Another year in the First Division of the League Of Ireland beckons for Waterford FC in 2023.
The Blues began their year slowly, gained momentum midway through the season and then fell at the final hurdle.
Ian Morris was the manager when the year began. The Dublin native had been touted as a manager who had secured promotion from the First Division twice, albeit with a relegation in between those successes.
Morris lasted 10 games in charge of the side before the then-owner Richard Forrest pulled the plug. The club were fifth in the table, but with the pre-season chat framing Waterford as the side who could walk the league campaign, fifth place in the early goings was not enough.
Two of Morris' coaching staff and indeed two hometown boys Gary Hunt and David Breen were given the reigns on an interim basis and made a massive impression on the side.
Six straight wins set a record for the club in the first division and moved the club to within 6 points of second-placed Galway.
Danny Searle arrived to Waterford some 55 days after the sacking of Morris. The London native brought with him a wealth of experience of working with young players in English academies and had now been tasked with the (not so simple) goal of securing promotion for the Blues.
16 games remained in the regular season and a playoff run was the likely reality if they could continue putting together winning performances.
Searle began well with wins over Bray and Athlone before falling short against both Galway and Wexford.
In all, Waterford with Searle on the sideline won 10 games, lost four and drew two. 32 points were enough to secure a place in the playoffs as well as the consolation prize of a second-placed finish in the league having caught Galway in the last couple of games.
While those league games were ongoing, the Blues had been handed a tough draw to begin their FAI Cup campaign. They would have to travel to face St Pats in the opening round. With all the goals scored in the opening 45 minutes, the Blues were deserved winners over the holders of the cup. Wassim Aouachria bagged two with Junior Quitirna adding another.
Their second-round draw was just-reward for their performance against St Pats, and they would go on to demolish Malahide 6-nil to advance to the quarter-finals. The challenge was upped once again though. Premier Division side Dundalk came to Waterford aiming to end the run of the up-start first division team. Shane Griffin, Daragh Power and Phoenix Patterson got the goals in a 3-2 win over the Lilywhites.
Unfortunately, that would be as good as it got in the cup. Next time out the test proved too great with Shelbourne comfortable winners in a 1-nil hammering.
While they had bowed out of the Cup earlier than they might have liked, there was still plenty to play for. A promotion play off run beckoned and Waterford would get it underway when they headed to Markets Field to face Treaty for the first of two legs. That first game proved routine in the end as Searle's side put Treaty to the sword with a 4-1 thrashing.
The return fixture was not as easy. Treaty had set themselves a target to make amends for what happened the previous week. They led 3-1 at the break having caught Waterford cold in the opening half. Tunmise Sobowale's goal in the 22nd minute was one of the few positive moments.
Searle had some stern words for his charges in the dressing rooms, words that must have landed on open ears as they took control of the game in the second half. Goals from Aouachria (Pen) and Patterson were enough to salvage the draw and take the tie 7-4 on aggregate.
They went on to face Galway in the first-division final and made mince meat of the Westerners to advance. Quitirna knocked in two - one in each half - with Aouachria adding another just before the halftime break.
That game was overshadowed for all the wrong reasons during the first half, however. The away-end stand had to be evacuated mid-way through the half owing to safety concerns around a hole in the floor. Blues supporters were forced to watch the remainder of the game from the sideline, but thankfully the result helped to keep spirits high. The FAI are currently investigating the matter with the findings set to emerge in the New Year.
The year would come to an end in a mirror image of how 2021 ended.
The venue was Richmond Park, the opposition was UCD and the only difference was that the sides had traded places in their respective leagues. UCD were fighting to stay up and Waterford were fighting to take their place.
The game was dramatic to say the least. A huge traveling support packed themselves into a structurally sound stand and were greeted with a fiery start from their team. Player of the season Phoenix Patterson threatened the goal twice in the opening minutes but the students responded in the best way possible with Tom Longeran heading home the only goal of the game 15 minutes in.
The Blues had other chances to equalise before the break with Shane Griffin and Patterson coming close, only to be denied by Kian Moore between the sticks.
UCD had spent the majority of their season defending and that experience came to the fore in the second half at Richmond Park. Try as they might, Waterford could not break down the Students.
Extra time was almost called on, but Killian Cantwell's effort on goal drifted inches wide of the mark. In a night of parallels to 2021, history repeated itself. Cantwell the Captain was sent to the stands for a second yellow card - much the same as how Niall O Keefe had been given his marching orders a year prior.
Substitute Raul Uche threw caution to the wind in the 94th minute striking toward the goal and connecting with the arm of a UCD defender. The ensuing penalty was lined up by Junior Quitirna who sent it over the bar with what was essentially the last kick of the game.
After the game, the club's owner Andy Pilley voiced his ongoing support and said that he was very much here for the long haul and that the goal would be to go again in the First Division in 2022.
Since then the club have made two new signings and several current players have confirmed their place at the RSC for next year.
The manager Danny Searle is also going to stay where he is. He has put pen to paper and will oversee their challenge for promotion after the New Year.
