City forced to wait for party
ON A night of gunpowder on the Garryowen Road, Limerick’s lively lads took a significant step towards Premier Division safety while placing another barrier on Cork City’s increasingly rocky road to the Airtricity League title.
Had results gone their way last night, Cork might have become the first team to claim the title at the Markets Field since Athlone Town in 1981.
But Dundalk’s cosy victory over Drogheda means they must wait until Monday’s visit of the champions to close out the deal.
Worryingly, City are not playing like champions and this fourth defeat in six games means Dundalk can clip the deficit to eight points should Monday’s showdown go their way.
On current form, Dundalk won’t fear the bearpit of Turner’s Cross and this league tale may yet take a most improbable twist.
City had enough possession to win this Munster derby, let alone draw it, but they paid the price for conceding two goals inside eight minutes as Rodrigo Tosi and Shane Tracy put Limerick in the box seat.
The impressive Kieran Sadlier made it 2-1 in no time but for all their huffing and puffing City couldn’t breach Limerick’s battlements.
By kick-off, the venerable ground was throbbing with Cup tie fervour — the sides meet again in the semi-finals of the Irish Daily Mail FAI Cup next Friday.
In the main stand, the Limerick ultras in the 1,970 attendance were rocking, for they knew what was riding on the outcome.
On this of all nights Limerick could not afford to take a backward step. And yet the opening exchanges hinted at a long stretch in the trenches for the Super Blues as Sadlier almost scored for City inside a minute and Tracy cleared off the line from the subsequent corner.
City’s composure was cracked with a self-inflicted wound when Stephen Beattie’s pass was ignored by defender Robbie Williams, who felt the ball would run through to Mark McNulty.
Alas, the keeper was stranded in no man’s land and the loose ball was seized on by Tosi who hared towards the penalty area.
As McNulty advanced, the Brazilian executed an exquisite chip beyond the keeper’s reach before wheeling away in triumph as the ball dipped under the crossbar.
It was his 12th goal of the season; there have been none better.
City were aghast and there was worse to come inside another 90 seconds when the pace of Chiedozie Ogbene set off alarm bells.
It required an over-zealous challenge from Greg Bolger to halt the Limerick speed merchant but the relief was temporary.
From the free, slightly to the left side of the box, Tracy’s left-foot curler snuggled into the same top corner which Tosi had found a few moments earlier.
No team had hit City with two hammer blows so early in any game this season but as they shook the stars from their eyes, the leaders at least had buckets of time to regain a foothold.
To their credit, they pulled a goal back in jig time when Stephen Dooley’s precise delivery from the right was met by Sadlier’s towering header at the far post.
In the second half Brendan Clarke saved smartly from Sadlier and substitute Garry Buckley either side of a Karl Sheppard snap shot into the side netting.
As City dictated play, Sheppard dragged wide and Sadlier’s goalbound effort was blocked by substitute Dean Clarke who then picked Sadlier’s pocket in the box.
Deep into stoppage-time, Sadlier headed over from close range as the thin blue line held.