Limerick FC 0-1 Derry City
LIMERICK FC fell to a second successive league defeat on Sunday evening against Derry City at a thundery Thomond Park. Substitute David McDaid scored the game’s only goal 20 minutes from time to give the Candystripes all three points and elevate them to third place in the Premier Division.
It proved to be a frustrating day’s work for the home side, who were denied what seemed to be a blatant penalty after just eight minutes. Barry McNamee tripped Shaun Kelly in the Derry penalty area, but referee Paul McLoughlin was not interested.
Although Limerick were shading the territorial battle in the opening minutes, it was Derry who had the more clear-cut chances. Barry Ryan had to be alert to keep out a Michael Duffy shot before Ruaidhri Higgins let fly from 35 yards, his effort sailing narrowly wide.
Limerick’s grievances with the officials continued with two further penalty appeals, both for alleged handballs, waved away prior to the 30-minute mark. From the second of these, Derry launched a counter-attack that ended with Higgins trying his luck with an overhead kick that was deflected out for a corner.
Referee McLoughlin further incensed the locals when he awarded Derry a penalty in the 38th minute, punishing Dave O’Leary for impeding Simon Madden. Ryan, though, was able to keep out Michael Rafter’s spot kick and ensure that the teams went in at half-time on level terms. The thundery downpours may have played a part in a fiery first half which saw five yellow cards, four of those dished out to the hosts.
Limerick began the second half with purpose, with Craig Curran getting a header away almost immediately from the restart and Axel Bossekota then working himself into a good shooting position, only to blast the ball horribly wide.
Just after the hour, Madden tried to pick out McDaid in the Limerick six-yard box, but the Derry substitute was just too late in arriving and the ball evaded him. Seconds later, the play switched to the other end and Danny Galbraith appeared to be taken down in the visitors’ penalty area. Once again, though, McLoughlin refused to point to the spot.
On 64 minutes a spell of pinball near Derry’s goal saw Curran lash a shot that fell into the path of Joe Gamble five yards out. It seemed that the midfielder had to score, but he somehow managed to miss the target.
It was a miss that Gamble, and the Super Blues, would rue. In the 69th minute, a long ball from midfield made its way to McDaid, who finished into the bottom corner of the Limerick net. From the restart, Patrick McEleney had the chance to make it 2-0, but his 25-yard effort blazed over the crossbar.
Stuart Taylor would have had sleepless nights over Limerick’s defensive mishaps in recent games and there was almost another calamity on 74 minutes. A careless pass from Brian O’Callaghan fell straight to Rory Patterson, who was through one on one with Ryan. Fortunately for the home side, the experienced goalkeeper pulled off another masterful save.
Having endured this spell of Derry pressure with just a 1-0 deficit, Limerick rolled the dice in search of a deserved equaliser. Stephen Bradley’s clever through ball nearly picked out Bossekota, only for Ger Doherty to snuff out the danger, and then Galbraith was through on goal when the offside flag was raised to rescue the Candystripes.
Bradley had one last chance to plunder a point in stoppage time, but his snap-shot drifted well wide and Limerick fell to their second defeat of the season at the hands of Declan Devine’s team. While Taylor would not be drawn on the multitude of penalty appeals after the game, there must have been a sense among the home support that the Super Blues did not get the rub of the green on this thundery evening.
Limerick FC: Ryan, Kelly, Williams, O’Callaghan, Tracy, Gamble (Feeney 85), O’Leary (Sheedy 79), Bradley, Bossekota (Nzuzi 87), Curran, Galbraith.
Derry City: Doherty, Madden, Deery, McBride, Osborne, Kavanagh (Patterson 72), Higgins, McEleney, McNamee (Houston 64), Duffy, Rafter (McDaid 52).
Referee: Paul McLoughlin (Monaghan)
Attendance: 1,083
