Walsh's debut for Sliema

The league game between Sliema Wanderers and Floriana, played on January 15, 1949, was a turbulent encounter.

The Blues led 3-0 at half-time only to see their lead cut to 3-2 after a comeback by Floriana. This match also marked the debut of Maurice Walsh, one of the best strikers to come out of the late 1940s.

Walsh, of Sliema, could not have had a better debut. Straight from kick-off, he exchanged passes with Tony Nicholl before hitting a low ball past goalkeeper Pawlu Dimech... Walsh had only taken 21 seconds to open his scoring account in top-grade football.

It was a record for Maltese football which, however, lasted only one season. On February 20, 1950, Robert Powell, of Birkirkara, scored a goal after only 12 seconds in a league match against St George's.

Walsh's record is more remarkable because it was achieved on his debut. This was the stuff of which dreams are made, but it was not all.

Twenty minutes after giving Sliema the lead against their Old Firm rivals, Walsh diverted a Nicholl shot past the Greens goalkeeper to score his second goal of the afternoon.

It seems that this game was destined to be remembered for goals scored by debutants because at the half-hour, J. Vella, who was also making his first showing for the Wanderers, struck his side's third goal.

Then came the second half and the game changed completely.

Floriana, inspired by Lolly Borg, bounced back admirably.

Borg scored two goals and threatened to sweep the Wanderers off their feet single-handedly. However, he later blotted his copybook when punching an opponent in retaliation to a foul.

Borg was lucky not to be sent off but the referee let him off the hook with a warning.

Later on, the referee was suspended by the MFA for failing to report the incident.

Walsh was born on April 16, 1930 in Senglea. His family moved to Sliema when he was still a child. Maurice kicked his first ball at the Sliema Primary School.

When only 13, Walsh joined Gżira Raiders. His talent, however, soon attracted the attention of Sliema Wanderers and in 1944-45 he joined the Blues' minors team.

Walsh served his apprenticeship in the minors, second and third division teams with distinction before he made his debut in that memorable match against Floriana in 1949.

This was the start of a very successful career for Walsh with the Wanderers, at a time when the Blues, together with Floriana, dominated Maltese football.

In 1949, Walsh formed part of the U-23 MFA team that took part in the Palermo tournament. He also played for the full MFA XI on a number of occasions. In a career spanning 14 years, Walsh played 112 first-team games for the Wanderers and scored 37 goals.

During this period he won the following honours:

League Championship: 1948-49, 1953-54, 1956-57.
FA Trophy: 1950-51, 1951-52.
Cassar Cup: 1956-57, 1959-60.
Scicluna Cup: 1949-50, 1950-51, 1956-57, 1957-58, 1958-59.
Christmas Tourney Cup: 1948-49.
Schembri Shield: 1957-58.

Walsh, however, never forgot that marvellous moment when he scored in the first minute of his debut against Floriana.

The extraordinary thing, however, was that in his next game against Hibernians he again opened the scoring in the very first minute. How's that for a record!