Dundalk hauled themselves off the bottom of the table with a convincing win over fellow strugglers Waterford at rain-swept Oriel Park yesterday. The home club have a real gem in 17-year-old David Martin and the young man from Ardee, who got the important goal in the cup game against Limerick last Tuesday, contributed greatly to the fall of Waterford yesterday.

Dundalk were always in charge after they took the lead in the fourth minute. Lee Thew scored from 12 yards after a free-kick by Shane Reddish found him unmarked.

Reddish shaved the post later in the half as Dundalk were well worth their 1-0 interval lead.

Playing against the wind and rain in the second half, Waterford were always struggling and Dundalk wasted several good chances to go further in front. However, the visitors fate was sealed in the 73rd minute when Waterford goalkeeper Michael Devine raced out of his area to take Martin down.

Referee John Stacey had no option but to show the red card to Devine and it was only a matter of time before Dundalk went further ahead. From a David Crawley free-kick Dundalk's other young gun, David Ward, scrambled the ball to the Waterford net.

In extra-time, Tom McNulty, who gave his usual stalwart display, was unlucky not to get a third when a shot from 20 yards shaved the crossbar.

Dundalk: Williams, Reddish, Crawley, Brady, Melvin, Thew, McNulty, Campbell, Martin, Ward, Dunne.

Waterford United: Devine, Smith, Kelleher, D McGrath, O'Riordan, T McGrath, Kabia, Flood, Wood, Browne, Gannon. Subs: Frost and Harkin for Kelleher and Flood (72 mins).

Referee: J Stacey (Athlone).

Former Middlesbrough midfielder Juninho looks set to return to England from Atletico Madrid after coach Arrigo Sacchi admitted yesterday he does not feature in his first-team plans.

Boro and Aston Villa have expressed an interest in signing him.