Tom Elmes was the man of the moment at Ferrycarrig Park on Friday night, hitting four goals as Wexford Youths demolished local rivals Waterford United 6-0 in what was a spectacular opening to their 2012 league season.

Even the five hundred plus attendance in Ferrycarrig Park could not believe the ease with which the home side raced to victory in this local derby against a disjointed Waterford side. Ironically, it was the visitors who started the stronger and they were unlucky not to go in front when Sean Maguire brought a good save from Graham Doyle after just four minutes.

But Wexford soon got to grips with the game and minutes later Danny Furlong had an effort scrambled clear. The breakthrough for the home side came on 14 minutes when Tom Elmes rose highest in a crowded penalty area to head home Aidan Keegan’s cross with Waterford ‘keeper Robbert Hughes well beaten.

The game continued at a frantic pace, as you might expect in a local derby, with both sides creating chances. But defences dominated until 33 minutes when Danny Furlong’s free kick wasn’t cleared by the Blues and, after a goalmouth scramble, the ball was eventually deemed to have crossed the Waterford goal-line. Shane Nolan deemed to have got the final touch.

The home side were now in the ascendancy and four minutes from the break, Tom Elmes got on the end of a Patsy Malone ball and slotted into the corner of the net from an acute angle. And matters worsened for Waterford a minute from half time when captain John Frost was given his marching orders for a second yellow card after a late tackle on Furlong.

Whatever team talk the visitors manager Paul O’Brien had drilled into his players at the break was dealt a killer blow when, two minutes into the second half, Tom Elmes nodded a Shane Nolan cross into the net to complete his hat trick and kill off the match as a contest.

Waterford did play some of their better football at this point as they searched for some consolation from the game but the home side dealt competently with anything thrown at them. The Youths wrapped up the victory with a well taken individual effort from Aidan “Rocky” Keenan with twelve minutes remaining and Tom Elmes rounded off an dream return to National League football when he netted his fourth goal and Wexford’s sixth with just five minutes remaining.

This was a fine display of flowing football from the home side who were very clinical in front of goal and punished the Waterford side for any mistakes but in general the visitors will be disappointed with their performance and clearly have some work to do. Wexford Youths meanwhile sit top of the First Division One and if they can reproduce this week in week out, they wont be far away at the season’s end

Wexford Youths: Graham Doyle; Brian Nolan (Mark Phelan 74'), Jamie Carr, Chris Browne, James Darmody; Craig Wall (Thomas Croke 83'), Shane Nolan (Dean Broaders 69'), Patsy Malone, Aidan Keegan; Tom Elmes, Danny Furlong.

Subs not used: Cormac O’Brien, Shane Clarke, James Scallon, John Yeats.

Waterford United: Robert Hughes; Peter White, Craig Burns (Dylan Mernagh 51'), Seamus Long, John Frost; Paul Carey, Gary Dempsey, Peter Higgins, Jack Doherty (Paul Phelan 74'); Sean Maguire, Daragh Walshe (Willie John Kiely 46').

Subs not used: Lee Delaney, Ben Ryan, Gary Dunphy, Peter Keegan.

Referee: Kevin O’Regan.

Attendance: 571