Wind taken out of Limerick FC’s sails

LIMERICK FC went down to a heavy defeat at home to Sligo Rovers at a wet and windy Thomond Park on Friday night, with the visitors striking two late goals to add gloss to the scoreline.

Paul O’Conor had Sligo in front after just three minutes, with Aaron Greene and Seamus Conneely adding to Limerick’s misery in the dying stages.

Following a lively start from the home side, Sligo’s first attempt resulted in a very early goal. David Cawley’s free kick found Kieran Djilali on the right and he glided past Robbie Williams to tee up O’Conor for a tap-in.

The Bit O Red were almost in again on eight minutes when a long ball put Aaron Greene through, but a superb sliding tackle from Sammy Oji snuffed out the danger. Limerick then surged downfield and should have had a penalty when Williams was taken down in the box, but referee Sean Grant instead booked the defender for simulation.

Limerick had occasional chances from set pieces, Oji volleying over from close range in the 13th minute after a Shane Tracy free kick, but Sligo had the lion’s share of play and were nearly 2-0 up on 21 minutes when Greene forced a save from Cusack and the loose ball was making its way to O’Conor for what would have been another simple finish, Jason Hughes making a vital clearance for Limerick.

The visitors were at it again shortly afterwards when some exquisite first-touch football left Greene one-on-one with Cusack, the home goalkeeper pulling off a tremendous save.

On the half-hour mark Gaffney’s neat footwork took him into the Sligo penalty area and past one defender, but his low shot trickled into the side netting.

Sligo were getting plenty of joy on the right flank, with Djilali giving Williams a tough night, and the winger got the better of the English full-back again on 36 minutes, his low cross eventually put out for a corner.

After a refreshingly open first half, the second 45 minutes were somewhat less entertaining as the weather worsened by the minute. Djilali sent a volley wide shortly after the break, with John Russell also getting a shot in after 58 minutes.

Limerick had the ball in the visitors’ net midway through the second half when Stephen Folan blasted it home, but the goal was ruled out for handball in the build-up.

The home side went close as the game entered the final 10 minutes, Gaffney’s 20-yard rasper being tipped over by Gary Rogers in the Sligo goal.

Just as the game seemed to be crawling towards a slender away win, though, the 2012 champions twisted the knife. They broke to great effect in the 89th minute, Greene finding himself all on his own to double Sligo’s lead, but the hosts were incandescent with rage after the officials failed to spot an obvious foul on Tracy in the middle of the park just seconds before the goal.

The Bit O Red added a third with the final kick of the game as the Limerick defence were stretched and substitute Conneely had a simple finish.

Limerick FC: Cusack, Nzuzi, Folan, Oji, Williams, Hughes, Duggan, Rainsford (McManus 60), Tracy, Gaffney, McGrath (Mann 77)

Sligo Rovers: Rogers, Keane, McMillan, Henderson, Gaynor, Cawley, O’Conor, Russell, Djilali (Conneely 80), Greene, Ledwith (North 75)

Referee: Sean Grant

Attendance: 819