A first win for Waterford in 2014 against previously unbeaten Leitrim

There could be those that could have asked questions of the Waterford Footballers after their recent loss to London in the National Football League at Carriganore, but if there were questions to be answered, they were on Saturday evening when the side beat Leitrim at Fraher Field.

Leitrim travelled to Dungarvan in a confident mood. In the league they were unbeaten ahead of their visit to Dungarvan and they had also won the FBD Connacht League for the second year in a run in the run up to the league.

While Leitrim were confident in the run up to this weekends game, there hopes were somewhat dashed during the week with a bout of Illness within the panel which took a little from the players ahead of the game.

However, the fact is that Leitrim were able to put fifteen players out against the fifteen chosen by Waterford manager Niall Carew and his selectors and over the course of the seventy minutes it was the home side that proved to be the better of the two sides on the day.

Waterford opened this game very brightly with Conor Phelan and Paul Whyte from a free landing points.

Leitrim however enjoyed a purple patch after this. James Glancy pointed on eleven minutes but the Glencor Manorhamilton club man was somewhat unlucky not to have hit for a goal, his shot raising that little bit higher than he had intended.

Damien Moran and Emlyn Mulligan hit points to put the visitors in the lead for the first time but a Paul Whyte pointed free on twenty one minutes soon had the sides level.

Leitrim Captain, Emlyn Mulligan soon had his side back in front again when he put over a brace of frees, after which Conor Phelan and Ray Cox swapped points.

Waterford went back in front close to the break when Shane Ahern finished a Paul Whyte delivery to the net after which Wayne and JJ Hutchinson landed points to give Waterford a 1-6 to 0-6 lead as the sides headed to the dressing rooms.

Leitrim started the second half brightly as Emlyn Mulligan landed a brace of points, but once Shane Briggs restored a two point lead for Waterford it kicked started a period of dominance for the home side.

Declan Allen and Emlyn Mulligan swapped scores before JJ Hutchinson, Declan Allen, Shane Ahern and Paul Whyte dissected the posts to give Waterford a 1-12 to 0-9 advantage.

Shane Foley pulled a point back for Leitrim but Shane Ahern followed up with a point  for Waterford and while Leitrim’s most industrious forward on the day, Emlyn Mulligan landed a late score for his side, it was too little, too late as Waterford held out for a deserved five point victory, one which is possibly the best since Niall Carew was appointed Waterford manager in December 2012.

Next up for Waterford is a tricky  away game to Wicklow in Aughrim in two weeks time while Leitrim next time out if they are to retain hopes of promotion must play Tipperary at Carrick-on-Shannon.

Waterford: Tom Wall; Dean Crowley, Kieran Connery, Thomas O Gorman; Cillian O’Keeffe, Shane Briggs, Conor Phelan; Wayne Hutchinson, Paul Whyte; Declan Allen, Oran Keevers, JJ Hutchinson; Liam Ó Lonáin, Shane Ahearne, Niall Walsh. Subs: Stephen Enright for Tom Wall, Tony Grey for Niall Walsh, Tadhg Ó hUallacháin for Cillian O’Keeffe, Tommy Prendergast for Wayne Hutchinson, Brian Wall for Oran Keevers, John Hayden for JJ Hutchinson.

Scorers: Shane Ahern 1-2, Paul Whyte 0-3, Conor Phelan, JJ Hutchinson, Declan Allen 0-2, Wayne Hutchinson, Shane Briggs 0-1 each.  

Leitrim: Enda Lyons; Barry Prior, Donal Wyrnn,  Paddy Maguire; Paul Brennan, Gary Reynolds, Wayne McKeon; Darren Sweeney, Damien Moran; Kevin Conlan, Daniel Beck, Robbie Lowe; Emlyn Mulligan, James Glancy, Ray Cox. Subs: Sean McWeeney for Paul Brennan, Aaron Hickey for Daniel Beck, Brian McDonald for Ray Cox, Shane Foley for Darren Sweeney, Shane Moran for Damien Moran, Ciaran Egan for Kevin Conlan.

Scorers: Emlyn Mulligan 0-7, James Glancy, Damien Moran, Ray Cox, Shane Foley 0-1 each.