Waterford sprung a massive shock when they dumped south east neighbours Wexford out of the All-Ireland SFC with Saturday's first round qualifier win at sun-drenched Innovate Wexford Park.
Tom McGlinchey's men were full value for only their second-ever win in the backdoor competition and first since 2011 as goals from defender Shane Ryan, JJ Hutchinson and substitute Joe Allen powered the Deise past disjointed Wexford.
In the counties' first-ever senior football championship meeting, Jason Curry and Conor Murray shot Waterford into a 0-02 to 0-01 lead before Wexford appeared to be gained the upper-hand when turning the tables by 0-05 to 0-02 after 14 minutes through Ben Brosnan, John Tubritt, Eoghan Nolan and Donal Shanley (two frees).
But Waterford then began to expose a ragged Wexford rearguard as the visitors transformed matters by 2-06 to 0-07 after 26 minutes, with wing-back Shane Ryan knifing through to drive a JJ Hutchinson pass to the net on 15 minutes, before full-forward Hutchinson found the rigging with an outstanding finish to the roof of the net.
Wexford repaired some damage with closing scores from Brosnan (2) and Shanley (free) as they got to the sanctuary of half-time adrift by 2-07 to 0-10.
But the picture got even gloomier for the locals and all the rosier for Waterford on 47 minutes when a swift counter-attack culminated in substitute Joe Allen crashing a low finish to the net to boost the margin to 3-09 to 0-11.
Waterford were always comfortable, but Wexford were left fuming after having what seemed a perfectly legitimate goal ruled out before eventually gaining a lifeline at the outset of six minutes added-time when centre-back Naomhan Rossiter buried his second goal of the 2018 championship.
That narrowed the gap to four points, 3-14 to 1-16, but the locals couldn't salvage the tie as Waterford deservedly embraced afterwards as they savoured making Monday's draw for second round.
Waterford: Stephen Enright; Aidan Trihy, Stephen Prendergast, James McGrath; Brian Looby, Michael Curry, Shane Ryan (1-0); Tommy Prendergast (0-1), Kieran Power (0-2); Gavin Crotty, Dylan Guiry, Conor Murray (0-3), Jason Curry (0-6, 5 frees), JJ Hutchinson (1-2), Jack Mullaney.
Subs: Joe Allen (1-0) for Crotty (black-card, 50); Thomas O'Gorman for Power (51); Conor McCarthy for Murray (70+3); Mark Cummins for S Prendergast (black-card, 70+5).
Wexford: Conor Swaine; Michael Furlong, Eoin Porter, Conor Carty; Shane Doyle, Naomhan Rossiter (1-0), Tiarnan Rossiter; Brian Malone (0-1), Eoghan Nolan (0-1); James Stafford, Ben Brosnan (0-3), Glen Malone; David Shannon, Donal Shanley (0-9, 6 frees), John Tubritt (0-4).
Subs: Robert Frayne for Shannon (half-time); Martin O'Connor for Doyle (half-time); Nick Doyle for Nolan (42); Barry O'Connor for T Rossiter (48); Craig McCabe for Brosnan (57); Donnacha Holmes for Stafford (63).
Referee: Cormac Reilly (Meath).
