Waterford FC will be heading to the sunshine for their pre-season preparations with two games scheduled in Dubai next week.
Danny Searle's side made the trip to Graun Park on Tuesday night, winning 3-0 with the goals coming from Liam Kervick, Roland Idowu and Giles Philips.
The squad flies out to Dubai on Sunday, January 22nd for what will be a one-week training camp ahead of the first game in the First Division on February 17th.
Before boarding the plane, the players have one challenge to deal with on home soil when they welcome Middleton to the RSC for the Munster Senior Cup Quarter-Final on Saturday.
The other quarter-final fixtures will see Ringmahon Rangers face another First Division side in Treaty United, Castleview take on newly promoted Cork City while Cobh Ramblers will host Everton.
Searle's players will not have much time to settle into their week-long base of operations. Flying on the 22nd, they will only have the following day to adjust to the mid-twenties temperatures before they take to the pitch on the 24th.
UAE Third Division side Green Herron FC are the first opponents, kicking off at the JA Sports Centre at 4.30 Irish time on the 24th. That will be followed by the meeting with sister club Fleetwood United on the 27th at the same venue.
As the preparations for the new season continue, one further signing has been confirmed this week. 21-year-old midfielder Barry Baggley has put pen to paper on a season-long loan from Fleetwood Town.
Baggley is the first player to make the move in this direction - with striker Pheonix Patterson heading in the opposite direction some weeks ago.
Baggley told WaterfordFC.ie that Patterson has no small part in making the move happen, saying Patterson told him about "the top-class facilities and stadium, and how great the fans at the club are", continuing to say that he "can’t wait to get started."
𝙒𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙙 𝙁𝘾 🤝 𝘽𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙮 𝘽𝙖𝙜𝙜𝙡𝙚𝙮
Waterford FC is delighted to announce the signing of Barry Baggley on a season-long loan from sister club, @ftfc.
The 21-year-old has featured 15 times for the Cods.
More info👉 https://t.co/XWN4MX1mRA#WaterfordFC pic.twitter.com/wTPBY71eAQ— Waterford FC (@WaterfordFCie) January 18, 2023
This will be Baggley's first time playing on Irish soil in three years having played for Northern Irish side Glentoran in 2018, following a one-year stint at Linfield prior. Since making the move to Fleetwood in 2019, he has made 12 appearances for the club, while he has been out on loan to Altrincham since 2021.
Baggley got his first taste of senior international football last summer when he was called into the Northern Ireland training camp and while he didn't get any competitive minutes he is no stranger to wearing the international jersey with 15 caps across U17, U19 and U21 levels.
The club have also confirmed in recent days that former captain Eddie Nolan has resigned ahead of the new season. The 34-year-old offered a wealth of experience to the younger players in the squad when he returned home in 2021 and is set to remain a key player for Searle going forward.
𝙒𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙙 𝙁𝘾 🤝 𝙀𝙙𝙙𝙞𝙚 𝙉𝙤𝙡𝙖𝙣
Waterford FC is delighted to announce that Eddie Nolan has re-signed for the 2023 season.
Experienced Nolan rejoins Danny Searle's squad ahead of the club's promotion push.
More info 👉 https://t.co/VKi8qBIsBt#WaterfordFC pic.twitter.com/wMSTWDaFMi— Waterford FC (@WaterfordFCie) January 17, 2023
