Fifteens go Four for Four

Main photo - Megan O'Regan bears down on goal 

 

There were varied fortunes for Waterford FC’s six academy sides in action this weekend with disappointment mixed with some excellent achievements.

The Under-15s maintained their 100% record with a fourth win of the season in a great battle against Bray Wanderers at SETU Arena. Skilful midfielder Cruz Chong gave the Blues the lead after half an hour, with Nathan Power adding to the advantage two minutes into the second half to start his scoring spree for the weekend. The points were not to be won easily in what was a real battle of attrition with Bray fighting back through strikes from Liam Richardson and Joshua Cron to leave the tie level heading into the final fifteen minutes. It was Power, again, who decided the outcome of this great, physical contest with the winning goal in the 81st minute when he was assisted by Jack Barden for the second time. The win keeps the Blues joint top of the group table with Shamrock Rovers ahead of their highly-anticipated clash in Roadstone next week. 

Also on Saturday, the Under-17 girls had a good 2-1 win away to Bray at Greystones United’s ground. The Blues raced into a two-goal lead with strikes from Megan O’Regan and Jodie Roche in the 18th and 24th minutes respectively. The lead owed much to Roche’s skill as a set-piece specialist with her delivery from one free-kick assisting O’Regan’s goal before she scored directly from another with a cracking shot. Blues goalkeeper Sophie Carroll Lawlor protected the advantage with some smart saves in the second half. The hosts pulled a goal back in the 91st minute when Erin Flashman got on the end of an Ava Clarke cross, but it was too little too late as Waterford secured back-to-back wins. 

 

Temmy Gazal scored a screamer in the Under-17s' high-scoring clash with Bray

Waterford FC’s Under-20s fell to a 3-1 loss away to Bray at the Carlisle Grounds despite taking an early lead from a Jan Wozniak penalty kick. Wanderers drew level after 26 minutes through their captain Ethan Cheese – the impressive midfielder who made his First Division debut last month. The scores remained tied until just after the hour mark until Bray won a penalty of their own and Leon Keogh converted. The Blues made a number of attacking substitutions to try to force an equaliser, but were caught with a sucker punch when Max McLaughlin scored a third for Bray to seal the win. 

On Sunday, the new Women’s Under-23 Development League continued with the Blues sharing the points with DLR Waves after a 1-1 draw in Carriganore. The Dubliners opened the scoring through Grace Smith three minutes into the second half. Waterford equalised midway through the half with a goal from Under-17s midfielder Ruby Norris, but couldn’t find a winner. This match came at the end of a busy and successful week for this group with five players winning the Division One Challenge Cup final with SETU Waterford on Thursday and with captain Caoimhe Carley making her first team debut for the Blues in Saturday’s 0-0 draw with Wexford at the RSC.

A late comeback by Bray in a crazy second half saw the Under-17s slip to a 5-3 defeat at the Carlisle Grounds. Taylor Butler put Wanderers a goal ahead two minutes into the game and went on to score a hat-trick for the Wicklow side. The scoreline remained unchanged until the hour mark when Promise Akinyemi doubled the hosts’ advantage. That was to spark the first of two major swings in momentum. Within three minutes, Temmy Gazal pulled a goal back with a tremendous thump from the edge of the box and then, on 66 minutes, Callum Slattery scored the equaliser. Substitute Nathan Power then notched his third goal of the weekend to give Waterford the lead in the 85th minute. Credit to Bray for a magnificent last-gasp rally though as their own substitute, Danny Howard, levelled before Butler struck two more in injury time to claim the points. 

The Under-14s had a rough outing with a 5-0 loss to Bray that will be a learning experience for the youngest Blues who have a squad packed full of potential. Early days.