Leading by example: Waterford skipper Pat Fitzgerald outjumps North Dublin
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Waterford Schoolboy League 2; North Dublin League 1
Having won the Under-15 title on Friday night in Graun Park against all the odds, it was up to Waterford’s U14 side to complete a marvelous double of national titles and they duly delivered the goods against a very strong North Dublin outfit in Ozier Park on Sunday afternoon.
Ray Anderson’s charges were not going be outdone by John Furlong’s boys and so it turned out to be an absolutely superb weekend for Schoolboy soccer in Waterford.
Waterford got off to the perfect start with a stunning goal inside four minutes of the first half as captain Patrick Fitzgerald turned provider for Nathan Phelan and following a superb first touch, his magnificent right-footed strike giving goalkeeper Nathan Murphy no chance whatsoever.
Waterford did not let up following their dream start and they were denied a second goal on 11 minutes when Dean Reidy whipped in a left-wing free kick that found the head of the unchallenged Fitzgerald; however, Murphy somehow managed to turn the ball around the post for a corner kick.
Conor Whittle was just inches away from getting on the end of another superb Dean Reidy cross shortly afterwards and when the deadball specialist turned provider for Nathan Phelan on 23 minutes, his free, close-range header flashed inches over the bar.
Darragh Gibbs came to Waterford’s rescue less than two minutes later when the Carrick United netminder produced an absolutely brilliant save to deny Jamie Walsh after the centre forward had latched onto a through ball from Eoin Kinsella.
Gibbs thwarted Walsh once again on 29 minutes when he raced onto a through ball from Neil Flynn but the Waterford No1 was quick off his line to save with his feet as the locals lived dangerously towards the end of the first half.
