Preview: Waterford United vs Bohemians - prediction, team news, lineups

Two teams at opposite ends of the League of Ireland Premier Division table will come together on Friday as Waterford United host Bohemians.

The hosts are eighth in the table, though they are eight points clear of the drop zone, while the visitors are second in the table, but trail top spot by nine points.

Match preview

Waterford, after being relegated from the Irish top division in 2021, spent two seasons in the second tier before securing their promotion back to the League of Ireland Premier with a playoff victory in 2023.

Their first campaign back in the top division saw Waterford secure a promising seventh-placed finish with 45 points from 36 games, leaving them 11 points above the drop zone.

Aiming to build on that, Keith Long started the 2025 campaign as Waterford boss and led the side to three wins from their first four league games, but a run of eight defeats across all competitions followed.

Long was sacked during that streak, with Matt Lawlor eventually breaking the spell with three wins before John Coleman was hired on a permanent basis, but the new boss has managed just one win, two draws and two defeats.

Those results leave Waterford sitting eighth in the table with 23 points from 19 games, though they do hold a healthy eight point lead over the bottom two.

Now aiming to snap their four-game winless run and avoid dropping closer to the relegation zone, Waterford host a Bohemians side that are experiencing a superb season.

Bohemians, after back-to-back sixth-placed finishes in 2022 and 2023, endured a challenging 2024 season, finishing eighth in the table and only eight points above the drop zone.

They have enjoyed a significantly improved 2025 campaign, as the Gypsies sit second in the table with 33 points from 19 fixtures, after 11 wins and eight defeats.

That leaves Bohemians nine points behind league leaders Shamrock Rovers, but Alan Reynolds's side hold two games in hand on the Hoops, meaning that gap could be closed to three points.

Bohs will be confident of securing a victory in this one, as they head into the clash having won five and lost only one of their last six league games.

Waterford United League of Ireland Premier form:

Bohemians League of Ireland Premier form:

Team News

Waterford are expected to be without Andrew Boyle (calf), Kacper Radkowski (ankle), Matthew Smith (knock) and Trae Coyle (hamstring) due to injury issues.

Padraig Amond and Tommy Lonergan have struck up a promising partnership in attack, scoring 11 league goals between them, and the pair should start here.

As for the visitors, Bohemians are likely to be without the services of Alex Lacey (hamstring) and Connor Parsons (hamstring) due to injury problems.

Despite being second in the league, only three teams have scored fewer than their tally of 23 league goals, but with Dayle Rooney netting three in his last four, Bohemians will look to the forward to make the difference again here.

At the other end of the pitch, only one team has conceded fewer than the 19 goals against them, and a similar defence of Niall Morahan, Sean Grehan, Leigh Kavanagh and Jordan Flores should start.

Waterford United possible starting lineup:

McMullan; Horton, Dempsey, Leahy, Burke; Glenfield, Olayinka, White; Noonan; Amond, Lonergan

Bohemians possible starting lineup:

Chorazka; Morahan, Grehan, Kavanagh, Flores; Rooney, Tierney, Devoy, McDonnell, Meekison; Clarke

We say: Waterford United 0-1 Bohemians

Bohemians are far from the greatest goal scorers in the league, but with their impressive defence coming up against the struggling Waterford, we believe they will secure the clean sheet and another narrow victory.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.