Louth 1-12 Waterford 1-8: Waterford were left to rue yet another year without a football championship win as Louth progressed to the second round of the qualifiers at Drogheda on Saturday.

Waterford made the brighter start and led by 0-5 to 0-2 after 16 minutes. JP Rooney equalised with a fine goal but Waterford responded through Liam Ó Lionain, who crashed a shot off the Louth crossbar and was quickest to react to fist the rebound to the net.

The goal seemed to serve as a wake-up call to Louth who reeled off four points without reply to lead by 1-6 to 1-5 at the break. Louth goalkeeper Shane McCoy was instrumental in establishing that lead by saving a penalty from Shane Walsh on 25 minutes, after he conceded the spot-kick.

Shane Lennon extended Louth's lead after the break but Waterford were level inside two minutes thanks to a brace of frees from Niall Curran.

A major turning point arrived in the form of two Paddy Matthews scores in a minute for Louth and although Waterford came back to within a point with 11 minutes remaining, Louth finished strongly.

Waterford were reduced to 12 men when Gary Hurney, Karl O'Keefe and Andrew Hubbard all departed in injury-time, the latter receiving a straight red card.

LOUTH: S McCoy; A Page, B Reilly, J Carr; C Sheridan, B Keenan, S Gerard; D Devaney (0-1), J Kermath; P Matthews, (0-2), S Lennon (0-2), R Carroll (0-1); D Clarke (0-5, two frees, one 45), JP Rooney (1-0), T O'Brien. Subs: D Martin for T O'Brien (49 mins), N McDonnell (0-1) for S Lennon (51 mins).

WATERFORD: T Wall; P Ogle, E Walsh, R Hennessy; A Heffernan, M Ahern, T Costelloe; A Hubbard (0-1), K O'Keefe; S Cunningham, S Briggs, L Ó Lionain (1-1); N Curran (0-4, three frees), Gary Hurney (0-1), Shane Walsh (0-1, free). Subs: S Dempsey for P Ogle (half-time), J Wall for S Dempsey (64 mins), P Hurney for Ó Lionain (69 mins).

Referee: T Quigley (Wexford).