Quick off the Mark

They say it only takes a second to score a goal and the Blues took that close to its literal extreme in the 3-3 draw at Sullivan & Lambe Park. Tommy Lonergan’s goal within fifteen seconds in Drogheda is now the fastest league goal in the history of the Blues. 

Our previous quickest mark in the top flight belonged to the legendary Jack Fitzgerald and his record stood for 67 years until last night. Jack’s goal was clocked at 25 seconds in a 6-1 win over St Patrick’s Athletic at Kilcohan Park on the 11th of January, 1959.

On that occasion, Waterford kicked off and Dixie Hale dribbled the ball forward before passing to Fitzgerald. Jack’s hard shot then clipped the advancing goalkeeper Hevey and rolled over the line on a near-frozen pitch at Kilcohan.

 

 

St Pat’s held a dominant, but wasteful Waterford to that single goal until the final 21 minutes when Alex Stevenson’s Blues ran riot with a second goal for Jack, one each for his brothers Denny and Peter, plus a goal apiece for Dixie Hale and Noel Griffin against one by O’Rourke for the visitors.

Waterford’s line-up that day was Vinny Dunphy; Jack Hunt, Milo Slattery; Shamie Halpin, Con Martin, Noel Griffin; Denny Fitzgerald, Jack Fitzgerald, Peter Fitzgerald, Dixie Hale, Alfie Hale.