Waterford share the spoils with Shels on return to Premier Division

SSE Airtricity Premier Division 

Waterford 1 (Asamoah 3’) 

Shelbourne 1 (Boyd 78’)

As a tractor protest choked traffic around the RSC, some agricultural defending denied Waterford victory in the first Premier Division outing since 2021.

Home form will be crucial for the Blues to consolidate their status and avoiding defeat on their opening night against Damien Duff’s Reds was a return they’ll accept considering additions are expected before Thursday’s deadline.

Maleace Asamoah fired them ahead within three minutes, only for Sean Boyd to equalise 12 minutes before the end and four minutes before he saw red in a flashpoint.

All part of what Duff’s categorises the greatest league in the world.

Being part of the multi-club model is advantageous in the eyes of his opposite number Keith Long, even if they’ve lost their best players to the mothership since the Fleetwood Group assumed control of a distressed asset in August 2023.

It’s most likely players in the standard of Phoenix Patterson, Junior Quitirna and Ronan Coughlan would’ve been snapped up by cross-channel suitors regardless of the linkage but retaining them within their possession keeps the paymasters happy.

Reciprocal benefits have accrued too. Despite clinching promotion, Long was selective with whom he deemed capable of cutting at in superior company but was intent on retaining his Fleetwood loanee Barry Baggley. Once the Northern Ireland U21 midfielder found no joy in breaking into the English League One outfit, a return was facilitated with the captaincy as a bonus.

Also being lined up via that route is another midfielder, Harvey Macadam, but it was the influence of Asamoah that was most telling in illuminating their top-flight return.

This wasn’t