UCD vs Waterford United Predictions

It’s been a rough campaign for UCD, there can be no getting away from that. They’ve struggled to impose themselves offensively, while a dodgy back-line continues to prevent progress. After being on the wrong end of a 7-0 smashing last time out, the side from the Irish capital will be hoping that a return home coincides with a return to form.

UCD, who’re the only all-student team in Ireland’s top division, are struggling and that’s that. However, their struggles stem largely from a lack of form on the road, where they’ve taken just one point all season, scoring only three goals and conceding  32 in the process.

In front of a home crowd, Friday’s hosts haven’t been overly poor. They’re by no means menacing, but three teams in the division have accumulated less home points than UCD, who’ve won five, drawn one and lost seven at UCD Bowl. They’ve scored 13 and have conceded 15, which certainly isn’t good, but such numbers are considerably better than the figures posted by Collie O’Neill’s men on the road.

Moreover, Waterford have struggled to get going on their travels. Friday’s visitors have won just two of their 11 away matches. They’ve lost six of the other nine. Going forward, they’ve been reasonably limited in terms of end-product, notching just 11 goals, while they’ve also struggled to keep teams out, shipping 19.

It’s not all been doom and gloom for Waterford on the road, as they’ve avoided defeat in three of their five travelling matches against teams currently residing in the bottom half. That said, they’ve only won one of those three, while their away record against the lesser teams is worse than UCD’s home record. UC Dublin have won four of their six home games against sides currently in the bottom five.

In the betting, Waterford come into this game as huge favourites, though it’s difficult to feel that they’re worthy of such a short price-tag. Not only did the visitors lose heavily when they last visited this venue, but UCD’s efforts at home against bottom-half teams have been considerably stronger than Waterford’s efforts on the road against such opposition. On this basis, a bet on the hosts to get a positive result, at what appears to be a generous price, is tough to go against.