O’Connor points way for Limerick

Led by Eoghan O’Connor, Limerick upped the ante in the second half and put on a sterling show to comfortably beat Leitrim at Carrick-on-Shannon.

After a poor first half the sides were level at 0-3 apiece. But within three minutes of the restart O’Connor blazed two goal chances over the Leitrim bar and put the visitors into the lead. A John Riordan goal in the 56th minute goal snuffed out any chance of a Limerick comeback.

“We started the second half well, Eoghan O’Connor settled us down,” said Limerick manager Maurice Horan. “He gave us the lead and from there on in, it went good. Ian Ryan then definitely came into it.”

In contrast, a highly disappointed joint Leitrim manager George Dugdale said: “You can not do that when you are playing against the supposedly promotion favourites.”

Scorers for Leitrim: J Glancy (3fs), R Lowe 0-3 each, A Croal, C Clarke, D Sweeney 0-1 each.

Scorers for Limerick: I Ryan 0-5 (4fs), E O’Connor 0-3, J Riordan 1-0, G Collins 0-1.

LIMERICK: B Scanlon; D Quaide, J McCarthy, L O’Dwyer; J Riordan, B Fitzpatrick, P Ranahan; S Buckley, S Lucey; D Treacy, E O’Connor, J Cooke; G Collins, J O’Meara, I Ryan.

Subs: I Corbett for O’Meara (44), C. Coady for O’Dwyer (65), M Quilligan for Collins (68), E Barry for Cooke (72).

LEITRIM: C McCrann; A Wynne, C Egan, P Maguire; D Beck, W McKeon, C Clarke; P McGowan, D Lowe; P Brennan, R Lowe, G Hickey; A Croal, J Glancy, R Cox.

Subs: C Sheridan for Hickey (ht), S Moran for Brennan (61), D Sweeney for McGowan (61).

Referee: S McLaughlin (Donegal).