Galway United vs Waterford Preview
The League of Ireland Premier Division continues this week with an important fixture. League leaders Waterford travel to Galway, hoping to continue their unbeaten run. Few expected Waterford to top the table after two matches, but with a long way to go this season, who will emerge as a title contender?
Galway United welcomes Waterford FC to the Eamonn Deacy Park for a match this Friday at 7:45 pm. The Tribesmen started the season on the back foot after losing to St Patrick’s Athletic in the first game. But they bounced back with a convincing display against Dundalk a week ago. Waterford began with a draw against Shelbourne at home and an away win over Drogheda United.
Galway United vs Waterford Head-To-Head and Key Stats
Both Galway and Waterford were in the Irish First Division last season. Galway was the runaway leader in the league last year, picking up 94 points from 36 games. They had a phenomenal win-to-loss record, registering 30 victories, two defeats, and only four draws. Waterford finished second in the league table, resulting in the League of Ireland First Division play-offs. They were ten points clear of third-placed Cobh Ramblers and easily walked through the knockout games. This will be the first meeting between the clubs at the top level of Irish soccer.
The last time these clubs faced off was in October 2023. Galway United was the home side, and they looked consistently dangerous. Edward McCarthy opened the scoring inside the first 20 minutes. Five minutes before halftime, McCarthy was on target again to give Galway a 2-0 lead at the break. Waterford made one change at halftime, but it did not take long for Wassim Aouachria to fire in a third. Sam Perry found a consolation for Waterford five minutes before the end of the 90. The stats show the visitors dominated the ball with nearly 60% possession but ended up losing 3-1. Galway’s ten shots on target compared to Waterford’s five was the difference.
The match before that took place in August and Waterford were the hosts. They opened the scoring inside the first minute thanks to Ronan Coughlan. Galway responded 15 minutes later with a Killian Brouder goal before Coughlan found the back of the net again inside half an hour. The visitors rescued a point at the end of the second half, three minutes into stoppage time. Francely Lomboto robbed the hosts of a well-deserved win, as they were the better side in almost every statistic. The game was feisty, and both teams picked up four yellow cards, double the total handed out in the match from October.
Galway started life in the Premier Division with a loss to St Patrick’s. The newly promoted side lasted three minutes before Jamie Lennon put the visitors in front. The match went from bad to worse when Garry Buckley picked up an injury after 66 minutes, and Stephen Walsh lost his cool. Walsh got sent off in the 79th minute following an argument, not what you want to see in an important match for Galway. John Caulfield had to make some changes for the next fixture, and it had an immediate impact. Galway travelled to Dundalk and scored two goals in the first half an hour. That was enough to give all three points to the Tribesmen and their first clean sheet of the season.
Waterford started life in the top division with a draw against Shelbourne. Maleace Asamoah scored inside the first five minutes, and the Blues held the lead for most of the game. Substitute Sean Boyd got the equalising goal and a straight red card for Shelbourne. At that point, Waterford was happy to take the point. In the next game against Drogheda, the visitors played superbly. Steve Bawa scored for the home side after 13 minutes, and Waterford’s Darragh Leahy responded a minute later. Niall O’Keeffe put the visitors in front nine minutes later, and it was 1-2 at the break. Leahy scored another in the second half, and Pádraig Amond put the cherry on top in the 70th minute.
If you are going to bet on the soccer this week, this is certainly one game to watch. Several teams have yet to get going, and many expect Galway to threaten given their dominance during the last campaign. However, the Premier Division offers a fresh challenge, and so far, Waterford has handled the occasion a little better. With a lot to play for this Friday, who can get the job done?
Galway United vs Waterford Predictions
Prediction: Galway United 2-1 Waterford
This week, Galway United will get the three points at the expense of Waterford. The league leaders have surprised us all, but we think their luck has run out. Galway will score the first goal before halftime and could add another one after the break. We predict Waterford will score a late consolation goal, but the home side will hold a one-goal lead at the final whistle. Betting on both teams to score in 90 minutes could be a smart move.
If you are following the Premier Division this season, we are here to provide soccer predictions and betting tips every week. Last year, both teams were in the Irish First Division. They played each other four times, and Waterford only picked up one point from the matches. We predict this run of Galway dominance to continue as the Tribesmen have not lost to Waterford since the promotion playoffs in 2022.
In both home matches last season, Galway won 3-1 and 2-1. The odds of United keeping a clean sheet this Friday seem low, even though Waterford is the underdog heading into this matchup. They were second-best last season compared to Galway, and that trend could continue this week.
Betting on Galway to win this match is the most obvious choice. They had a significantly better campaign last year than Waterford and have been the more dominant side in this fixture. Waterford FC has shown good survival instincts. They entered the Premier Division and avoided defeat two weeks in a row. However, Galway has the better results against the Blues in the last two away games, and it would take a miracle for that to change.
If Waterford starts the game with a goal, then live betting becomes a viable option. Even if the away side takes the lead in this fixture, we still predict Galway will win after 90 minutes. The Tribesmen won both home matches last year but could not keep a clean sheet. In those matches, Galway scored first, and Waterford only found a consolation ten minutes before the end. History has a way of repeating itself, and we can see 2-1 happening again in this campaign.
Galway United vs Waterford Betting Tips
Looking at the odds at the Novibet sportsbook reveals a clear favourite. Galway is the bookies’ choice, with odds of 22/25 for a full-time result for the home team. If you intend to bet on Galway this week, a €10 wager would give you €18.80. Interestingly, the odds for a Waterford win are the same as a draw, at 13/5. Making a ten euro bet on this market will return €36 at full time. Sometimes betting on the Premier Division underdog is a calculated risk, but not this week. This match will either end in a draw or a home-side win.
There are dozens of soccer betting markets available at Novibet, but knowing which one to choose is challenging. This week, we are looking at the Draw No Bet option. This is where you can wager on one team to win. If the match ends in a draw, the wager is a push, which means all players get their money back. The odds for Galway to win this wager are at 2/5, which would give you €70 from a €50 bet. These are not the best returns, but it feels like the most likely and risk-free event. Getting returns as high as this with a clear favourite for a soccer match is unheard of, so it could be a good option.
Historically, Galway could not keep Waterford off the score sheet at home. Even though they have won the last two home games comfortably, the away side has found a consolation right at the death. We can see this trend continuing, so let’s examine the Correct Score market. Betting on Galway to win 2-1 has odds of 7/1, which would be seven times your stake. The last time these teams met, it was 3-1, and for that to happen again, you could secure odds of 14/1. Getting an exact score is very difficult, but it could be a great option to cash out during the match.
Massive one this Friday in Eamonn Deacy Park! Home match tickets available now 👊
Get yours now 👉 https://t.co/92Qzjly2xn#ItsATribalThing pic.twitter.com/yTKOI8HJVQ
— Gaillimh Aontaithe 🇱🇻 (@GalwayUnitedFC) February 25, 2024
If you sign up this week to Novibet, you can get free bets to use on any sporting event. Using the welcome bonus could be a great idea, as this match feels less risky than other Premier Division games. The odds at the bookmaker are very one-sided, and yet the favourite still has good returns. If you are going to bet on Irish soccer this week, don’t forget to claim your welcome offer.
Galway United Team News & Lineup
Galway will miss the services of Stephen Walsh for another game following his red card in the opening game of the season. He will return to the team on March 5, 2024, after picking up a suspension for arguing with the referee. In other news, Galway has been busy in the winter transfer window, signing six players on free transfers. One player to watch out for is Tom Costello, who looks like a bright player picked up from the Coventry U21 team.
- Predicted Lineup Galway: B. Clarke, C. Horgan, R. Donelon, K. Brouder, R. Slevin, C. McCormack, A. Dervin, V. Borden, K. O’Sullivan, D. Hurley, and E. McCarthy.
Waterford Team News & Lineup
Waterford has no injuries or suspensions to worry about, but they have been extremely busy the past few months. Keith Long has seen 12 players leave the squad on free transfers. To replace the crazy number of departing players, Waterford has brought in a mix of free transfers and loans from leagues all over the world. They brought in three Fleetwood players on loan, two players from the Ekstraklasa in Poland, and Joseph Forde from Australia. Will Long get all these individuals playing cohesively in a team?
- Predicted Lineup Waterford: G. Sargeant, D. Power, K. Radkowski, G. Horton, D. Leahy, M. Asamoah, N. O’Keeffe, B. Baggley, R. McCourt, C. Parsons, and P. Amond.
