Waterford 3-18 Dublin 1-17

John Mullane scored 3-03 as Waterford saw off Dublin in a lively Division 1A encounter at Walsh Park this afternoon.

The Deise recovered from last weekend's deflating defeat to Kilkenny to book their place in the quarter-finals.

They led 2-11 to 1-06 at half-time with Eoin McGrath scoring from four placed balls. Dublin revived their fortunes before the break with a quick 1-03 – Declan O'Dwyer notched their goal.

Dublin pressed on with points from Ross O'Carroll, Paul Ryan and Simon Lambert but Mullane's 58th-minute goal settled the issue.

Waterford got off to a flying start as Mullane, back fully fit after corrective nasal surgery, swooped for a second-minute goal.

The 2003 All Star raced onto a ball in from Michael Walsh and took full advantage of a slip by corner-back Patrick Bergin to rifle a shot into Gary Maguire's net.

Dan Shanahan picked off a subsequent point for Waterford, who were forced into two late changes.

Kevin Moran came in at full-back in place of Declan Prendergast, while Dave Bennett's absence in midfield resulting in Shane Walsh joining the attack and Eoin McGrath was switched to a midfield role.

Dublin opened their account with a sixth-minute point from Stuart Mullen but efforts from Seamus Prendergast, Mullane and Eoin Kelly, who landed a brace of frees, had the home side 1-06 to 0-01 ahead.

The Dubs nabbed two much-needed points through John McCaffrey and David O'Callaghan after 17 and 19 minutes, but their backs were struggling to keep tabs on the Deise forwards.

Kelly landed two more frees and Prendergast also chipped in with his second point before Mullane blasted his second goal.

It came in the 28th-minute when he left Philip Brennan for dead and beat Maguire with a measured finish, taking his tally to 2-02.

Walsh pointed to move Waterford 2-11 to 0-03 ahead, but the Dubs found an extra gear during the closing five minutes of the half.

Kilmacud Crokes clubman James Burke, O'Callaghan and full-forward Kevin Flynn all landed points before wing-forward O'Dwyer found the net.

O'Dwyer helped create the goal as he made a run down the right and while his crossed ball squirmed away from Burke, the Naomh Olaf attacker came in to scramble the sliotar past Clinton Hennessy.

Dublin's mini-revival continued into the second period as substitute O'Carroll, Paul Ryan, who was making his full debut like Burke, and Lambert registering points.

Midfielder Lambert's score was an excellent effort from 70 yards out.

In reply, Waterford free-taker Kelly hit three points and Dublin were left cursing their luck when O'Dwyer missed out on a second goal.

Opting to kick the ball, his effort was stopped and blocked by Hennessy for a '65' which O'Callaghan converted.

Peter Kelly and Mullane then swapped points before Waterford had a goal ruled out for a square ball.

Seamus Prendergast had the ball in the back of the net but he was ruled to have been in the square after Maguire had parried a Mullane shot.

Justin McCarthy's men soon moved 2-16 to 1-12 ahead with Kelly taking his personal tally to 0-07 (0-06f) and the result was in little doubt when Mullane claimed his hat-trick.

It came off perhaps Waterford's best move of the match. Ken McGrath started it when he linked with Shanahan before Prendergast played in Mullane and the De La Salle clubman made no mistake with a crisp shot off his left.