Impressive Dundalk power past tame Limerick effort
The Lilywhites beat Limerick 8-0 at home in February. Last night, goals from John Mountney, Patrick Hoban, and Michael Duffy secured the points on a night when Limerick’s only consolation was an improved second-half outing.
Tommy Barrett’s outfit, who had their fair share of injury problems going into the game — the kick-off of which was delayed for seven minutes because of problems with the nets — didn’t have a shot on target in the first half.
Michael Duffy slipped past Shaun Kelly in the opening three minutes but drove straight at Limerick keeper Shane Clarke from inside the area, with Will Fitzgerald, Limerick’s best player on the night, forcing a corner at the other end.
The visitors, with Limerick appealing for a foul on Connor Ellis moments earlier, opened the scoring when Mountney glanced home Duffy’s pinpoint cross eight minutes in.
Stephen Kenny’s side doubled their advantage on the half-hour. Duffy exchanged passes with Robbie Benson who set up Hoban to nod in.
Gary Rogers had to save from Ellis immediately after the interval after Fitzgerald’s long throw wasn’t cleared.
Duffy added a third after good work from Chris Shields in the 53rd minute and Rogers again denied Ellis with Cantwell Killian responding with a 20-yard effort which flew inches wide.
Mountney and Marco Tagbajumi almost made it 4-0 late on but Clarke again came to the rescue.
Clarke, Kelly (O’Sullivan 60), Whitehead, Cantwell, Brouder, Duggan (Wearen 55), Clifford, Coleman (Maguire 84), Dennehy, Ellis, Fitzgerald
Rogers, Folan, Massey, Gannon, Hoare, Duffy (Connolly 79), Benson (O’Donnell 73), McGrath, Mountney, Shields, Hoban (Tagbajumi 64)
D McGrath (Mayo).
