Waterford FC’s crucial SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division game against Drogheda United fell foul of the inclement weather in Waterford with the game being postponed just forty five minutes before kick off.

Drogheda United had spent nearly six hours on a bus to get to Waterford as a result of the fuel protests that forced them to travel cross country and away from the main roads in their efforts to get to the RSC.

On arrival at the ground, the referee Marc Lynch and his officials saw a pitch that was holding water following a torrential downpour in the hour before. They spent the next forty minutes inspecting all areas of the pitch but it was obvious that the pitch was increasingly becoming unplayable.

The incessant rain and high winds meant that there was little chance of any respite and the game was called off at 6.55pm.

Waterford FC were seeking their first win of the season ahead of more crucial games over the next two weeks with a trip to Sligo Rovers next Saturday and the visit of Galway United on Friday April 24.

Manager Jon Daly was understandably disappointed with the postponement but realised the decision was the correct one.

“It’s obviously disappointing!”, he commented. “The rain has come down quite heavy in the last couple of hours and unfortunately there’s not an awful lot of work that can be done on the pitch. There’s good drainage at the RSC as well but when the tide is up and the river is high, it doesn’t go anywhere so the game has been called off which is disappointing.”

A new date for the fixture will be announced in due course.