The Shield Comes to Suirside

Waterford are winners of the Under 19s Shield - the first silverware for a female team in the long history of the Blues. It finished Dundalk 0 Waterford 2 in Oriel Park today as Fiana Bradley broke the deadlock right on the stroke of half time from a Sophie Meagher assist. Lillie Holloway added the second just short of the hour mark from an Olivia Shannon pass and Mollie Levingston and her defence maintained a clean sheet for a fantastic, historic win.

Congratulations to all the team and to manager Jess Lawton, coach Peter O’Hagan and all the staff. Some of these players were part of the first ever Waterford FC girls’ team when we joined the league for the first time at U17s in 2021. Now we have a women’s Premier Division team, two academy teams and, today, our first piece of silverware. We can look forward to seeing them parade the Shield at the RSC on Saturday.

Today’s team was Mollie Levingston, Sophie Meagher, Caoimhe Carley, Hannah Griffey, Sophie Moran, Meadhbh Doherty, Clíona Kearney, Emma Rossiter, Kate Tomkins, Olivia Shannon and Lillie Holloway with subs Ciara Kelly, Issy Walsh, Stephanie Dumevi, Keira Burke, Sarah Abullo, Sheena Carroll, Emma Bibby, Zara Corcoran and Fiana Bradley.

 

Skipper Cliona Kearney with the U19s Shield in Oriel Park today

There was more success for Waterford FC’s girls at the weekend as the Under-17s reached the final of the Shield after a thrilling penalty shootout win against Finn Harps. The tension of the occasion was clear for both sides in a very even first ninety minutes in Dundalk’s Oriel Park. Jodie Roche gave the Blues the lead in the 18th minute from a Rachael Duff pass, but the Donegal girls equalised after half time through Ava Greer. It stayed 1-1 through the ninety minutes and required another thirty.

Waterford dominated extra time, but just couldn’t score. The closest call was when Emma Bibby struck the crossbar from distance, but no further goals were added. On to the shootout, with Kate Tomkins, Roche, Bibby and Abi Rossiter scoring from the spot and Isabelle Carroll making a save before Méadhbh Doherty sealed the win with the final penalty to send Waterford through to the final. Five excellently-taken spot-kicks with the girls showing nerves of steel in the circumstances. They will now face neighbours Wexford in the final next Saturday at 1pm in SETU Arena.

 

Aaron Brennan was outstanding for the U15s with two goals and an assist

On the boys’ side of the academy, the Under-15s are through to their Shield semi-final after a very good 3-1 win at home to Drogheda United on Saturday. Aaron Brennan scored twice and assisted Cormac Lowry for the other as the Blues took a three-goal lead by half time with a six-minute scoring blitz approaching the break. Brennan had an excellent game overall and was rewarded for his hard work throughout, while Temmy Gazal impressed with two assists. Gearoid Hannigan pulled one back for Drogheda in the 78th minute, but Waterford were worthy winners and will now face UCD in the semi-final. Best wishes to Evan Lonergan who needed hospital treatment for a nasty broken nose sustained in the match. 

Eddie Nolan’s Under-20s finished up their season with a 1-0 defeat to Sligo Rovers at The Showgrounds on Sunday. Waterford’s exceptionally young squad end the year in sixth place in the country having qualified for the elite phase and are set up for an exciting season next year if they can build on this. There were Under-20s debuts for Mason Murphy and Temmy Gazal as substitutes, while Peter Byrne made his first start at this grade.

 

Billy Carney has been called up by the Republic of Ireland with Jack Barden and Nathan Power

Murphy continued his good bank holiday weekend when he opened the scoring for the Under-17s inside two minutes in today’s Shield quarter-final against Finn Harps. Played at the FAI National Training Centre, the game remained one-nil until the hour mark when Odhran McHugh equalised and, three minutes later, Guilherme Tavares gave Harps the lead. Substitute Daire Cummins came to the rescue for the Blues to make it 2-2 in the 81st minute and the tie went to extra time. Unfortunately for Waterford, Gavin Friel gave Harps the lead five minutes into the first period and that was to be the decisive goal. Harps progress to the last four on a 3-2 scoreline while the Blues’ excellent season, which included reaching the Mark Farren Cup final, comes to a close.

Finally, the Under-14s, missing key players, slipped to a 2-0 derby defeat against Cork City on Sunday with goals from Will Twomey and Matko Simek. It was good to see the hard-working Rian Byrne captaining the Blues for the day. Waterford were without Jack Barden, Billy Carney and Nathan Power who are all on the way to Alicante for the week having been called up to the Republic of Ireland Under-15 squad for games against Spain on Tuesday and Thursday. Best of luck to the new Boys in Green!