Waterford finally broke Dundalk's defensive resolve at Oriel Park to give their European ambitions a major shot in the arm, as they secured a well-earned 2-0 away win.
The Louth men hadn’t conceded at home in eight matches stretching back to 4 March but a brilliant breakaway goal from Connor Parsons on 19 minutes and a well-struck free-kick from Dean McMenamy just before the break ensured that Keith Long’s side became just the third side this season to leave the venue with three points.
That result sees them move up to third in the table following their seventh win in their last 10 matches, while it leaves Dundalk just three points clear of bottom spot.
The outcome was far from a given though with Jon Daly’s side a major threat throughout, only to be denied on a number of occasions by Sam Sergeant, who was in inspired form throughout.
The Blues showed a resolve though that suggests they could be hard to dislodge in the race for Europe, with this their first clean sheet since 3 May.
Both sides had chances in the early stages with Robbie Benson firing two efforts either side of the post in the opening four minutes before Ben McCormack thrashed the ball wide from close range after charging down Hayden Muller’s clearance.
Waterford were then unlucky not to take the lead on 11 minutes when captain Darragh Leahy’s corner was partially headed clear by Benson at the near post only for Padraig Amond to send a header goalwards that had to be nodded off the line by Zak Johnson.
After debutant Sean Keogh had tested Sargeant with a free kick, Waterford took the lead with a brilliant breakaway goal.
Benson’s corner towards Daryl Horgan at the back post was charged down by Amond, who released Christie Pattison on the left. The German born player then rode a couple of challenges before playing a brilliant ball in behind Paul Doyle for Parsons to race onto with the former Wycombe Wanderers player easily slotting past Ross Munro.
To their credit, Dundalk didn’t let their heads drop and they almost responded immediately with Archie Davies forcing Sargeant into a fine save at full stretch two minutes later.
While Johnson was called into action to make a fine block to deny McCormack, it was the hosts who had the bulk of the chances after the goal.
Eoin Kenny, making his first league start for the club his dad Stephen used to manage, just failed to get on the end of two good balls from Keogh and Horgan before finally getting his toe on the end of Benson’s corner on 34 minutes, with Sargeant spilling the effort before gathering at the second attempt.
Captain John Mountney then headed just over after attacking a brilliant ball in from the right from Horgan.
However, their good work was undone two minutes before the break when McMenamy crashed a free-kick to the bottom right hand corner of the net after Doyle was adjudged to have fouled McCormack just outside the box.
Amond then went close to killing the game as a contest two minutes after the restart when he shaved the outside of the post with a header from McCormack’s inswinging free.
Mountney then pulled a shot wide from the edge of the box on 50 minutes after a great break that culminated with Davies picking him out.
The Mayo man then had another attempt three minutes later that was blocked by Kacper Radkowski as the home side refused to throw in the towel.
Sargeant was then called into action on 56 minutes to make a fine save after racing off his line to deny Ryan O’Kane, who had been slipped in by Benson on the break.
Mountney then headed wide from another Keogh cross before O’Kane did likewise from a delivery from the opposite side from Davies.
Mountney then zipped a free through the wall on 82 minutes but Sargeant got down to his right to make a fine save - repeating the feat to deny Benson from another free kick in stoppage time to ensure his fifth clean sheet of the campaign.
Indeed, Waterford were unlucky not to add a third in the 95th minute when substitute Connor Evans was denied by Munro after breaking through on goal.
Dundalk: Ross Munro; Archie Davies, Zak Johnson, Hayden Muller, Sean Keogh; Daryl Horgan, John Mountney, Paul Doyle, Robbie Benson, Ryan O’Kane (Robbie Mahon 73); Eoin Kenny (Cameron Elliott 66)
Waterford: Sam Sergeant; Darragh Power, Grant Horton, Kacper Radkowski, Darragh Leahy; Rowan McDonald (Robbie McCourt 89), Ben McCormack (Niall O’Keeffe 79); Christie Pattison (Joseph Forde 94), Dean McMenamy, Connor Parsons (Connor Evans 89); Padraig Amond
Referee: Paul Norton
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