Bellewstown man hoping to lift Waterford from the basement

Luke Heeney is now in his second season as a full-time professional

Making the move from one club to another is something most professional footballers in the League of Ireland experience at some stage in their careers. It’s a transition that can have mixed emotions. While the new adventure can be exciting – exhiliarating even – it can also have its challenges for the player involved.

Bellewstown man Luke Heeney knows what’s involved; the positives, the downsides, the challenges. After seven years with Drogheda Utd he made the move to Waterford for the 2026 season.

Like every club in the League of Ireland these days Waterford have a full time set up. They moved up from the First Division at the end of last season and they now, having made the jump up to the top flight, are finding life tough there.

So far they haven’t won a game. Their latest setback was last Saturday night at the Showgrounds when they were defeated 0-2 by fellow strugglers Sligo Rovers. It was a result that has left Waterford firmly rooted to the bottom of the table. Just above them is Drogheda.

Talking to the Meath Chronicle on Thursday last Heeney spoke openly about his move from Drogheda. How it brought with it a requirement for fresh thinking to deal with what was involved.

“I had been with Drogheda for seven years so I knew so many people in the area. This year moving to Waterford I didn’t know anybody really so I’ve a lot of free time where as before I had my friends and family around me at home.”

The Waterford squad is, like most League of Ireland clubs theses days, a very cosmopolitan mix of players. It was a new world in many ways for the Bellewstown man when he first made the switch.

“That’s probably what I am finding most difficult at the moment, because I was so used to one dressing room and how it was ran, when you move there are little differences, different personalities.

“I knew everyone so well then I went into a situation where nobody knows me, I don’t really know them. You just have to get used to certain personalities, deal with people differently than before.”

Yet the move has its advantageous too. “It was a new start for me, something different, sometimes if you are at a club too long you can overstay your welcome. I was at Drogheda for so long and sometimes when you are there for a long time you can be an easy target in the sense that if you are not doing so well the lads who are there a long time are expected to step up all the time.”

This is Heeney’s second year as a professional. He got the chance to go full-time with Drogheda last year. He was eager to give it a go. He had been working with Cadbury’s and they gave him a leave of absence for a year, something he was grateful for. Now they have extended that leave for another year.

Normally a midfielder, Heeney had to fill in as a right back earlier this season – and appeared to be doing well too – but more recent times he has moved back to a more central role.

Heeney shares a house with another Waterford player, Dean McMenamy from Tallaght. Another team-mate is Tommy Lonergan from Dunboyne. The players train in a facility out the Tramore road. Everything in that regard is top notch, adds Heeney.

The manager is Jon Daly who had an interesting playing career turning out for a number of clubs including Rangers in Scotland. Daly was also assistant manager to Trim man Timmy Clancy at St Patrick’s Athletic.

Heeney believes if Waterford can fashion that first victory of the campaign they can push on from there. In sport, amateur or professional, optimism is always a useful ally.