An Avalanche of Goals on Academy's Return

There was an avalanche of goals as the Waterford FC academy teams returned to action after the midseason break with thirty-six goals across the six games. 

Eddie Nolan’s Under-20s began their Tier Two (South) campaign with a great 2-0 win away to Kerry at Mounthawk Park. Centre back Conor Dempsey fired the Blues into a third-minute lead when he clipped in a volley from Filip Wasilewski’s corner kick. Dempsey and goalkeeper Igor Bacela both impressed as Kerry pushed forward in search of an equaliser, but Waterford doubled their advantage midway through the second half. A fantastic team move led to Kerry keeper Lucas Ring making an excellent save from a Jack Garrett drive, but the Waterford winger regained possession, danced through a couple of challenges and cut the ball back for Mason Murphy to smash it home. 

The never-say-die attitude of the Under-14s (main picture) reaped its reward on Sunday when the youngest Blues fought back THREE times from losing positions to draw 3-3 away to Wexford and were desperately unlucky not to claim all the points. The home side led first through a Neil Levingstone Douglas goal which was quickly cancelled out by a great Callum O’Sullivan header from a pinpoint corner by Ryan O’Neill. Daniel Kelly put Wexford back in front only for Enoch Mich to head in another O’Neill deadball delivery. The momentum swung back in Wexford’s favour yet again with a penalty converted by Leo Stenning, but the Blues fought back once more in the scorching heat when Rian Roche raced through to slot home coolly and make it three-all. Derek Browne’s team then had a real go at snatching a win with two superb efforts by Aaron English – one producing a magnificent save from Jamie Maher to claw it out of the top corner and the other crashing off the underside of the crossbar.

New Head of Academy John Dunleavy watching the U15s (Cian Kelly)

There were goals galore on Sunday with the Under-17 boys also involved in an epic 3-3 draw when they hosted Bray Wanderers at SETU Arena. Alex Mernagh put the visitors ahead in the opening minutes and they held that lead until Ryan Butler equalised for the Blues five minutes into the second half from a pass by Julian Power. Mernagh scored again before Temmy Gazal levelled and then gave Waterford their first lead with his second goal. There were just eleven minutes left on the clock when Promise Akinyemi made it all-square again, but the Blues still came agonisingly close to taking all three points in this excellent contest. Gazal ran through on goal, but Bray’s Jamie Dalton made a fabulous save to deny him his hat-trick and ensure the Wicklowmen left with a draw.

The Under-15s were involved in another thrilling clash, but came up just short in a 4-3 derby defeat against Cork City in their first Tier One tie. Matko Simek put City ahead in Carriganore, but Waterford drew level through Aedan Sumner in the 24th minute. Cork went 3-1 up by half time with goals from Horen Tadjoa and Destiny Okharedia but Nathan Power brought the Blues back into the game with a goal early in the second half from a Dylan Tobin pass. Tadjoa scored his second on the hour before Sumner matched that feat with both of his goals created by Cruz Chong. Waterford couldn’t quite produce another equaliser, but will be pleased with much of this performance.

More goals, but a pair of defeats for the two female academy teams at the weekend. Rachael Duff scored for the Under-17s to cancel out an early Isabelle Lyons goal away to Kerry, but two more for Ashlyn Falvey and Emma Murnane gave the Kingdom a commanding lead. Jodie Roche pulled a goal back quickly, but Kerry prevailed to win 3-2. Finally, the Under-23s were knocked out of the cup by Treaty United in Limerick on Sunday. Duff scored for the second day running to put the Blues 3-2 up with less than ten minutes remaining after both Sophie Poole and Kate Tomkins had struck equalisers. However, Treaty levelled late on to bring the tie to extra time and ran away with the game to finish 7-3 winners.