It was far from convincing, but Wicklow came away from Dungarvan with the two points in their Division 4 clash with Waterford.
In driving wind and rain at Cappoquin Logistics Fraher Field, they found a way past the hosts, grinding out a hard-fought five-point win.
The Déise had led at the interval, 0-05 to 0-04, but playing into a testing wind, that one-point lead became all the more precarious, with the Garden County surging back.
Dean Healy was a key figure in their rally. Superb in the second half, he edged Wicklow ahead on 53 minutes before Kevin Quinn's free pushed it out to two.
Jack Kirwan nearly hit the net it in the 58th minute, his close-range strike cannoning off the post.
Moments later Healy raised the first orange flag. Waterford replied through Dermot Ryan – who'd been excellent all evening – and suddenly it was 0-11 to 0-09 with five minutes left to play.
The Déise pushed and probed, but the visitors held firm.
Substitute Joe Prendergast sealed it in stoppage time – two points from intricate handpassing – and James Walsh's evening ended in chaos for Waterford, with a black, yellow and red card all in the span of ten seconds.
Waterford were better than the scoreboard suggested, Ryan Murray and Conor Murray in particular stood out.
In the first half, there had only been three scores from play. Waterford had taken an early 0-03 to 0-01 lead before three without reply pushed Oisín McConville's side in front by the 24th minute.
Points from Tommy Martin and Stephen Curry had Waterford in front at the break, but having played with the wind, they needed a bigger margin.
For Waterford, the wait for a win drags on. Their last victory came in March 2025 against London, and this defeat – in front of their own supporters – will sting.
Waterford: Paudie Hunt; Billy Hynes, Adam Crawford, Conor Ó Cuirrín; Liam Mulligan, Michael Curry, Michael O’Brien; Caoimhín Walsh, Darragh Walsh; Tommy Martin (0-01), Dermot Ryan (0-04, 1tp, 2fs), Conor Murray (0-01); James Walsh (0-01), Stephen Curry (0-02, 1f), Paddy McCarthy.
Subs: Adam Murray for McCarthy (55), Conor Fennell for C Walsh (63), Colin Foley for M Curry (73).
Wicklow: Mark Jackson; Cian Deering, Craig Maguire, Tom Moran; Gavin Fogarty, Eoin Murtagh, Darragh Fee (0-01); Dean Healy (0-03, 1tp), Jack Hardy; Cillian McDonald (0-01), Padraig O’Toole, Kevin Quinn (0-02, 1f); Oisin McGraynor (0-01, 1f), Sean Murphy, Eoin Darcy (0-02, 1f).
Subs: Conor Fee for McGraynor (23-28 temp), JP Nolan (0-02) for McGraynor (ht), Jack Kirwan for Murphy (47), Joe Prendergast (0-02) for Fogarty (63), Liam O’Neill for Darcy (65), Jacques McCall for Murtagh (70).
Referee: Jonathan Hayes (Limerick).
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