Waterford have confirmed that one of their first-team players tested positive for Covid-19 last week.
The Blues were forced to field a youthful side against Drogheda United at the weekend and were thrashed 7-0 by the Boynesiders.
In a statement ahead of the Drogheda game, the club said two senior players “have been deemed close contacts of a confirmed Covid-19 case.”
While the rest of the first-team had returned negative results, it was decided to “stand down” the senior team and field the Under-19s in the Premier Division clash.
However, the club has confirmed to the Irish Daily Star that one positive case was discovered within the first-team squad.
A club spokesperson confirmed that one positive case had been discovered “since we made our statement.”
They added: “We’ve carried out a lot of tests and that player is isolated. There’ll be another round of testing, even for the negative cases, just to confirm everything.”
Asked whether the 19s would be forced to play once again when Waterford travel to Sligo Rovers this weekend, the spokesperson replied: “If all tested players return another negative test, then we expect they’ll be cleared to play, excluding the positive.”
The latest development tallies with goalkeeper Brian Murphy’s tweet, where he said ahead of the Drogheda game that the club was “dealing with a positive Covid case and close contacts” in the first-team squad.
He added that the FAI advised against the first-team players lining out last Friday.
Murphy, who was exiled from the squad under Kevin Sheedy, who departed from the club last week, tweeted: “All of us players were well prepared & desperate to play tonight!
“We are disappointed that we are unfortunately dealing with a positive Covid case & close contacts in our squad.
“For the health and safety of all involved the FAI advised us players involved in this to stand down.
“We are not the first club that this has happened to but we have to adhere to Government and FAI guidelines.”
