Cork go second with nervy win at Lims

Limerick FC 1 Cork City 2

Gary Buckley and Billy Dennehy were on target for the high-flying Leesiders on a night when Stuart Taylor’s side slipped to their sixth defeat of the season and their fourth loss at home.

No one is pressing the panic button on Shannonside just yet, but they remain second from bottom and have only scored nine goals in 13 league matches.

Having lost to Dundalk at Thomond last Friday, Limerick have their third home game in seven days next Friday as they face St Patrick’s Athletic.

Limerick suffered a blow inside the opening eight minutes last night when Robbie Williams limped off with a suspected hamstring injury, and was replaced by Patrick Nzuzi at left back.

Nzuzi was only on the field a few seconds when he was shown a clean pair of heels by Brian Lenihan, but he put too much height on his cross for the unmarked Mark O’Sullivan.

O’Sullivan was involved in Cork’s opening goal in the 14th minute though after he robbed Samuel Oji on the left and squared for Buckley to sidefoot neatly past Barry Ryan.

At the other end, Cork keeper Mark McNulty was almost caught well off his line but Rory Gaffney’s low effort lacked pace and direction.

Three minutes after Buckley’s opener, Nzuzi was left for dead by Mark O’Sullivan and Dennehy had the time to control the ball before slotting past Ryan from eight yards.

Buckley almost added his side’s advantage approaching the half hour, but was stopped by Samuel Oji, while McNulty got down to save from Prince Agyemang 10 minutes from the interval.

Oji came to the rescue twice in the closing minutes of the first half, the Limerick centre-half intercepting from Lenihan and nicking the ball off Dennehy’s toe just inside the area.

Rory Gaffney and Shaun Kelly both went close immediately after the break, McNulty diving to his left to keep out a low drive from Kelly.

But McNulty could do nothing about Gaffney’s powerful header from a pinpoint Shane Tracey cross five minutes into the second half as Limerick reduced the deficit.

Cork responded with shots on target from Dennehy and Buckley and Mark O’Sullivan headed a Dennehy corner into the ground and over as the game finally began to resemble a Munster derby.

McManus hit a post with a free kick 10 minutes from time as Limerick, who were dominating at this point, pressed for an equaliser.

However, Rob Lehane should have settled the matter with three minutes remaining, but the City sub blazed over with the goal at his mercy.

LIMERICK FC: Ryan, Kelly, Williams inj (Nzuzi 7) Oji, Folan, Duggan, Tracy (Galbraith 58) Agyemang, McManus (Mann 79) Hughes, Gaffney

CORK CITY: McNulty, Dunleavy, O’Sullivan, Davoren, Dennehy, Morrissey, Healy, Murray, Lenihan (Lehane 70), Dennehy, Buckley (Kearney 76) Davoren