Finn Harps recorded back-to-back league wins for the first time since August last year as Sean Boyd’s last minute winner lifted the Donegal side off the bottom of the Premier Division table.
Harps battled back from Aaron Drinan’s opener with a Mikey Place brace to lead at the break.
Alan Reynolds’ charges forced Harps to sit deep for the majority of the second half and looked like they did enough to take a point, when Damien Delaney scrambled the ball across the line on 89 minutes.
However, the day belonged to Harps and match winner Boyd who popped up less than sixty seconds later to secure the home side’s second win on the trot.
In the 100th meeting of these two sides, it was Waterford who took the initiative early on.
Cory Galvin holding off a Harps player before threading the ball into the path of Drinan. The Republic of Ireland underage international firing past Peter Burke with less than four minutes gone.
Without a number of key players through injury and suspension, the Donegal side then lost full back Michael Gallagher to a knock after only eight minutes.
However the Ballybofey faithful finally had something to smile about on 24 minutes. Place firing the free-kick he won, past Matt Connor from little more than 20 yards. Although the Waterford net minder might have done better with his effort to keep the ball out.
Things got even better for Ollie Horgan’s boys seven minutes from the break. Liam Walsh and Georgie Poynton tangled on the goal line as both contested a cross from the right.
The Waterford man seemed to make contact with Walsh’s face and with referee Paul McLaughlin in an ideal position to judge, the penalty was awarded. Place blasting the spot kick into Connor’s top corner for his third of the year.
Boyd spurned two great chances to extend Harps’ lead either side of the break. His free header at the front post spun over Connor’s crossbar before the whistle. While having done all the hard work to see off his marker, the on-loan striker could only blaze over after linking up with Place on 48.
Shane Duggan flashed a volley narrowly wide from the edge of the box on the hour as the Munster men began to push their opponents back.
Harps were pinning their hopes on any counter attacks they could produce and were almost in on 71.
Rory Feely’s last-ditch tackle the difference as he stole possession from the toe of Boyd, after substitute Nathan Boyle looked like he had sent his strike partner through on goal.
Waterford looked like they would return home with at least a point when they finally found their equaliser with one minute remaining. Akinade sending Poynton’s corner back across the face of goal where Delaney was on hand to smuggle the ball across the line.
But more drama was to arrive on the stroke of full-time. Place supplying Boyd who held his composure to coolly slot the ball between Connor’s legs.
Finn Harps: Peter Burke; Niall Logue, Daniel O’Reilly, John Kavanagh; Michael Gallagher (Colm Deasy 8), Mark Russell; Tony McNamee, Jacob Borg; Mikey Place (Stephen Doherty 93), Liam Walsh (Nathan Boyle 63); Sean Boyd.
Waterford: Matt Connor; Georgie Poynton, Damien Delaney, Rory Feely, JJ Lunney; Karolis Chvedukas (Scott Twine 66), Shane Duggan; Cory Galvin (John Martin 88), Bastien Hery, Aaron Drinan; Ishmahil Akinade.
Referee: Paul McLaughlin.
