side could be safe or relegated by the end of play against Shamrock Rovers at Tolka Park this evening. A point would guarantee at least a place in the play-offs while a win over Rovers might well guarantee the club's Premier Division status for next season.

The first objective, says Cronin, is to win without worrying about what is going on elsewhere. The bottom line, though, is United must secure at least a point if they are to avoid an anxious wait for word from Longford Town's result against Derry City at Flancare Park.

"We've come a long way from last year, from 12 points to being in a position to get 32 but it won't count for much if we end up going down," says Cronin. "We need to win, stay up and then look to make the next leap, getting around 42 points and being in a position to think about the long term. It won't be easy but at least it will be a possibility if we take three points against Rovers."

Rovers are without a handful of first-team players while Cronin must cope without Daryl Kavanagh and, most likely, Karl Bermingham.

Elsewhere, Ian Ryan returns to a Longford side aiming to pull off one of the truly great escapes by beating Derry and benefiting from a favour at Tolka Park. Alan Mathews, like Gormley, has a full squad to chose from.

UCD manager Pete Mahon selects from the same squad that he had going into the game against St Patrick's Athletic for his side's trip to Galway. "We've let ourselves down over the latter part of the season," says Mahon whose side, like Gormley's, could be catapulted back into the play-offs by the combination of defeat and a win for Waterford.

© 2007 The Irish Times

This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times