A strong first half performance when playing against a stiff wind helped Waterford to an emphatic victory over a disappointing Laois in a lacklustre game at Dungarvan yesterday. Waterford led from the second minute, when impressive corner forward John Mullane goaled after he was set up by Dan Shanahan, to the final whistle.

The home side led at the break by 1-10 to 0-5 with Paul Flynn converting four frees while Laois found scores very hard to come by against a tenacious home defence. Laois got a dream start to the second half when James Young found the net inside 30 seconds to cut the deficit to five points; but it was as close as they came.

Within two minutes Seamus Prendergast had nullified this score after another great run by Shanahan even though the Waterford defence should have been punished in the 41st minute when Laois corner-forward Fionan O'Sullivan was left unmarked with only goalkeeper Stephen Brenner to beat; but he delayed his shot and the chance was gone.

The standard of play deteriorated in the second half before Waterford substitute Michael White and Anthony Kirwan combined with five minutes remaining for Kirwan to rifle home the Deise side's third goal to copper fasten a morale-boosting victory ahead of their Munster championship campaign.

WATERFORD: S Brenner; T Feeney, S Cullinane, Alan Kirwan; S Frampton, P Queally, J Murray; T Browne (0-1), E Murphy; D Shanahan, F Hartley (0-2), K McGrath; J Mullane (1-3), S Prendergast (1-1), P Flynn (0-4, frees). Subs: P Prendergast (0-1) for McGrath; D Bennis (0-3) for Murphy; D Prendergast for Frampton; M White for Flynn; Anthony Kirwan (1-0) for S Prendergast.

LAOIS: J Lyons; N Lacey, S Dooley, D Killeen; N Rigney, P Cuddy (0-1), C Cuddy; D Cuddy (0-3, frees), Declan Conroy; J Phelan, O Dowling, C Coonan (0-2); C Cleere, J Young (1-0), F O'Sullivan. Subs: Dessie Conroy for Coonan; J O'Sullivan for Dooley; E Maher for Cleere; P Mahon for C Cuddy; J O'Shea for Declan Conroy.

Referee: D Kirwan (Cork).