Limerick 37  1 - 2  Dundalk

Friday 18^th April 2008

Limerick 37 missed a dramatic injury-time penalty as Dundalk held on to maintain their lead at the top of the First Division table at Jackman Park.

The visitors opening the scoring in the 17th minute when defender David Crawley expertly slotted home from the spot after Jamie Duffy went down under a challenge from Brian Cleary inside the box for a very soft penaly.

Up to that point neither side had created anything resembling a goalscoring opportunity in the opening quarter in which both teams cancelled each other out.

Limerick finally had an attempt on target in the 26th minute – but James Hayes header from a Brendan Daly cross on the left was comfortably dealt with by Dundalk keeper Chris Bennion.

At the other end, Robbie Martin volleyed wide from inside the box and Robert Farrell directed his shot straight at Lims keeper Jimmy Fyffe from a tight angle just outside the six yard area.

And Fyffe was called into action again on the stroke of half-time, diving bravely at the feet of Paul Smith and then regaining his footing to pull off a fine save from a stinging Farrell volley.

Limerick boss Mike Kerley introduced Derek McCarthy and Ross Cosgrove for the second half in an attempt to shake things up.

But it was the visitors that grabbed the initiative four minutes after the restart when Duffy's shot from inside the box took a wicked deflection before looping over Fyffe's head into the back of the net.

However, the hosts reduced the deficit minutes later via Tommy Barrett's close-range header from Brian Cleary's free-kick after Cosgrave was fouled on the right wing.

Lims had a glorious opportunity to salvage a point after Barrett went down under a cluster of challenges from Dundalk defenders inside the box two minutes into injury-time.

But the same player was left holding his head in frustration as his attempted conversion clipped the top of the crossbar and went over, it was unlucky for Tommy as he was outstanding all night.

Limerick 37: Fyffe, White, Cleary, Danagher, Barrett, Grant, Daly, Colbert (Cosgrave h/t), Fogarty (McCarthy h/t), Bruton, Hayes (Curtin 69)

Dundalk: Bennion, Flannagan, Crawley, Lynch, Ryan, Crowley, Duffy (Shields 79), Cassidy, Farrell, Martin (Mulvenna 67), O'Connor (Smith 43)

Referee: G Kelly (Cork)