17s Sparkle on Day of High Emotion

Waterford FC’s Under-17 girls team made it four wins in a row with a rampant 6-2 home victory over Peamount United on Saturday as they continue to surge up the table in Tier Two (South). Laura Beresford was first to score in the 11th minute from a corner delivered by Sophie Whittle. Megan O’Regan then put the Blues firmly in control with two goals in three minutes near the half-hour mark. However, the visitors clawed their way back into the game with goals shortly either side of half time to narrow the deficit to just one. 

That served to spark John MacLean’s Waterford back into life and they dominated the rest of the game. Skipper Jodie Roche stretched the lead from an assist by newcomer Vittoria Pascolini on the hour and Kate Dalton put the result beyond doubt after 75 minutes. There was still time for substitute Lexie Ferris to score the goal of the day when she used great strength to hold off a defender as she cut in from the left and curled the ball to the far, top corner of the goal with her right foot. Prior to the game, the two teams observed an emotional minute’s silence for Aoibheann Clarke, the 16-year-old former Wexford and CK United player who passed away tragically last week. 

 

Four wins in succession for the Under-17s

The Under-15 boys were in action at SETU Arena on Saturday too, but they came up just short in a seven-goal thriller with Shelbourne. Waterford were two goals down after half an hour and ended up chasing the game throughout. Nathan Power pulled one back ten minutes into the second half from a pass by Cruz Chong, but Shels increased the lead again through Karson Butler. The prolific Power made it 3-2 with a little over ten minutes to play – only for Darragh Nolan to net his second of the day for Shelbourne. The Blues kept battling and Power returned the earlier favour by setting Chong up to score in the 87th minute and set up a tense finish, but the visitors held on to win 4-3.

Waterford’s Under-17s boys made an excellent comeback on Sunday to secure a 3-3 draw at home to CK United. A goal down after just four minutes, Waterford levelled after six when Evan Lonergan finished Callum Slattery’s cross from the right. United used pace in attack to cause further problems for the Blues and went in 3-1 up at the break. Harry Farrell got the hosts back into it in the 52nd minute and Daire Cummins had the chance to equalise two minutes later, but his shot was saved brilliantly by Ryan Duane. Derek Hearne’s Waterford were back on terms midway through the half, however, when Farrell forced an own goal. The Blues went close to finding a winner, but had to settle for one point. 

 

Filip Wasilewski hurdles a challenge against Aston Villa

There was one more comeback on Sunday as the Under-23s fought back from two goals down to earn a 2-2 draw away to DLR Waves at Marley Park. The Blues only really showed their best football in the final quarter of the game after going two down, but they dominated the latter stages with the in-form Eva O’Gorman the two-goal heroine. Rachel Duff played a good pass through, which O’Gorman finished clinically with her left foot in the 75th minute and, seven minutes later, Eva scored again when she headed past goalkeeper and recent teammate Mollie Levingston after a nice ball over the top from Caoimhe Carley. O’Gorman was unlucky not to win it then in injury time when Levingston stopped her superbly in a one-on-one situation. 

Having beaten Tottenham Hotspur and drawn with Wycombe Wanderers in recent weeks, Waterford’s Under-20s had one more glamour friendly on Thursday evening when they faced Aston Villa at SETU Arena. Villa fielded their Under-21 side including several members of their FA Youth Cup-winning team from a year ago. The game was played as three twenty-minute periods with the English club emerging as 3-0 winners. Best of the Blues included left back Shayne McDonald, who acquitted himself excellently against some highly-rated wingers, as well as Orion Cala and Filip Wasilewski who both went close to scoring. Cala signed his first professional contract with the Blues last week – joining Noah O’Brien and Igor Bacela as academy players who have put pen to paper for Graham Coughlan’s first team.