Kevin Zefi is in line to make his Sligo Rovers debut at the RSC tonight as the Bit O’Red’s men’s senior team make their return to Premier Division action away to Waterford.

Rovers make the almost 700 kilometre round journey looking to put further points between ourselves and the Blues, as John Russell’s men look to make a positive start to the second portion of 2026.

This will be Sligo’s second trip to Waterford this season and this outing will be the third such meeting between the sides. The teams played out a stalemate at the RSC back in February, while Rovers overcame what was then John Daly’s charges at the Showgrounds in April. Archie Meekison and Will Fitzgerald on target that evening.

This will also be Russell’s first game against new Waterford boss Graham Coughlan who took over in May and has gone on to win five points in as many of his first games in charge. 

Without defeat in the south east in our last three visits, Rovers head for Munster without several players due to injury.

Zefi is available for his first appearance following his arrival last month, while James McManus returns to contention after he was forced to sit out the pre-break defeat to his parent club Bohemians due to the terms of his loan. 

Rovers go into this game in matching form with Waterford and Russell is aware of how big this game is with the opportunity to wedge an eleven point gap between the clubs, on offer. 

“We’re down bodies again but not for the first time this season we’ve gone into these big games without players”, Russell tells sligorovers.com.

“We may have to do a bit of switching around, depending on who’s available, to make up for lost numbers but we have a lot of faith in our squad, even if we do go down there with smaller numbers. 

“Those players will know what’s expected of them and we have a big boost with Kevin now available and James back in the squad.

“We know Friday is a huge chance to move up the table if results go our way and obviously we’d put a few more points between ourselves and Waterford. 

“They’ve been in very steady form since Graham took over and they’re continuously improving, which you’d expect them to given they’ve a very squad with plenty of experience.

“They’re scoring goals and have one of the league’s top scorers in their squad in Tommy Lonergan. So we’re expecting danger from them and a really competitive game.” 

David Goulden