Further to their promotion play-off success at the same venue last November, Waterford made a winning return to Tallaght Stadium to record a glorious first victory over Shamrock Rovers in Dublin 24.
Superbly struck goals from Dean McMenamy and Connor Parsons, following a Leon Pohls own goal, did the damage from Keith Long's side to leave the champions with some soul-searching.
Their first back-to-back wins of the season moves Waterford up to sixth place as Rovers rue the chance to have potentially gone top for the first time this season.
Deploying five at the back, Waterford started positively, forcing an early corner from which they took the lead on three minutes.
Padraig Amond and Parsons initially profited from sloppy Rovers play to break down the left and to force the corner.
Hoops keeper Pohls failed to gather McMenamy’s delivery, flapping the ball into his own net despite the best effort of Markus Poom to keep it out.
In a lively opening to the game, Trevor Clarke blazed wide from a Sean Kavanagh cross before Rovers were level on eight minutes.
Waterford keeper Sam Sargeant could only parry Johnny Kenny's header. Dan Cleary’s follow-up was parried by Sargeant back to Kenny who swept home his fourth goal in successive matches.
Blues were close to regaining the lead just a further four minutes later, Amond again linking with winger Parsons who cut inside Roberto Lopes to curl his shot not far wide.
With their confidence sky high, the visitors did regain the lead on 17 minutes.
Parsons combined well once again with Amond whose drive rebounded back off Josh Honohan. But only as far as ex-Hoop McMenamy who chested the ball down to drill a shot from some 25 yards into the bottom corner for a cracking first goal of the season.
Continuing to struggle to get a foothold in the game, Rovers didn’t worry the Waterford goal again until the 33rd minute.
Kavanagh worked a one-two from a throw-in on the left to cross.
Blues skipper Darragh Leahy did well to deflect Clarke’s shot out for Rovers’ first corner of the evening.
Minutes later, Greene collected a loose clearance to rifle just off target while Clarke again came close before the interval.
The Waterford goal remained under pressure from the resumption, Poom’s free tipped over to force successive corners.
But Blues survived to extend their lead with a terrific goal on 54 minutes.
Rovers failed to clear Maleace Asamoah’s shot which Pohls had pushed away.
The loose ball was pounced on by Parsons who got it onto his left foot to drive it home off the underside of the crossbar.
Rovers piled on the pressure for much of the remainder of the game. Kenny rattled the crossbar while Dan Cleary also twice hit the woodwork as Waterford held on for a big win.
Shamrock Rovers: Leon Pohls; Dan Cleary, Roberto Lopes, Josh Honohan; Markus Poom (Cian Barrett 78), Conan Noonan (Neil Farrugia 55); Trevor Clarke (Cory O’Sullivan 75), Darragh Nugent, Sean Kavanagh (Jack Byrne 56); Johnny Kenny, Aaron Greene.
Waterford: Sam Sargeant; Darragh Power, Kacper Radkowski, Grant Horton, Robbie McCourt, Darragh Leahy; Rowan McDonald, Dean McMenamy (Niall O’Keeffe 90); Maleace Asamoah (Harvey Macadam 70), Padraig Amond, Connor Parsons (Christie Pattisson 82).
Referee: Eoghan O’Shea (Tipperary).
Attendance: 4,843.
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