Waterford have claimed their second win of the league campaign after a hard-fought 2.22 -3-21 victory over Antrim in Corrigan Park.
A gale-force wind played its part in the result with Antrim buoyed by the breeze in the opening 35.
Waterford struggled to deal with that swirling breeze in their face, hitting 10 wides to Antrim's 2.
Both of Antrim's midfielders Keelan Molloy and Daniel McKernan were on the score sheet - sending the ball through the posts from range.
Neil McManus, who hit eight points on the day was the linchpin for the Saffrons early on but Colligan's Colin Dunford's two goals were enough to keep the scoreboard looking positive for the Deise.
Eight Antrim players got on the scoresheet while they played with the wind with Gerard Walsh, Keelan Molloy, Daniel McKernan, Michael Bradley, Conal Cunning, Sean Elliot, and Neil McManus all earning singles while Domhnail Nugent hit the back of the net.
The game was swayed in favor of the home team around the half-hour mark when Waterford's double goal scorer Colin Dunford was shown red for a swipe of the hurl - a similar standard of offense earned a mere yellow in the second half when Neil McManus shoulder charged Iarlaith Daly's head.
Antrim led by five points at halftime 1.14 to 2.6.
When the second half resumed, it didn't take long for Waterford to take advantage of the breeze and the game started to become "The Austin Gleeson Show" as he hit five points (three frees).
The wind would again become a prominent character in the tale with Desie scores coming more easily from play - albeit it was a factor that had benefitted Antrim more when they had it.
Jack Prendergast and Michael Kiely came on for DJ Foran and Ciaran Kirwan, and it didn't take long for Kiely to continue his goal-scoring spree. He hit the back of the net moments after entering the fray. His strike to the back of Ryan Elliot's net gave the visitors a one-point advantage at 1.15 - 3.10.
Some great scores from Gleeson and Tadhg De Búrca added to Waterfords ledger, with Neil Montgomery chipping in with a point of his own. Gleesons score on 48 minutes a real stand out after a peach of a ball sent downfield by Shaun O Brien from the Waterford goalmouth.
Antrim's second goal of the afternoon came from the hurl of Ciaran Clarke, with Conal Cunning pointing moments later to reduce what had been a five-point lead to just a single score with five minutes left to play.
As the game neared its conclusion, Liam Cahill's men led by three points and while the referee sent Colin Dunford to the stand in the first half, he deemed Neil McManus's shoulder to the head of Iarlaith Daly only worthy of a yellow.
With the clock in the red, and the last seconds of injury time remaining David Kearney bore down on goal but Shaun O Brien stood tall enough to deny the Naomh Eoin man. A penalty was called for with the sides separated by three points. McManus took very little run-up and drilled his shot with drastic force, but the ball rose and rose, and just slipped over the bar with the full-time whistle blowing moments later.
Full Time Score from Corrigan Park.
Antrim 2.22 - 3.21 Waterford
