Waterford recorded a first win in this year’s National Camogie League on Saturday afternoon last beating Dublin at Parnell Park.

The win not only moves Jerry Wallace’s side off the bottom of the table, moving them up to fourth, but if Waterford were to gain wins over bottom of the table Kilkenny and reigning league champions Tipperary in their last two games, and results in other games go the way of the Déise County, they stand a chance of winning a place in the League Final for the first time, which would be a remarkable achievement having lost their first two games to All-Ireland Champions Cork and last years league runners up – Galway.

From the first minute to the last, Waterford were the better team in this fixture and never look like they were going to be at wrong end of a result for the third game in a row.

Player of the Match, Niamh Rockett opened the scoring for Waterford in the third minute and while Gabby Couch cancelled out that score shortly afterwards, once Beth Carton put over a brace of scores, there was no looking back for Waterford.

The first goal came on 14 minutes. Lorraine Bray, Mairead O’Brien and Abby Flynn were all involved in the build-up. Abby Flynn took a shot at goal which appeared to be going into the net, but Niamh Rockett standing in front of goal put up were hand as the ball came in her direction and changed the flight of the ball in mid-air making any chance of Eimear Hurley in the Dublin goal getting to the shot by Abby Flynn impossible.

After Beth Carton had extended the Waterford led with a point from a free, Waterford further extended their led with a second goal. Lorraine Bray who is one of the finest ever players of the game sent in a shot from about 30 metres which came crashing off the crossbar, but instead of coming back out into play, it dropped straight down and hit Eimear Hurley in the Dublin goal and dropped into the net.

Dublin hit back with points from Aoife McKearney, Sinead Wylde and Emma Moran, but the players in the sky-blue shirts must have been thinking even at this early stage the game was slipping from them.

Waterford in the closing minutes would end the half strong as Beth Carton put over a brace of scores, one from a free, the other from play before striking for a third goal.

Some may claim there was luck to the first two goals. There was no luck to the first. Niamh Rockett knew what she was doing putting up her hand for the first goal and changing the flight of the ball in doing so, and while there might be a degree of luck to the second, the third goal was possibly the best of the three.

Abby Flynn after collecting the ball on the stand side of the field while attacking the city end of the ground spotted an unmarked Mairead O’Brien in front of goal and the Modeligo player made no mistake once she was picked out and fired to the net to give Waterford a 3-6 to 0-4 led at the break.

While there were no goals in the second half, Waterford continued to be the better of the two sides in the second half.

Abby Flynn opened the second half scoring, but this was soon cancelled out with one from Aoife McKearney. Beth Carton from a free and Eimear O’Neill followed up with points to extend Waterford’s lead six minutes into the second half. Three points in a two-minute spell from the brilliant Niamh Rockett, a player that has played Junior, Intermediate and Senior All-Irelands for Waterford to put her side 3-12 to 0-5 ten minutes into the second half.

Aoife McKearney with a hat-trick of points and one each from Emma Moran and Aisling Gannon brought Dublin’s tally on the scoreboard to nine points with ten minutes to play, but it was goals they needed if they were going to get something from the game.

Abby Flynn got her second score of the game was followed with one from Tara Power before Niamh Rockett put over a 45 putting Waterford 14 points up with five minutes plus stoppage time to play.

A brace of late scores for the home side put a mere gloss on the scoreboard for them with the 60 minutes played and in stoppage time Molly Comerford having come on struck for the last score of the game.

Waterford: Noelle Murphy; Rachel Walsh, Keeley Corbett-Barry, Alannah McNulty; Bevin Bowdren, Lorraine Bray, Iona Heffernan; Orla Hickey, Eimear O’Neill; Beth Carton, Abbie Flynn, Niamh Rockett; Maggie Gostl, Mairead O’Brien, Kate Lynch.

Subs: Alannah O’Sullivan for Orla Hickey (43), Sarah Morrissey for Eimear O’Neill (44), Tara Power for Alannah McNulty (44), Brianna O’Regan for Noelle Murphy (53), Molly Commerford for Maggie Gostl (56), Niamh Ahearne for Rachel Walsh (56), Clodagh Carroll for Iona Heffernan (56)

Scorers: Niamh Rockett 1-5 (1 ’45), Beth Carton 0-6 (4f), Lorraine Bray, Mairead O’Brien 1-0 each, Abbie Flynn 0-2, Eimear O’Neill, Tara Power, Molly Commerford 0-1 each.