Elite U17 League. Southern Section
Shamrock Rovers 2 Waterford FC 4
Waterford FC came with a late surge yet again to get the better of Shamrock Rovers at Tallaght Stadium on Saturday.
Following their late win against Bray Wanderers at the RSC the previous week, the Blues repeated their heroics against Shamrock Rovers and are now looking really good for a play-off position.
They are certainly becoming the ‘Late Late Show’ team of this league and it adds credence to Furlong’s claim that the lads never give up.
Charlie Heffernan made a smart save on 16 minutes when Emmanuel Odeniyi knocked the ball into the path of James Clarke, but the Blues keeper got down well to save his effort.
There was panic in the Shamrock Rovers defence soon afterwards when keeper O’Rourke was forced into a clearance that was picked up by Mike Nzongong but his first time right-footed shot from 20-yards was off target.
Waterford U17 manager John Furlong was thrilled with the win over Shamrock Rovers.
Rovers had a good chance to break the deadlock on 38 minutes when Martins Olakanye flicked the ball to Emmanuel Odeniyi but his shot was straight at Charlie Heffernan.
The Blues keeper came to the rescue on the stroke of half time as the rain lashed down when Shane Nealon fizzed a shot goalwards but the keeper palmed the ball away and Sam Dwyer was on hand to clear the ball upfield.Heffernan showed his class with a wonder save three minutes into the second half when Alex Dunne whipped in a cross that was knocked down into the path of Emmanuel Odeniyi, who looked certain to score, however the Blues netminder tipped his close-range shot around the posts.
Waterford struck the front on 49 minutes when Sam Dwyer picked out Mike Nzongong. The attacker turned brilliantly on the edge of the penalty area and fired a low right-footed shot past a helpless Shamrock Rovers keeper Shane O’Rourke.
The lead lasted less than seven minutes as Shamrock Rovers were back on level terms when Shane Nealon’s shot was blocked into the path of Emmanuel Odeniyi, who drilled the ball to the net past keeper Charlie Heffernan.Cian Foley regained the lead for the Blues on 64 minutes. Sean Tracey did superbly well to skip past a number of Shamrock Rovers players and slipped the ball out to Foley who applied a fine right-footed finish past keeper O’Rourke.
Stephen Rice’s side equalised just three minutes later when Blues keeper Charlie Heffernan charged from his line to save at the feet of Jordan Tallow but the breaking ball was swept to the net by Martins Olakanye from 18 yards.There was still time for the Blues to win the game and they did it in style. Caelin Rooney was fouled 25-yards from goal as the game entered injury time and Mike Nzongong stepped over the ball and gave Shane O’Rourke no chance as he found the left-corner of the net.
Rooney sealed all three points for the Super Blues deep into half injury time when he flicked the ball past O’Rourke from deep inside the area.
