Limerick FC 5-1 Shelbourne
IT’S NOW five wins from five league games for Limerick FC in the 2016 SSE Airtricity League First Division after a 5-1 home triumph over Shelbourne, with five different players scoring for the Super Blues, put them seven points clear at the top of the table and saw them bring their season tally to 25 league goals.
The final score might suggest it was another stroll in the park for Martin Russell’s side, but in truth it was only in the last quarter of the game that the hosts really asserted their authority, their superior quality and fitness ultimately coming to the fore.
Limerick dominated possession and territory throughout the first half, although scoring chances weren’t overly abundant. They did, however, take the lead inside 13 minutes, Paul O’Conor playing an excellent through ball to Garbhan Coughlan, who jinked past his marker before finding the far corner of Greg Murray’s goal to open the scoring.
Shelbourne forays into the Limerick half were rare, although they carved out a decent opening in the 18th minute when Dylan Kavanagh delivered an inviting cross from the left wing, but there was nobody on the end of it and Shane Tracy cleared any potential danger with ease.
Coughlan was tremendous in the first half, continually tormenting the Shelbourne defence, and just after the half-hour mark he galloped into the penalty area and sent a low cross into a dangerous position, but Kavanagh was there to clear. Shortly after John O’Flynn headed wide from a Tracy delivery, Coughlan fired over on the turn as the home side were mostly limited to half-chances in the opening 45 minutes.
The visitors spent most of the first half in defensive mode but they gave Limerick quite a bit to think about after the interval, with Coughlan forced off through injury at half-time. Mind you, Russell introduced Aaron Greene in his place, not exactly a dice-roll of desperation.
On 53 minutes, Lorcan Shannon received the ball in a good position, getting in behind the Limerick defence, before Freddy Hall got out to thwart the Shelbourne midfielder. That served as a warning for what was to come in the 59th minute. Robbie Williams cheaply gave the ball away to half-time substitute Cian Kavanagh and he passed to Gavin Boyne, who advanced on Limerick’s goal before trying his luck with a shot that Hall should have saved, but it ended in the back of the net for the equaliser. The goal prompted some of the travelling support to stray onto the pitch in celebration at the other end, although the invasion was brief.
Limerick had been nowhere near the best in the early second half exchanges but within five minutes of being pegged back, they retook the lead. Williams atoned for his earlier error by heading the ball over the line from Stephen Kenny’s corner. Murray got his gloves to it but was unable to prevent it crossing the line and the eagle-eyed assistant flagged to confirm the goal.
In similar fashion to their previous home game against Cobh Ramblers a fortnight previously, Limerick hit the turbo in the final quarter of an hour to further boost their already stockpiled goal difference. In the 78th minute, Greene played a sumptuous through ball to O’Flynn, who did not stand on ceremony, belting the ball past Murray and into the net to eliminate any doubt about the result.
Three minutes later, O’Flynn turned provider for captain Shane Duggan to make it 4-1 with a simple finish from inside the penalty area. After Greene, who picked up where Coughlan left off by terrorising the visitors’ back four, shot narrowly wide, Limerick had the chance to further twist the knife in stoppage time when late substitute Ross Mann was fouled in the box. Tracy dispatched the penalty to round off the scoring and bring the Super Blues to the 25-goal mark within the opening month of the season. It was also the third consecutive league game in which all of Limerick’s goals were scored by different players – quite remarkable considering that the team hit six, five and five in those three matches.
Although the final score flattered Russell’s team, they still can’t be anything but immensely pleased with their current standing. They already hold a seven-point lead over their nearest challengers Drogheda United, whom they visit this coming Friday in what is likely to be Limerick’s biggest test of the season thus far. On this form, though, it would be impossible to back against the rampant Super Blues.
Limerick FC: Hall; O’Conor, O’Connor, Williams, Tracy; Duggan, Lynch; Kenny, Coughlan (Greene h-t), Mulhall (Kelly 79); O’Flynn (Mann 84).
Shelbourne: Murray; Gannon, O’Connor, O’Reilly, D Kavanagh; Shannon, D Doyle, Boyne, J Doyle; Walshe (Sandford 84), Ogundola (C Kavanagh h-t).
Referee: Simon Rogers
Attendance: 1,360
