WATERFORD gaffer Peter Queally enjoyed one of his better Déise in the job as his side used their strong start to dismiss Antrim.
The Munster men romped to an 18-point win at Corrigan Park having taken a 2-14 to 0-4 lead into the break.
But it was a poor display from Davy Fitzgerald’s side as the visitors came at them strongly.
And the result leaves the Saffrons in a precarious position in the battle to avoid the drop.
Queally said: “The first half went well for us after a shaky start.
“The first goal was a big momentum change and then the penalty and black card for Keelan Molloy gave us a foothold.
“We drove on and built a healthy lead.”
Playing with a strong wind, Waterford built a big lead and had two points on the board in the first minute.
The lead was three with ten minutes played when they grabbed their first goal from Kevin Mahony.
No 2 came six minutes later via a Stephen Bennett penalty — with Keelan Molloy spending time in the sin-bin after fouling.
The scores flowed for Waterford with Jamie Barron and Dessie Hutchinson on target as Antrim had a few James McNaughton frees to show.
Antrim made a decent start to the second period with the first four points.
But they were unable to sustain their momentum with Waterford adapting to playing into the gale. The visitors could have had a third goal only for the bar denying Hutchinson.
But the game was long decided and petered out soon after.
WATERFORD: B Nolan; C Ryan, C Prunty 0-2, I Daly; M Kiely 0-1, M Fitzgerald 0-1, P Leavey; J Prendergast, C Sheahan; P Fitzgerald 0-4, 3f, J Barron 0-3, C Treen 0-2; K Mahony 1-0, Stephen Bennett 1-3, 1-0 pen, 1f, D Hutchinson 0-4. Subs: K Bennett 0-1 for P Fitzgerald 44 mins; P Hogan 0-1 for Prendergast 44; P Curran 0-1f for Treen 62; S Walsh for Bennett 65; G Fives for Prunty 67.
ANTRIM: R Elliott; E McFerran, R McCloskey, S Rooney; J Maskey, E Campbell, C Bohill; N Elliott, S Elliott 0-1; P Boyle, R McCambridge, K Molloy 0-2; J McLaughlin, J McNaughton 0-6f, N O’Connor. Subs: E O’Neill 0-1 for S Elliott h-t; C McKeown for Boyle 49 mins; A McGarry for McLaughlin 58; G Walsh 0-1f for McCambridge 62.
REFEREE: C Flynn (Westmeath).
