Debutants fire Derry to victory

DERRY CITY debutants Aaron Splaine and Ally Roy both scored as a brave Limerick side fell to defeat at the Brandywell last night.

The home side were asking all the questions in the first half but Limerick stunned them by taking the lead on 35 minutes, William Fitzgerald’s low cross eluding Gavin Peers, and Connor Ellis was in the right place at the right time to fire the ball past Ger Doherty and into the roof of the net.

But the lead lasted just 60 seconds as Derry levelled immediately. Ben Fisk’s cross from the left was headed back across goal by Jamie McDonagh towards Ally Roy, but it was cleared to the edge of the area where Splaine took a touch before curling a brilliant effort past Tommy Holland and into the top corner.

Derry wasted no time in the second half, needing just 20 seconds before they found the Limerick net to go into the lead for the first time.

Aaron McEneff was the man at the heart of the goal as he burst into the Limerick area before pulling the ball back for Roy to hammer home left-footed.

Having worked so hard to get in front, Derry almost shot themselves in the foot spectacularly on the hour mark when Splaine gave the ball away in his own area but Barry Maguire, with only Doherty to beat, blazed horribly over the bar.

Limerick very nearly grabbed an equaliser in added time when substitute Danny Morrissey teed up Maguire but Doherty came to his team’s rescue with a brilliant diving save.