A second-half Shane Walsh goal propelled Waterford to a first win of the Allianz Hurling League win against Galway in Pearse Stadium, 1-14 to 0-15.
The returning John Mullane caused havoc all day for the Galway rearguard, scoring two points but was central to all of the Deise men’s creative play.
Each side had a man sent off in the first half, with Shane O’Sullivan picking up his second yellow card in the 26th minute – two minutes after his first – while Galway corner-back Declan Connolly followed him to the line three minutes later.
This was a real return to form for Waterford, but Galway’s failure to gain the upper hand on the Déise men continues.
After exiting the championship at the hands of Davy Fitzgerald’s side last summer in John McIntyre’s last game as Tribes boss, Galway once more flattered to deceive.
Early on it was all Waterford and by the 22nd minute they had worked a 0-05 to 0-01 lead, with a Niall Burke free Galway’s sole score. Four of those points came from Pauric Mahony frees – he scored nine in total – but it was Mullane that was causing the trouble.
Twice he earned frees off Connolly infringements and the second produced Connolly’s first yellow.
But after Joseph Cooney’s introduction in the 20th minute Galway improved.
O’Sullivan was booked for hauling down Cooney, who was rapidly closing in on goal and after involvement in a futher two points, Galway had pegged it back to 0-8 to 0-5 at the break.
But Walsh’s goal six minutes into the second-half proved the killer blow, as the Fourmilewater man flicked Mullane’s hand-pass to the net past James Skehill.
Galway mustered a late comeback with a pair of points from Barry Daly and a great effort from substitute Brian Flaherty, but they ran out of time and Waterford live to fight another day as Walsh’s late point sealed the win.
Meanwhile, Br Philip has stepped down as a Waterford selector.
Team manager Michael Ryan has confirmed this to RTÉ, adding that he is being replaced by Sean Cullinane from Passage East.
Nicky Cashin had stepped down as a selector earlier in the week.
Galway scorers - N Burke (0-05, 3fs); D Burke (0-03); A Smith (0-02); B Daly (0-02); C Cooney (0-01); N Donoghue (0-01); B Flaherty (0-01)
Waterford scorers - P Mahony (0-09fs); S Walsh (1-02); J Mullane (0-02); M Shanahan (0-01)
Galway: J Skehill; G O’Halloran, D Collins, D Connolly; J Coen, F Moore, N Donoghue; D Burke, A Smith; C Cooney, N Burke, C Donnellan; D Hayes, B Daly, B Burke.
Subs: J Cooney for B Burke, 20; J Ryan for Skehill, 43; D Glennon for Donnellan, 49; B Flaherty for Donoghue, 51; J Regand for Smith, 62;
Waterford: S O’Keeffe; P Mahony, L Lawlor, A Kearney; D Fives, M Walsh, S O’Sullivan; D Twomey, K Moran; M Shanahan, P Mahony, E McGrath; J Mullane, S Walsh, G O’Brien.
Subs: J Nagle for Twomey, 47; S Prendergast for McGrath, 56; E Kelly for Shanahan, 62; M O’Neill for O’Brien, 70; D O’Sullivan for Mahony, 70.
Referee: Anthony Stapleton (Laois).
