Behan’s brace keeps Limerick in the hunt

LIMERICK kept their promotion dream well and truly alive as a brace from Denis Behan inflicted a 10th league defeat on Waterford United in a disappointing all-Munster clash at the RSC last night.

Pat Scully’s side opened the scoring on 40 minutes when Rory Gaffney put the ball on the head of Denis Behan with a wonderful cross and the former Cork striker gave keeper Burns no chance with a super header.

Behan got his second on 56 minutes, racing onto a long ball from defender Sean Kelly to fire past Kevin Burns.

On 61 minutes Conor Sinnott hammered the ball home for United but they couldn’t find an equaliser.

WATERFORD UTD: Burns; Carey, Breen, Murray, Nolan (Maguire 87); Walsh, Sinnott, Dunphy, Phelan; McSherry, Keane (Murphy 70)

LIMERICK FC: Ryan; Bhandarkhar (White 83), McCarthy, Purcell, Kelly; Tracy, Treacy, Gaffney, Quinn (Hynes 87); Brosnan (Sheedy 71), Behan

Referee: Keith Callahan (Cork).

Monaghan United 1Athlone Town 0

Peter Hughes

FABIO O’BRIEN’S ninth goal of the season was sufficient for Monaghan United to see improved Athlone Town at Gortakeegan and maintain promotion momentum.

The decisive strike came in the 10th minute when Sean Brennan teed up O’Brien for a deft close-range finish.

MONAGHAN UNITED: Sava; Whelan (Isichei 68), A Byrne, A Collins, Grimes; Reilly, Foley, Quinn, Keegan (Marks 90+2); O’Brien (D Byrne 86), S Brennan.

ATHLONE TOWN: Shlingermann; Fallon (Higgins 74), Woods, Danaher, Carr; Colbert, Kavanagh (Sherlock 69), Relihan (McGee 56), Ryan, Williamson; Hughes.

Referee: C Fitzgerald