Waterford 2-13 Wexford 1-12:A strong second-half performance, which saw them score 1-8, set up Waterford for a surprise but deserving victory in Dungarvan yesterday.
Goals from Andrew Hubbard and Brian Wall, along with a contribution of five points from Wayne Hennessey, saw Waterford get their league campaign off to an ideal start.
It was Wexford who made the better start scoring three unanswered points in the opening eight minutes and they went in leading by 1-6 to 1-5 at the interval. Waterford took the lead on the quarter hour when full forward Hubbard finished the ball to the net following a great save by Wexford goalkeeper Alan Masterson, who denied Liam Ó Lionáin a certain goal.
The Wexford goal came on the stroke of half-time with substitute Redmond Barry finishing the ball to the net from a long-range Matty Forde free.
Waterford got the ideal start to the second period when team captain Wall sent the ball to the net inside two minutes of the resumption. Wexford were back on level terms within four minutes, but when Hennessey kicked over two points it gave the home side a lead they never relinquished.
The home side led by three points, 2-10 to 1-10, entering the closing 10 minutes after Hennessey saw his effort from a penalty turned over the crossbar by Masterson.
WATERFORD: T Wall; S Briggs, J Seaward, M O'Gorman; D Hickey, E Rockett, P Ogle; M Ahern, J Hurney; B Wall (1-3, 0-2 frees), G Power (0-1), W Hennessey (0-5, 0-1 penalty); L Ó Lionáin (0-1), A Hubbard (1-1), J Ryan. Subs: L Lawlor (0-2) for Ryan, S Cunningham for Hurney.
WEXFORD: A Masterson; D Byrne, P Wallace, N Murphy; B Malone, D Murphy, C Morris; R Stafford, D Fogarty (0-2); C Deely (0-2), P Colfer (0-2), A Flynn (0-1); PJ Branville (0-3), D Kinsella, M Forde (0-1). Subs: R Barry (1-0) for Malone, G Colman (0-1) for Kinsella, A Morrissey for Flynn, S Roche for Colfer, G Sunderland for David Murphy.
Referee: J Geaney (Cork).
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