Keating breaks Waterford hearts with late goal
The Waterford U13 team that played Mayo in the Final of the Inter League Schoolboy Cup at Evergreen Park on Saturday. Photo: Paul Elliott.
Cillian Keating ensured a brilliant comeback that landed the Mayo Schoolboy League the SFAI National Under 13 Inter League Bowl title to break the hearts of the Waterford Schoolboy League in their thrilling battle at Evergreen AFC in Kilkenny on Saturday afternoon.
After racing into a two-goal lead and in control of the contest, Waterford seemed to be facing extra-time after Keating’s initial equaliser early in the second-half, but the dangerous striker capitalised on uncertainty in the defence late on to shock Tosh Cleary’s side at the finish.
It was Mayo that had the first chance on target with nine minutes when Fionn Jennings knocked the ball into the feet of Mark Rowley on the right-side of the area, and after bringing the ball onto his left-foot, his shot was well saved by Ronan Sullivan.
Waterford struck the front after a winning a corner at the other end a minute later. James Ferncombe swung in a brilliant corner from the left that saw Jack Barden knock the ball down for Dylan Radley to drill home past Rian Jordan from 14 yards.
After winning another dangerous set piece on 14 minutes, Tosh Cleary’s side doubled their advantage. Ferncombe was again the provider when putting in a super right-wing flag kick that picked out the run of Charlie Stamper, and he powered a header to the net.
A dominant Waterford were denied a third goal by the right-hand post three minutes later when Lee Duggan landed on the end of a ball on the top of the penalty area, but his low left-footed strike came back off the foot of the upright.
The quick thinking of Mayo saw them pull a goal back on 27 minutes when Mark Rowley tipped the ball for a corner that saw Daragh Rafter take advantage to play the ball into the back post where Fionn Jennings was on hand to head home unchallenged.
Cillian Keating brought the Western County level with the first opportunity of the second-half on 36 minutes when the striker got in behind the Waterford defence out on the left before firing left-footed to the far corner past substitute keeper Rory O’Sullivan.
Lee Duggan tried his luck with an ambitious lob into the area three minutes later, but his effort cleared the bar before the same player got on the end of James Ferncombe’s right-wing corner on 44 minutes only for his header to flash narrowly over.
Ferncombe stepped over a dangerous free-kick just outside the area on 49 minutes after Charlie Flynn was brought down just outside the area, but his effort just cleared Rian Jordan’s crossbar.
After Waterford piled on the pressure in search of a winner with Charlie Flynn unlucky not to get his head of a super James Ferncombe delivery on 55 minutes, the hearts were broken by Mayo two minutes into added time.
With the clock ticking down and Waterford under no real pressure down the right-side, they won a throw deep in their own half, but after failing to clear their lines twice, Fionn Jennings headed the ball forward for Cillian Keating on the right-side, and he beat Rory O’Sullivan with a cracking finish.
It was tough on the Waterford players when the final whistle sounded as they were left wondering what could have been only lapses in concentration that proved costly when it mattered most in the key moments during the game.
Ronan Sullivan, Cillian Power, Donagh Beresford, Jack Barden, Charlie Stamper, Michael Cullinane, Charlie Flynn, Dylan Radley, James Ferncombe, Lee Duggan, Nathan Power, Billy Flynn, Darragh Revutsky, Finn Halpin, Jacob Rose, Freddie Breen, Rian Byrne, Jimmy Brophy, Kristupass Narkevicious, Rory O’Sullivan
Rian Jordan, Calum Costello, Michael Ruane, Rory Gruddy, Sean Walsh, Mounir Soufan, Daragh Rafter, Daragh Durkan, Mark Rowley, Fionn Jennings, Ethan Canny, Jamie Brennan, Dan Duffy, Jamie Holmes, Fionn Killeen, Anto Slabik, Cillian Keating, Tom Francis.
