After scoring 10 in their last game against Athenry, Salthill found the going much tougher against a gallant Westport in the second round of the Irish U14 cup.
Salthill skipper Adam Fitzgerald scored the perfect hat-trick as he opened the scoring after 3 mins with a fine header after a great cross from Branson Kelly and he added two more fine efforts, one with his right foot and one with his left.
Despite the early setback Westport heads did not drop and they continued to pass the ball around and drew level after 14 mins when three Salthill defenders failed to get in a decent chalenge and the Westport winger had no trouble beating Salthill keeper James Hill from close range. The Salthill back four of Liam Costello, Desmond Conneely, David Carter and Andrew Barcovoski were under serious pressure and Hill was forced to make a fine save on the line.
Fitzgerald however lifted the pressure on Salthill when he fired in his second this time a cracker from 25 yards with his right foot on 22 mins. When new signing Vadim Conneely scored his first goal for the club with a brilliant strike from outside the box it looked game over but Westport clawed their way back into the game when they took advantage of some slack defending to grab a second just before half time.
Westport started the second half with renewed confidence and it was no surprise when they equalised on 43 mins with a great shot which went in off the underside of the crossbar. With wingers Dominick Gorton who had replaced the unwell Kevin Cahalan in the first half and Nathan Ward unable to get any change out of the Westport fullbacks Salthill were forced to attack down the centre through David Patton and Fitzgerald and it was Fitzgerald who settled the game on 51 mins when he completed his hat-trick this time a great strike with his left foot.
Salthill brought fresh legs on at this stage with Ross O Connor, Rob Finnerty and Ronan Halloran all entering the fray and each of them contributed positively as Salthill held on with both sides creating chances before the end.