On paper it should have been an easy match-up for Down on home turf against Waterford who are second from bottom in the lowest league tier.
But the team who almost made it out of Division 3 this season under new manager Conor Laverty, made hard work of their Tailteann Cup opener in Páirc Esler on Saturday evening.
Nonetheless, they came good in the second half and ran out comfortable 2-14 to 1-06 winners in the end.
Laverty rang the changes since Down's 4-10 to 0-12 defeat to Armagh in the Ulster Championship semi-final two weeks ago. The manager had said he was releasing his players to their clubs and he stuck to his guns. The Down changes included championship debut starts for Conor Fitzpatrick, Finn McElroy and Ross Carr and goalkeeper Charlie Smyth replacing Kilcoo netminder Niall Kane who shipped four goals against Armagh.
Waterford also played Aaron Beresford in nets in place of Paudie Hunt who started in their 3-09 to 1-11 defeat to Tipperary in the Munster Championship quarter-final but otherwise mangers Peter Leahy and Frank Ryan named the same team.
It took an age for this match to heat up and even when it did after the opening Waterford goal on 19 minutes, it remained tepid at best.
Before that there were tit-for-tat points between Jason Curry for Waterford and Pat Havern for Down - all four from the dead ball. The latter opened the scoring with a mark in the first minute and the Saval man kept his scoring boots on with two other terrific first half points from play.
Conor Murray burst forward for the opening goal for the visitors chased half-heartedly by Ross Carr, before slamming into the net.
Five minutes later Down responded in kind, when a well-worked team move ended with Eugene Branagan delivering to Eamon Brown in front of the Waterford goal and he drilled home.
That gave the hosts a 1-03 to 1-02 lead and they pulled away after that finishing the half 1-06 to 1-02 in front.
A plethora of wides in the first 10 minutes of the second half made for difficult watching before traded points got the scoreboard moving again. A superb mark scooped out of the sky by Ceilum Doherty led to a point for Down from sub Donach McAleenan before Odhran Murdock went on a solo run and finished to the net on 50 minutes.
Michel Curry was denied a goal at the other end with a clearance off the line, but despite Down being reduced to 14 men when Murdock was black carded on 60 minutes the points kept accumulating and the game finished 2-14 to 1-06.
Down take the long road to Tipperary next Sunday May 21 for their second group fixture in Semple Stadium at 1.45pm, while Waterford are at home to Meath on Saturday May 20 at 6-30pm.
Down: Charlie Smyth; Finn McElroy, Pierce Laverty, Conor Fitzpatrick; Anthony Morgan (0-01), Shane Annett, Danny Magill; Ross Carr, Patrick Branagan; Andrew Gilmore (0-04, 2f), Shealan Johnston (0-01), Odhran Murdock (1-00); Eugene Branagan (0-01), Pat Havern (0-05, 1m, 2f), Eamon Brown (1-00)
Subs: Daniel Guinness for McElroy h/t, Ceilum Doherty for Morgan h/t, Donach McAleenan (0-02) for Fitzpatrick 44, Paddy McCarthy for Havern 60. Conor Poland for Annett 65
Waterford: Aaron Beresford; Liam Fennell, Darragh O Cathasaigh, Conor O Cuirrin; Dermot Ryan (0-01), Brian Looby, Jordan O’Sullivan; Michael Curry, Brian Lynch; Conor Murray (1-00), Darragh Corcoran (0-02), Jason Curry (0-02f); Eoghan McGrath-Butler, Sean Whelan-Barrett, Michael Kiely
Subs: Jason Gleeson (0-01,f) for Whelan-Barrett 51, Tom O’Connell for Kiely 51, Mark Cummins for O’Sullivan 65, Josh Veale for OCuirrin 66, Jack Keane for M Curry 67
Referee: Barry Cassidy (Derry)
