Limerick Football Club
www.limerickfc.ie

Limerick FC made the short journey to Pike Rovers Sports Grounds on Easter Sunday and were very lucky to come out of it with the victory against local Junior Premier club Pike Rovers in this Munster Senior Cup quarter final tie.

In the archetypal game of two halves it was Limerick who were playing with the strong breeze in the first half and it was they who dominated possession and territory taking the lead midway through the half as Daryl Kavanagh capitalised on some indecision in the Pike backline before squaring the ball for Stephen Hickey to roll it into the far post. Limerick doubled their advantage shortly before half time as Robbie Kelleher bundled home the ball following a scramble in the Pike goalmouth. Limerick had had several other chances to increase their lead in the first half but as they went in at the break they must have thought that a two goal cushion would be comfortable enough.

But as the breeze picked up in the second half this wasn’t to be the case as Pike began to pin Limerick back in their own half putting the Blues defence under severe pressure as they pressed for a way back into the game and mid way through the second half they got the goal which their pressure deserved as ex Limerick striker Alan Barry got to a cross before Limerick keeper John McGuiness to head into an empty net. Despite several late scares this was as close as Pike were to come to Limerick however and if nothing else Pat Scully will be delighted with the resilience his young side showed to hold onto the lead against what was a very impressive Pike team, which certainly wouldn’t look out of place in the League of Ireland First Division.

Limerick FC: John McGuinness, Sean Kelly, Martin Deady, Nigel Stanley, Peter White, Gavin Roche, Daryl Kavanagh, Thomas Lyons, Robert Kelleher, Stephen Hickey (David McGrath), Shane Tracy (John Boyle).
Subs not used: Shane Clarke, John Tierney, David Ryan.

Match Report by Thomas Luddy