Waterford United were only two minutes from victory at the RSC when Longford Town, under pressure for most of the night, snatched a draw from the penalty spot.
Defender David Breen handled in the area from a corner by Ryan Casey and substitute Keith Kelch made no mistake with a fierce drive that gave goalkeeper Packie Holden little chance.
The Blues opened the scoring on 53 minutes when Dave Warren jinked his way past two defenders in the area and drilled a low, hard shot past goalkeeper Shay Kelly after Paul McCarthy played the ball into his path from a Michael Foley cross.
Seven minutes later, the home side almost increased their lead but Damien Rushe cleared Luke Fitzpatrick’s header off the line from a Foley corner.
Longford should have taken the lead 27 minutes into the first half when Iarfhlaith Davoren crossed from the right but both Rushe and Darren McKenna both failed to score from close range in front of goal.
Waterford United: Holden, Fitzgerald, Clarke, Breen, Browne, Fitzpatrick, Warren, McCarthy, Sullivan (Kiely, 78 mins), Bermingham (Grincell, 61), Waters (Foley, 50).
Longford Town: S. Kelly, O'Donnell, Casey, Frawley, Murray (Barret, 78 mins), Hardy, Lynch (B Kelly, 78), Doyle (Kelch, 65), McKenna, Rushe, Davoren.
Referee: Sean Grant (Wexford)
