- Derry City have won their last three Premier Division games and kept three consecutive clean sheets.
- Waterford FC have four wins, one draw and six defeats from 11 Premier Division away games this year.
- Derry City have beaten Waterford FC in two of the last three home meetings of the sides.
Well-structured Derry should be too good
Waterford FC can be a dangerous team when they get going and had too much for Derry City in their 2-1 win at home in the Premier Division two months ago. But the Derry City vs Waterford FC prediction is that John Coleman’s men, who are on a mediocre run of one win, two draws and two defeats in their last five league games, will probably not cause Derry too many problems in this big game.
The Blues are second in the table on 37 points from 22 games and have a strong claim to be the most consistent team in Ireland right now. Tiernan Lynch has stamped his authority on the club since taking over in November 2024 and the players have responded to his clinical style.
Derry are a possession-based side that always look to build from the back and get their wide players involved. According to our Derry City vs Waterford FC preview, they have the midfield to control games and the forwards to finish chances off, so it is no surprise that they have kept up with the early leaders at the top of the standings.
Coleman brings flexibility
In contrast, Coleman has brought a greater degree of flexibility to Waterford since May 2025. He can get Waterford to play on the front foot and hit teams with quick counterattacks, but he can also get his players to be patient and control the ball.
Their away record is still mediocre, but they are capable of hurting any team in the division on their day and Padraig Amond has been their main threat, scoring 8 goals, more than any other player. But consistency has been an issue for the side that sits eighth with 27 points after 22 games.
Derry City are clear favorites to win this one at -188, which looks about right as they remain unbeaten in their last two league outings at home. When looking at the Derry City vs Waterford FC odds, Waterford are underdogs at +500 and a draw is +275, although we expect Derry to maintain their momentum.
Hosts have the momentum
Lynch’s side have a well-balanced team with enough pace to break through defenses and enough patience to hold the ball when they have to. For this Derry City vs Waterford FC prediction, Michael Duffy has been their most clinical forward this season with seven league goals in 22 games, but Liam Boyce has also chipped in with two of their last six league goals.
It could be a chess match between two very different teams, but Derry City vs Waterford FC betting tips suggest one thing that is certain is that the host’s defensive organisation should keep Waterford from getting too many chances. Derry have scored 17 goals in 11 home games in the league and, with Waterford having scored just 11 in as many away, under 2.5 total goals looks the best option to take in this game and matches our Derry City vs Waterford FC prediction.
