Waterford 3-12
UCC 1-9

Waterford are celebrating a rare success on the football field after scoring a nine-point victory over UCC in the McGrath Cup final at Fraher Field this evening.

The Deise followed up last weekend's memorable semi-final win over Cork to make the competition's roll of honour for the first time since its inaugural year of 1981.

Sigerson Cup holders UCC were bidding to become the first college side to win it and a lively first-half, played in front of an attendance of 907, finished on a scoreline of Waterford 2-9, UCC 1-7.

Joey Veale gave the home side the perfect start when he found the back of the UCC net after just three minutes but Conor Horgan cancelled that effort out in the 18th minute and the students found themselves 1-4 to 1-2 ahead.

Waterford's Gavin Nugent against Kieran Histon of UCC. ©INPHO/Ken Sutton.

Centre-back Maurice O'Gorman put the Deise back in the driving seat when he raised his side's second green flag in the 28th minute and it was all to play for at the break.

Dave Harrington opened the second-half scoring for Billy Morgan's charges but their backs were very much against the wall when Gavin Nugent slotted home Waterford's third goal in the 50th minute.

Tommy Prendergast followed that up with a point shortly after to parachute Tom McGlinchey's charges into a 3-8 to 1-8 lead and they successfully kept their opponents at bay in the final 20 minutes.

Waterford now turn their attention to their league opener against Wicklow next weekend while UCC will be hoping to return to winning ways when they get their defence of the Sigerson Cup underway against CIT on Tuesday.

Waterford - S Enright; D Crowley, N Walsh, T O'Gorman; T O hUallachain, M O'Gorman (1-0), R O Ceallaigh; S Ahearne (0-4, 3f), T Prendergast (0-1); M Curry (0-2), M O'Halloran, P Hurney (0-2); L Lawlor (0-1), G Nugent (1-0), J Veale (1-0). Subs: C Phelan (0-1) for N Walsh, D Grey (0-1) for J Veale, J Curry for P Hurney, B Power for D Crowley, O Keevers for T Prendergast, M Ferncombe for M Curry.

UCC - P McCarthy; J Davis, K Fulignati, K Histon; K O'Sullivan, S White, E Dennehy; A O'Donovan, A Spillane (0-1); F O'Connor, K Davis (0-1), S Keane; T Hickey (0-2, 1f), D Harrington (0-3), C Horgan (1-2, 0-2f). Subs: F Courtney for T Hickey, K Hayes Curtin for K Davis, C Hyde for S White, P Scanlon for A O'Donovan, P Loram for D Harrington, S Power for S Keane.

Referee - S Mulvihill.

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