Waterford 3-15 Carlow 0-10
Waterford maintained their 100 per cent record at the top of Division 1B with a facile 14-point victory over 13-man Carlow.
Conditions at Fraher Field were atrocious, with driving rain and a swirling wind throughout. However, it was the home side who adapted best and goals from each of their full forwards Thomas Ryan, Stephen Bennett and Shane Bennett put the result beyond their challengers.
The second half dismissals of Ger Coady and Diarmuid Byrne capped off a miserable night for the Colm Bonnar-managed Carlow men.
Two goals in as many minutes put the home side in the ascendancy early. After 10 minutes a Shane Bennett line-ball was flicked to the net by Thomas Ryan and within a minute Shane Bennett again provided the assist for his brother Stephen to find the net from 14 metres to make it 2-1 to 0-3.
Waterford's play was more precise despite the awful conditions with Colin Dunford, Jamie Barron and DJ Foran all landing first half-half points, helping Pauric Fanning's home side to a 2-7 to 0-7 interval lead. The loss of talisman Martin Kavanagh through injury after 33 minutes didn't help the Leinster side's cause.
Goal number three arrived after 44 minutes when Jack Prendergast careered through the heart of the Carlow defence before placing Shane Bennett to finish to the top right-hand corner of the net past Damien Jordan in the Carlow goal. Any faint hope of Carlow had of getting something from the game expired when substitute Diarmuid Byrne was sent off for a reckless pull after 52 minutes.
With the benefit of an extra man and wind assisted, Waterford could coast to the finish. Indeed Carlow didn't register a second-half score until the 60th minutes when substitute Chris Nolan pointed.
There was further misery for Carlow when Ger Coady was sent to the line in the 62nd minute for a second bookable offense.
Carlow, who had caused a surprise when holding Galway to a draw in the previous round, must regroup quickly with games to come against Laois and Offaly to decide their league faith.
Waterford will bring their unblemished record to Parnell Park to play Dublin next Sunday with a home final round game against Galway to complete their schedule.
WATERFORD: B Nolan; S McNulty, C Prunty, N Connors; A Gleeson, M Walsh, J Henley; J Barron (0-2), C Dunford (0-1); DJ Foran (0-1), M Kearney (0-1), J Prendergast; T Ryan (1-1), Stephen Bennett (1-8, seven frees), Shane Bennett (1-0).
Subs: C Lyons (0-1) for J Henley (48 mins), S Ryan for T Ryan (52), M Harney for C Dunford (59), S Roche for Shane Bennett (64).
CARLOW: D Jordan; M Doyle , A Corcoran, G Bennett; G Coady, D English, R Coady (0-1); J Kavanagh, J Murphy; JM Nolan, R Smithers, S Murphy; J Doyle, D Murphy (0-2, one free), M Kavanagh (0-4, three frees).
Subs: E Byrne (0-2) for Martin Kavanagh (33 mins), C Nolan (0-1) for JM Nolan (37m), D Byrne for S Murphy (45m), T Joyce for Bennett (48), S Whelan for J Murphy (53).
Referee: John Keenan (Wicklow).
