Power basks in limelight

Waterford's manager Paul Power for one, is enjoying the week, chuckling gleefully that for once he's getting more attention from the press than his golfer brother Eddie. The thing now, he says, is to persuade the players to enjoy it too, "because if they don't enjoy a week like this there's no hope at all for any of them".

To what extent they manage to take some pleasure from tomorrow's game itself depends in no small part on how the result goes, but Power insists that there is no pressure whatsoever on a team that is being rebuilt for the future and which, he claims, is still some way off being ready to win promotion or compete as equals with clubs from the top flight.

"People gave Michael Flanagan terrible stick towards the end of his time here but what I inherited from him is a fine group of young players. Lads like Alan Kirby, David Whittle and Kevin O'Brien were all here already and so all I did was drop the lads from Dublin, which I had to do because of the money situation anyway, and replace them with some more youngsters from Clonmel and Wexford."

The hope, says the former Tramore AFC man, is to develop a strong squad of players from the south-east and reach a point at which the club can compete at the top level without having to almost bankrupt itself buying in outsiders. Given that context, tomorrow's game is, he feels, to be considered an enjoyable adventure for everybody at the club, a welcome financial boost and, he hopes, a taste of what is to come a few seasons down the line.

An appearance in next month's final would, of course, be even better for all concerned but if United are to make it to Tolka Park then they are likely to have to do so without a couple of their most important players for Eric Bradley, with seven league goals to his credit, is expected to miss out with a hamstring injury while Paul Scully is ruled out by an ankle injury. Jason Bowman is also out, due to a back injury.

Bradley's absence means that Brendan Rae will play up front alongside either Aaron Moroney or Joe Watson while David Breen will partner David Whittle in central defence.

Longford, meanwhile, will be without young striker John Rodgers who broke his collarbone in last weekend's defeat of Portmarnock, as well as Paul Perth whose cruciate ligament operation has made him a long-term absentee.

Otherwise Stephen Kenny has the same panel to choose from and given the strong second half performance he is unlikely to make too many changes with Shay Zellor, who came on for Rodgers, possibly keeping his place up front and Stephen Kelly again having to settle for a place on the bench as Vinny Perth and Stuart Byrne continue to impress in central midfield.