Waterford United celebrated their return to the Premier Division with a deserved victory over UCD in an absorbing and hotly contested game at the RSC.
United scored on 17 minutes when Padraig Dully headed into the roof of the net following a corner from the right by Alan Reynolds.
Waterford were extremely fortunate not to have conceded a goal after only two minutes. Eoin Bennis crossed from the right to find Ken Kilmurray but the ball seemed to stick between his legs and his weak shot from five yards was taken off the line by Joe Harkin.
Waterford had the best of the remainder of the first half and Dully had chances in the 22nd and 34th minutes to put the homeside further ahead.
The second half was somewhat disjointed until the final 15 minutes.
Waterford United: Devine, Power, Frost, Lynch, Riordan, Harkin, McGrath, Reid (Scully 84), Dully (Wood 60), Reynolds (Gannon 75), Griffin.
UCD: Ryan, McLoughlin (Martyn 40), McAuley (O'Donnell 84), Delaney, McDonnell, Lynch, Kavanagh (Tighe 83), Mahon, Bennis, Kilmurray, Dunne. Referee: T Tully (Cork)
