LOI Academy season up and running for Waterford FC teams
Waterford FC Under 20 side that beat CK United with a late goal away from home.
The league season kicked off this weekend for six of Waterford FC’s academy teams, with five facing CK United and one meeting Wexford. There was a first-ever game in the new Women’s Development League for the Under-23s and a debut to remember for the fresh batch of Under-14s, with plenty of goals and bright performances shared around the various teams.
Waterford’s Under-14s kicked off their first campaign with ten goals on Sunday to mark their League of Ireland debut in style.
Callum O’Sullivan, Jonathan Akaehomen and Enoch Mich each scored twice, with one apiece for Daniel Rakel, Seán Cullinane, Evan Scully and Ryan O’Neill in a 10-3 victory at home to CK United at SETU Arena.
Well done to all the youngest Blues on a dream start for what appears to be a very talented team under the guidance of Derek Browne.
The Under-23s’ first game in the new Women’s Development League also ended in victory away to Carlow/Kilkenny, but this was a tighter affair with the Blues winning a five-goal thriller. Sophie Poole opened the scoring for the Blues against her old club after fifteen minutes from a chance created by Kate Tomkins.
Ruth McDonnell equalised in the 24th minute when she seized upon a spilled ball in the box, but Poole reclaimed the lead for Waterford ten minutes later with Tomkins, again, the creator.
Substitute Sarah Abullo doubled the advantage with 15 minutes remaining to give Brendan White’s team some daylight, and although the hosts won a penalty which Emma Cullen converted, that was to be enough for the Blues to secure a vital 3-2 win at Killeshin.
Romeo Lapite scored a late winning goal as the Under-20s got off to a good start to their season with a 1-0 win in Ballon. Eddie Nolan’s team came up against a stern test from CK United, who battled hard with ten men for most of the game.
The hosts were unfortunate to have Danny Flynn red-carded half an hour into the first half, and it took until the 88th minute for the Blues to find the winner.
Lapite, one of many who benefitted from game time with the first team in preseason, unleashed an outstanding strike to break United’s resistance and their hearts for an important three points.
The Under-17 boys will be disappointed to have fallen to a 3-0 defeat against CK United at Thomastown on Sunday. Zak Fenton gave United a fifteenth-minute lead and, despite Waterford having most of the possession, they were two down at the break when Timmy Olaniyi scored in injury time.
The Blues threw everything into attack, but were left exposed when Kieran Dunne added the third two minutes from time for a win that meant a lot to the hosts.
Their counterparts, the Under-17 girls, led twice away to Wexford on Saturday but had to settle for a 2-2 draw. Zoe O’Sullivan scored just six minutes into her debut for Waterford, having joined from Tramore AFC. Emily Carpenter’s 47th-minute leveller was cancelled out almost immediately by Rachael Duff, but Wexford fought back again to equalise midway through the second half when Maia Stokes set Lucy Moloney up to score. Still a very good result for John MacLean’s new team.
