Déise decimated as relentless Antrim race to 19-point win 

GREEN FLAG: Antrim's Marc Jordan was on target for the Saffrons against Waterford.

NFL Div 4: Waterford 0-11 (0-2-7) Antrim 4-18 (4-3-12)

On March 15 last year, Waterford brought down London at Cappoquin Logistics Fraher Field to end a 728-day wait for a league win.

Exactly 365 days on from that victory, they were decimated by Antrim at the same venue to suffer an 11th-consecutive competitive defeat.

The Sunday beatdown was evident from the early stages, too. After 16 minutes, Antrim were already 1-7 to 0-1 clear. By the end of the half, the score read 2-13 to 0-4.

Even though their first-half control was aided by a stiff breeze, the second-half change of ends did little to halt Antrim’s momentum.

The Saffrons outscored the hosts 0-5 to 0-2 in the first 20 minutes of the latter act. Even when Waterford landed their sixth point of the game in the 56th minute, the Saffron response was to hit their third and fourth green flags.

First, Ruairi O’Hagan and Joseph Finnegan set up Ryan McQuilligan for a slick finish after 59 minutes. Three minutes later, John McNabb’s 45 came off the upright and landed just outside the square.

Adam Loughran was quickest to react, blasting to the net for a 23-point lead.

The Saffrons’ lead would peak at 24. By conclusion, the Déise had brought it down to 19, courtesy of a couple of well-taken two-point frees from Michael O’Brien. But they were massively outclassed.

A trip to Tipp represents their last opportunity to get a point on the board before taking on the same opposition in the opening round of the Munster Championship next month.

Antrim will be pleased. Pat Shivers and Dominic McEnhill torched the hosts. The pair had registered an orange flag each after two minutes.

Waterford struggled to retain possession, and Antrim continued to punish their turnovers with the wind advantage.

After 11 minutes, the Saffrons had their first goal, Marc Jordan with the finish. McEnhill kicked their third from outside the arc with a free following a Waterford breach, while Peter Healy slipped through for their second major on 32 minutes to kill whatever remained of the contest.

The Déise’s fortunes did not improve with the wind in the latter half.

Scorers for Waterford: M O’Brien (0-5, 2 tpf), S Curry (0-2, 0-1 f), C Walsh, D Ryan, J Walsh, C Keating (0-1 each). 

Scorers for Antrim: D McEnhill (0-8, 1 tp, 1 tpf), P Shivers (0-5, 1 tp, 0-1 f), P Healy, M Jordan, A Loughran, R McQuilligan (1-0 each), P McAleer (0-2), J Finnegan, E McCabe, S O’Neill (0-1 each).

Waterford: P Hunt; T Martin, B Hynes, C Ó Cuirrín; A Crawford, C Walsh, G Power; D Ryan (c), M O’Brien; J Walsh, A Dunwoody, L Mulligan; D Walsh, S Curry, A Murray.

Subs: C Kiely for Ó Cuirrín (28), C Foley for Crawford (HT), K Flynn for Murray (52), C Keating for D Walsh (57).

Antrim: J McNabb; J Morgan, E Walsh, K Keenan; J Finnegan, P Healy, E McCabe (c); P McAleer, M Jordan; R Boyle, D McEnhill, T McCormack; R McQuilligan, A Loughran, P Shivers.

Subs: S O’Neill for Jordan (HT), R O’Hagan for Healy (51), J McAuley for McCormack (58), T McCann for Boyle, T Shivers for P Shivers (both 62).

Referee: M Loughran (Tyrone)