Waterford sparkle in Kennedy Cup Bowl to advance into the semi-finals
Waterford Kennedy Cup manager Nigel Ray gives some last minute instructions ahead of the game with North Dublin.
Louis McDonald 8, Conor McLoughlin 11, 14
A blistering first-half performance from the Waterford Schoolboy League saw them ease past the challenge of the North Dublin League in their Kennedy Cup Bowl quarterfinal at the University of Limerick.
After failing to qualify for the main cup competition despite a brave effort against Cork, Waterford got over that disappointment with a polished display that saw them three goals to the good inside the first-half and they should have added a couple more in the second.
They were on the front foot from the off in this game and should have scored inside four minutes as Conor McLoughlin sent over a right-wing cross for Louis McDonald, but his first-time shot just cleared the North Dublin crossbar.
It was McDonald that got the breakthrough goal with eight minutes on the clock as the Tramore youngster bundled home from close-range after keeper Adam Vogelaar had twice kept out a shot from McLoughlin.
A speedy move from Waterford down the right-channel ended in a second goal three minutes later as Fareed Alabi showed his pace before crossing into the centre where Conor McLoughlin was on hand to finish with precision.
A third from a rampant Waterford arrived on 14 minutes when McDonald slipped the ball down the left for Conor McLoughlin, and he beat the North Dublin keeper with a first-time finish that settled the tie.
Both McLoughlin and McDonald continued to pose a threat for Waterford with the latter forcing Vogelaar to a diving save with a stinging effort on the stroke of half time, before the keeper also denied Fareed Alabi late on before Waterford were also denied a stonewall penalty late on.
Next up for Waterford is a Kennedy Cup Bowl semi-final meeting with Carlow and District Juvenile League on Thursday afternoon.
