Belfast Blue: From Waterford to the Welders

Congratulations again to Jason Healy on his move to H&W Welders in Belfast. A late Saturday night announcement caught me on the hop so here’s a better acknowledgment of his time with the Blues.

 

Jason is a lifelong fan who was a loyal follower and autograph hunter long before he signed for the club as an Under-13 in 2019. A standout from the off, he worked extremely hard to develop his natural talent as a shot-stopper who is exceptional with the ball at his feet. Always one for extra training and really pushing himself, it was no surprise to see him become Ireland’s first-choice keeper at his grade and he had the highlight of playing in the Under-17s European Championship in 2023.

Later that same year, he made his senior debut for Waterford in a First Division game away to Galway United. He kept a clean sheet for his 45 minutes on the field after Sam Sargent had suffered an injury. Goalkeeper is the toughest position in football though and further opportunities for first-team football haven’t come his way so, aged 20, he is more than entitled to seek game time elsewhere.

 

Season Launch 2018 with family

I think it’s an admirable move going all the way to Belfast and one that will pay off for Jason. H&W Welders are, of course, originally the team of the famous Harland & Wolff shipyard, but have grown as a club in senior football over the past fifteen years and now play at the excellent Danny Blanchflower Park. They finished third in the NIFL Championship last season and will be pushing for promotion this year. Teammates will include former Dundalk and Sligo midfielder Daniel Kearns and striker Kyle Robinson (Wexford, Athlone, Longford).

Wishing Jason the very best and we’ll be monitoring his progress. He’s always been a pleasure to deal with, a great help with young fans, and a delight to watch playing.