Louth 1-11 Waterford 1-9: Despite failing to register a score in the closing 17 minutes, Louth held on for victory in Dungarvan yesterday. The teams were level twice in the opening quarter before Louth went on to lead by 1-6 to 0-4 at the half-time break. Their goal coming from Cormac Malone.

Louth dominated the opening 14 minutes of the second period and scored three points without reply, a brace from Darren Clarke and one from Ronan Valentine.

The home side then got back into the game when John Wall scored a goal and Waterford were only four points in arrears.

Clarke stretched Louth's lead but his was to be the visitors' last score. Waterford finished stronger with a brace of points from Wall and when Wayne Hennessey added another only two points separated the sides but time ran out on the home team.

LOUTH: S McCoy; R Kelly, D Mackin, C Sheridan; S Shevlin (0-1), A Hoey, J Neary; P Keenan, S O'Neill; C Malone (1-1), R Carroll, T O'Brien; D Clarke (0-3), M Standfield (0-2), R Valentine (0-4). Subs: J Kermath for O'Neill, S Gerard for Neary (yellow card), A Page for Shevlin, B White for Standfield (yellow card).

WATERFORD: T Wall; P Ogle, L Hurney, N Hennessey; A Heffernan (0-1), M Ahern, T Costelloe; A Hubbard, W Kavanagh; W Hennessey (0-2), R Hennessey (0-1), S Cunningham (0-1); J Wall (1-4), P Hurney, A Fitzgerald. Subs: E Walsh for Costello, G Power for Ogle (yellow card), K Connery for R Hennessey (yellow card), M Prendergast for L Hurney (yellow card), S Walsh for Fitzgerald.

YELLOW CARDS: Louth: J Neary, Standfield. Waterford: P Ogle, R Hennessey, L Nurney.

Referee: M Walsh (Limerick).