Two changes were announced for the Waterford team as they arrived in Carrick-on-Shannon to take on Leitrim in their Allianz Football League opener today.
Number 17, Seán Whelan Barrett replaced Number 14, Dylan Guiry who sadly suffered a bereavement this week.
Number 24, Barry O'Brien replaced Number 3, Caoimhín Walsh.
After ten minutes of play, Leitrim lead by 3 points to 1 - Waterford's point coming courtesy of Conor Murray - but less than eight minutes later, Michael Curry narrowed Leitrim's lead to 1 point.
Curry and Murray both put the ball over the bar again soon after, and Brian Lynch got his name on the scoresheet too as the Déise took the lead 0-6 to 0-5 on the 26-minute mark.
Two more points from Seán Whelan Barrett and an impressive Lynch extended Waterford's lead to three points as the sides approached half-time.
However, Leitrim battled back in the last few minutes of the opening half and they headed for the dugouts with 8 points for Waterford and 7 for the hosts.
A half-time substitution saw John Devine replace Caomhán Maguire, while later on Niall McSweeney, Conor Ó Cuirrín, and Donal Fitzgerald were all brought on for Eoghan McGrath Butler, Barry O'Brien, and Seán Whelan Barrett respectively.
Though the visitors did manage to battle their way to a half-time lead, the second half was an entirely different story and Leitrim dominated throughout.
Waterford only managed to get three more points on the scoreboard - the first coming from Dermot Ryan after 47 minutes of play.
By that stage, Leitrim, who had come flying out of the traps with renewed energy after the break, had already notched up six points, making the score 0-13 to 0-9.
A goal, less than 10 minutes later, extended Leitrim's lead to seven points and hopes of winning the league opener drifted further out of sight for the Déise when the home side netted a second in the 64th minute and a third not long after that.
Brian Lynch again pointed for Waterford, but after 72 minutes of play and eight minutes of injury time, Leitrim were emphatic winners.
The final score in Seán MacDiarmada Park, Carrick-on-Shannon:
Leitrim - 3-18
Waterford 0-11
Waterford's starting team:
1. Aaron Beresford (Ballinacourty)
2. Liam Fennell (Stradbally)
3. Caoimhín Walsh (Kilrossanty)
4. Darach Ó Cathasaigh (An Rinn)
5. Darragh Corcoran (St Saviours)
6. Brian Looby (Ballinacourty)
7. Jordan O'Sullivan (Portlaw)
8. Caomhan Maguire (Gaultier)
9. Brian Lynch (Clashmore/Kinsalebeg)
10. Dermot Ryan (c) (Nire)
11. Eoghan McGrath Butler (De La Salle)
12. Michael Curry (Rathgormack)
13. Conor Murray (Rathgormack)
14. Dylan Guiry (Nire)
15. Michael Kiely (Dungarvan)
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