Under 16 – Waterford Schoolboy League
Portlaw 0–5 Waterford Crystal
On a beautiful afternoon for football, our Under 16s made the trip to Portlaw determined to keep their strong run of form alive—and they delivered in style with a dominant all-round performance built on work rate, togetherness, and quality in key moments.
It wasn’t the ideal start, as Mark Williams was forced off early with a groin injury, a setback that could have unsettled the team. Instead, it seemed to galvanise the group. Every player stepped up, showing resilience, discipline, and a real hunger to perform for each other.
After 16 minutes, the breakthrough arrived. A superb ball over the top from Darragh Redmond split the defence, and Markel Bañeros Carrascosa showed his sharpness to latch onto it and finish confidently. That goal sparked us into life, and it wasn’t long before Markel struck again—his intelligent movement causing all sorts of problems for the Portlaw defence as he doubled the lead.
The second half continued in the same vein. we stayed on the front foot, pressing hard and working tirelessly across the pitch. Their effort was rewarded when they won a penalty for handball, and Markel stepped up to complete his hat-trick with a composed finish.
By now, the attacking partnership was in full flow. Markel and Mo were relentless, stretching the defence and creating chances with every attack. Markel wasn’t done yet—when played through one-on-one, he showed great composure to round the keeper and slot home his fourth of the game.
To their credit, Portlaw never gave in and continued to push forward. Late in the game, they committed everyone to a corner, but the lads defended well and broke quickly. The ball was worked down the line to Markel, who unselfishly squared for Aaron O’Toole, leaving him with the simple task of finishing to make it 5-0 and cap off a brilliant team move.
This was more than just a win—it was a complete team performance. From back to front, every player gave everything, working tirelessly for one another and showing the kind of spirit that drives success.
A huge well done to the players, coaches, and parents for their continued effort and support—performances like this are built on everyone pulling in the same direction.
WSFL – U16
| Pos | Club | Played | Won | Draw | Lost | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 02. | Waterford Crystal FC | 10 | 09 | 00 | 01 | 37 | 08 | 29 | 27 |