NFL Division Four
Waterford 0-11
Antrim 4-18
At Cappoquin Logistics Fraher Field, Dungarvan

ANTRIM continued their winning streak after they ran riot in the South-East coast on Sunday afternoon where they tore hosts Waterford apart to earn their third consecutive victory in the National Football League.

The Saffrons went into the tie against the bottom side off back-to-back victories over Wicklow and Leitrim with Sunday's result only increasing promotion hopes to give them a slender chance ahead of their clash with London next weekend.

It was a dominant performance from start to finish in Dungarvan with the Saffrons earning a nine score tally after the opening quarter of an hour after Marc Jordan's first major gave the travellers a huge boost.

Jordan was the finisher but he was set up by the returning Peter Healy who managed to assist his defensive partner in the attacking third, as the Lámh Dhearg man lashing his effort beyond Paudie Hunt in the Waterford goal.

Dominic McEnhill and Pat Shivers deployed their ability from range to keep the scoreboard ticking over for the Saffrons early on with their efforts seeing orange flags raised.

The pair would then be gifted a white flag opportunity moments later after a stray Paudie Hunt kickout, and Shivers would tee up McEnhill for the score as the away side began to make short work of their opponents.

Peter Healy would get his own chance to find the net for a second Antrim goal of the first half, and the Saffrons ran riot, picking their opponents apart with precision and managing to overturn possession when it mattered most.

McEnhill managed another two-pointer, this time from a dead ball and Antrim began to kick on from then onwards.

Aided by a breeze in the opening half, Antrim made sure they secured the points before the half with Waterford steaming into the second-half and initially out-scoring their opponents in the first 20 minutes of the second half.

And even when Waterford put their second white flag of the second half on the board through James Walsh, the Antrim response was the third and fourth green flags to continue the rout.

Rossa star McEnhill would continue to threaten as his tally increased with the half wearing on and Antrim looked firmly in the driving seat to make a dent in the score difference in the league standings.

Ruairi O’Hagan and Joseph Finnegan combined before working it to Ryan McQuillian for a slick finish on the hour mark ensuring the victory with Antrim's third major of the afternoon.

Three minutes later John McNabb’s 45 effort came off the upright and landed just outside the square where Adam Loughran was quickest to pounce on the loose ball, kicking it first time into the net for Antrim's fourth goal of the afternoon.

Antrim's lead had reached an impressive 23 as the final ten minutes began to play out, but the points were never in doubt as the game reached the final stages.

The hosts did show a bit of fight following a couple of well-taken late two-point frees from Michael O’Brien, but Antrim continued to ply on their sustained pressure with early orange flags for the Saffrons, their advantage reached an insurmountable tally.

That was the story of the home-side's first half. Antrim were sharp, but Waterford were their own worst enemy gifting possession and too much space to the Antrim forwards who would take the privilege and impressed with their fancy scoring ability.

Seán O'Neill entered the fray but his late score accompanied by Paddy McAleer's scores saw the scoreboard continue to move into unknown territory for Antrim as they blitzed their opponents and continue their hunt for promotion ahead of next weekend's tie with London.

The hopes of promotion are slim, but after a hefty tally which brings Antrim back in the positive column for score difference, head to head could be a decisive factor next weekend at Cargin.

Waterford: Paudie Hunt; Tommy Martin, Billy Hynes, Conor Ó Cuirrín; Adam Crawford, Caoimhín Walsh (0-01), Glen Power; Dermot Ryan (capt) (0-01), Michael O’Brien (0-05, 2TPF); James Walsh (0-01), Alan Dunwoody, Liam Mulligan; Darragh Walsh, Stephen Curry (0-02, 0-01 f), Adam Murray

Subs: Cian Kiely for Ó Cuirrín (28), Colin Foley for Crawford (HT), Kyle Flynn for Murray (52), Conor Keating (0-01) for D Walsh (57)

Antrim: John McNabb; John Morgan, Eunan Walsh, Kavan Keenan; Joseph Finnegan (0-01), Peter Healy (1-00), Eoghan McCabe (capt) (0-01); Paddy McAleer (0-02, 0-01f), Marc Jordan (1-00); Ronan Boyle, Dominic McEnhill (0-08, 1xTP, 1xTPF), Tiernan McCormack; Ryan McQuilligan (1-00), Adam Loughran (1-00), Pat Shivers (0-05, 1xTP, 0-1f)

Subs: Seán O’Neill (0-01) for Jordan (HT), Ruairi O’Hagan for Healy (51), James McAuley for McCormack (58), Tomas McCann for Boyle, Tom Shivers for P Shivers (both 62)

Referee: Mark Loughran (Tyrone)