Drogheda’s podium finish

DROGHEDA Water Polo Club’s burgeoning reputation at underage level shows no signs of slowing down after their Under14 boys finished third at the National Championships on Sunday.

The National Aquatic Centre has almost become a home from home for the successful Boyneside club and the lads made a flying start when they racked up a double-figure score in a hugely one-sided opening-round match against Cathal Brugha of Belfast.

That result set up Drogheda for a semifinal showdown against Sandycove of Dublin and they proved a bridge too far as the capital side prevailed on a 7-2 scoreline.

Drogheda then faced off against another Dublin team, St Vincents, in the 3rd/4th-place play-off, and it proved to be a thrilling contest. The Boynesiders conceded first but then went on a goal-scoring spree to lead 6-1, with hat-tricks for Aidan Mullaney and Conal O Ciovhain, and their place on the rostrum looked to be assured.

However, St Vincents had other ideas and struck four times without reply to leave just a goal in it going into the final minute. Fortunately, Drogheda regained their grip on the game in the dying moments and but for two outstanding saves from the St Vincents keeper the Boynesiders would have won more convincingly.

In the end the scoreline remained 6-5 and that was enough to hand the Drogheda club their sixth consecutive podium finish.

Corrib from Galway were the overall Under-14 champions after beating Sandycove in the final.