Airtricity League First Division   

Finn Harps 0 - 3 Limerick FC

Scorers:

Limerick: John Tierney (29), Stephen Hickey (58), Shane Tracey (69)

Friday 26 ^thMarch 2010

Pat Scully's Limerick turned on the style as they chalked up a convincing win over a surprisingly uninventive Finn Harps in Ballybofey on Friday night. Limerick, who notched up their first win of the season last week, began positively forcing two early corners and striker John Tierney appeared to be the danger man.

Thomas Lyons had their first chance of note but fired over after Finn Harps failed to clear, but Harps then really came into the game with a Matthew Crossan free - that was deflected for a corner - marking the start of decent spell of pressure.

In what was developing into a lively competitive encounter, Limerick then went close on 23 minutes on a counter-attack with Ciaran Gallagher being forced into making a decent block to deny Shane Tracey.

At the other end Johnny Lafferty then fired over following a corner and one sensed that a no-score draw was highly unlikely.

And it was Limerick who went ahead on 29 minutes with a real humdinger of a goal as Tierney picked up a ball just inside the box and let fly with a thundering shot that struck the underside of the crossbar before bouncing down over the line.

Kevin McHugh twice just failed to connect with crosses from close range for Harps in a game that swung from end to end.

Limerick doubled their advantage on 59 minutes as they pounced on the counter-attack with Stephen Hickey bursting through to score.

The visitors then took control and Hickey then got his second and Limerick's third ten minutes later as he got onto the end of a Shane Tracey free.

This was Limerick's second win on the trot and on the evidence of this display they can certainly push for promotion this season.

Harps, having won their previous two games, were very disappointing and never really threatened to get back into the game once they fell behind.

Finn Harps: Gallagher, Doherty, Crossan, Minnock, Mailey, Funston, McLaughlin, McGowan, Walsh, McHugh, Lafferty.
Subs: Brolly for McLaughlin (61 mins), Whoriskey for Minnock and Forker for Funston (both 79 mins).

Limerick: Ryan, Hughes, Boyle, Kelly, White, Judge, Lyons, Hickey, Clarke, Tierney, Tracy.
Subs: Roche for Lyons (51 mins), Kelleher for Hickey (76 mins), Clinton for Tierney (87 mins).

Referee: Derek Tomney (Dublin).

Match Report © RTE Sport