Neil Ewing: What are the options to save Waterford football?

For Waterford footballers, the losing feeling is more familiar than they would like. Their last win was in 2021. A 13th successive season in the basement of football is guaranteed

TOUGH TASK: Waterford manager Ephie Fitzgerald. Pic: Eddie O'Hare

A leaving Cert lunchbreak, a perusal of the local paper, bruised romantic prospects. All part of my first encounter with Waterford football. A 17-year-old pal was very unhappy to see that a slightly older friend was now featuring in local paper sports photos after making his way into the Sligo senior team. This new-found recognition could have disastrous effects on my pal’s resourceful use of a shared ID. For entry to some local night spots.

My second encounter also involved some local night spots. A 2009 league Easter Sunday league game. Fresh off the back of a U21 Connacht final defeat, I hadn’t fully countenanced that a combination of results that day could seal our promotion from Division 4. An early throw-in to facilitate an arduous journey faced by the travelling Waterford team was a tasty affair. Sligo prevailed. The later games threw in. When all the long whistles had been blown, the table showed Sligo were promoted with one game to spare. Back to the night spots, no shared IDs needed.