Shayne Shines and Lillie Leads into the Last Four

Waterford FC’s Under-20s bounced back from last week’s loss to Cork City with an impressive 2-1 win away to Galway United on Saturday. Left back Shayne McDonald (pictured above) blasted the Blues into a ninth-minute lead when he took a pass from Orion Cala inside the box and thumped home a superb strike across the goalkeeper. The team were excellent to a man in a proper battle in which nine yellow cards were produced as well as a late red for Galway’s Luc Griallais. Ireland underage international Mo Oladiti was a star performer while goalkeeper Jason Healy and his backline of Adam Coyne, Seán Keane, Alan Zborowski, Noah O’Brien and McDonald were all excellent. The crucial second goal arrived with twenty minutes remaining when Cala, again, set substitute Fidel Pululu through and the striker cut inside and finished brilliantly. Charlie Campbell scored a consolation goal for United in the final minute, but it’s now ten points from the last fifteen for the Blues in the Tier One elite level.

 

Lillie Holloway, whose season has been impacted by injury, scored twice

The Under-19s girls enjoyed a strong win in the quarter-finals of the Shield competition when they beat Sligo Rovers 4-0 on Sunday. All four goals came in the first half hour at SETU Arena with Lillie Holloway opening the scoring after just two minutes and then turning provider for Sophie Meagher to double the lead three minutes later. Kate Tomkins scored the first of her two goals this weekend before Holloway, who has been unfortunate with injuries this year, notched her second of the day. Credit to Emma Rossiter who assisted the final two goals and to Mollie Levingston and her defence on the clean sheet as the Blues march into the final four.

There were goals galore in the Under-14s’ clash away to Athlone Town which is never a surprise when Nathan Power is on the scene. The former Bohemians schoolboy bagged an astonishing five goals to bring his tally to thirty-nine in all competitions for the season including three for the U15s. Charlie Flynn also scored for Waterford, with Power assisting, in a thrilling 6-4 win while Athlone’s Fionn McCormack-Crowe also scored a hat-trick. 

 

Nathan Power (right) is one of the most prolific strikers in the country

There were draws for both Under-17s teams this weekend with the girls sharing the points away to St Patrick’s Athletic while the boys finished level in their derby game in Wexford. Elli Morgan opened the scoring for St Pat’s, but Kate Dalton equalised quickly. Kate Tomkins gave the Blues the lead from the penalty spot shortly before half-time, but Grace Galligan made it 2-2 early in the second half and neither team could find a winner. That result leaves Waterford in an incredibly tight battle for the Tier Two South title. Wexford lead the league by a point from Waterford with both teams having one game left to play. Peamount United are a further point behind in third place, but they still have two games left this week. Brendan White’s Blues will need to win in Cobh next weekend and hope other results go their way. Meanwhile, Benny Martin broke the deadlock in the 68th minute to give Waterford the lead in Ferrycarrig Park, but former Blues player Charlie Mullan equalised two minutes later in a game that finished one-all.

Finally, Waterford’s Under-15s fell to a 2-1 home loss against UCD in a top of the table clash on Saturday. The Students scored twice in three minutes midway through the opening period through Luca McLaughlin and James Loughnane. Tiernan O’Brien pulled one back in the 31st minute, but UCD held on for a victory that seals the Tier Two South title for them ahead of second-placed Waterford.