Waghorn brace saves Black Cats’ blushes

AT the home of Munster rugby last night, Sunderland’s Premier League class proved the difference against a local XI — but Limerick city picked up a bonus point on a good night for the city.

Steve Bruce brought his side to Shannonside after an invitation to take part in a fundraiser for the Shane Geoghegan Trust — a group working in reaction to the murder of a young rugby player from the area who in 2008. And Bruce will be satisfied with the Black Cats’ positive start to the year after a sluggish opening period.

Trailing to a John Tierney goal at half-time, the former Manchester United man rang the changes at the break and was rewarded with two goals from young striker Martyn Waghorn to clinch the win.

The first chance arrived after five minutes of pressure from the hosts. Stephen O’Flynn, a reliable target man up front throughout, was happy to give Anton Ferdinand lots to ponder on his introduction to Limerick. However, after good work with Tierney on the flank, the big Corkman shot just wide.

The first goal of the game arrived after 16 minutes, when a lovely ball from Timmy Kiely on the right flank saw Garbhan Coughlan cushion it for the on-rushing Tierney to stroke home. And it was no more than they deserved for their early dominance.

It took Sunderland a full 25 minutes to trouble the Munster XI goal — and their first real attempt, after a typically dangerous Andy Reid corner caused trouble in a crowded box, was an opportunistic over-head kick from centre half Nyron Nosworthy, which looped over.

Immediately afterwards, O’Flynn again roused the large Thomond Park crowd with a stinging drive that forced an excellent save from the young Black Cats custodian Simon Mignolet.

Two of Bruce’s Irish contingent carved out the visitor’s cleanest opportunity of the half after 30 minutes when Reid rolled a free kick on the D to Daryl Murphy — but his first-time shot was smartly saved by Kevin McCarthy.

Moments after the restart, Sunderland had the ball in the net. Steed Malbranque orchestrated a crisp move that saw Frazier Campbell bundle it home — but in an offside position.

But that was the warning: Sunderland at last drew level with 15 minutes to go when Martyn Waghorn dispatched crisply past the near post. And the 20-year-old striker put the visitors in the lead moments later when he curled a free kick into the same spot from 25-yards.

MUNSTER XI: K McCarthy (S Cusack h/t); P White (J O’Brien 69), S Kelly (J Boyle 62), P Purcell, J Sullivan (E O’Hanlon 54), T Kiely, G Coughlan (S Treacy h/t), J Judge (J Sugrue 65), D O’Leary, S O’Flynn (S Clarke 50), J Tierney (D Kavanagh h/t).

SUNDERLAND: S Mignolet (T Carson ht), T Tanio (M Liddle ht/),G McCartney A Ferdinand (M Turner h/t), R Nosworthy (Kilkallon); P Bardsley, J Colbert (J Henderson h/t), A Reid (S Malbranque ht), K Jones (F Campbell), R Noble (K Richardson), D Murphy (M Waghorn h/t).

Referee: D Sutton (Clare).

|* Ipswich Town are understood to be visiting Ireland next week for a friendly clash with a League of Ireland side.

Roy Keane’s Championship outfit are said to be waiting on permission from the FAI to take on an Airtricity Premier Division club next Wednesday to follow on from their friendly clash with PSV Eindhoven on Saturday.