A vital fixture for the bottom two clubs turned out to be quite an amazing game which produced five goals before Finn Harps emerged victorious.
Midway through the second half the visitors were leading 2-0. Finn Harps opened the scoring on 13 minutes through James Mulligan. When Mulligan scored Harps' second goal 45 seconds into the second period, United seemed doomed.
But on 65 minutes Waterford's Dominic Iorfa scored and four minutes later Kevin O' Brien equalised. However, justice was done when Declan Boyle headed home for Harps five minutes from time.
WATERFORD UNITED: Devine, O'Brien, Hyslop, McGrath, Smith, Riordan, Kirby, Griffin, Gannon, Iorfa, Stirling. Sub: Grant for Griffin
FINN HARPS: McKenna, Scanlan, Minnock, Boyle, Dykes, Hutchinson, Tierney, P McGrenahan, Speake, Mulligan, Harkin. Subs: Vaudequin for Dykes (60 mins), Kenny for Harkin (73 mins).
Referee: John McDermott (Dublin).