Limerick FC 6-1 Cobh Ramblers
LIMERICK FC further enhanced their pre-season prediction as firm favourites to win the 2016 SSE Airtricity League First Division on Saturday evening with a 6-1 drubbing of Cobh Ramblers at Markets Field.
In front of almost 1,600 supporters, Martin Russell’s side struck three times in the final seven minutes to put some gloss on the final score, although they dominated the game from start to finish and the result was rarely in any doubt.
The Super Blues were on top from the outset, carving out a scoring opportunity inside five minutes when Shane Tracy directed a diving header off the turf and into the hands of Cobh goalkeeper Paul Hunt, who a few minutes later reacted quickly to thwart Stephen Kenny after the Limerick winger received a sumptuous ball over the top from Paul O’Conor.
Limerick thought they had the lead on 17 minutes when Chris Mulhall’s effort seemed destined for the net, only for the visitors to make a heroic goal-line clearance. Just after that close call, the Limerick striker was one-on-one with Hunt, but a heavy first touch to let him down.
Kenny dragged a shot narrowly wide just after the half-hour and a 90-second spell of four Limerick corners summed up their ownership of the first half, although the breakthrough remained elusive until the 39th minute. Aaron Greene picked out Lee-J Lynch, who surged into the Cobh penalty area and sent a low cross to the far post, where Kenny directed the ball into the net to give Limerick the lead they deserved.
Seven minutes into the second half, Kenny’s cross appeared to be stopped by the hand of Ian Mylod. That’s certainly what the Limerick players and fans believed, but referee Eoghan O’Shea, who otherwise had a very low-key night, wasn’t for turning. On the hour mark, there was a brief scare for the home side when Rob Lehane outmuscled O’Conor and advanced on goal, but he tamely shot wide with Cobh’s best chance of the game up to that point.
A minute later, Russell’s side doubled their lead in impressive fashion. Centre-back Paudie O’Connor rampaged forward from the halfway line, jinking past several Cobh men and playing a quick one-two before shooting from the edge of the box. Hunt could only spill the ball to the onrushing Mulhall, who slotted the tap-in for 2-0.
Shane O’Connor forced Freddy Hall into action at the other end shortly afterwards but any faint hopes of a comeback from the away side were extinguished on 78 minutes. Substitute John O’Flynn played a perfect through ball to Greene, who drilled the ball into the bottom corner of Hunt’s net for his fifth league goal of the season after just three games. It was almost four for Limerick within a minute, Lynch’s cross turning into a shot that so nearly found the net.
The final 10 minutes of the game turned into a goal glut that had journalists typing practically non-stop. In the 81st minute, Cory Galvin supplied Mylod with a simple chance that he converted to spoil Hall’s clean sheet. Within 100 seconds, a second Limerick substitute found the net, Garbhan Coughlan looping a header over Hunt and into the net to quickly restore the three-goal gap. From Limerick’s next corner a minute later, Robbie Williams headed to the Cobh net to make it 5-1.
Still, the best goal of the night was saved for last. Coughlan slipped the ball to Greene, who teed up O’Flynn for a straightforward finish to cap a marvellous piece of play from the home side. Had the game gone on for another 10 minutes, double figures might not have been out of the question for Limerick.
The Super Blues have now struck 15 goals in their opening three league games in 2016, shipping just four at the other end. Russell was also particularly pleased to see his team’s six goals scored by as many players, with both substitutes he brought on finding the net. Limerick already hold a four-point lead at the top of the First Division and can now turn their attention to the EA Sports Cup, in which they face Cobh on Tuesday night at St Colman’s Park.
Limerick FC: Hall; Sharkey, O’Connor, Williams, Tracy; Duggan, O’Conor; Kenny (Coughlan 71), Lynch, Greene; Mulhall (O’Flynn 71).
Cobh Ramblers: Hunt; G McCarthy, O’Connell, Curran, Mylod; Abbott, Kingston (Griffin 63); E Galvin (Christopher 76), O’Connor, C Galvin; Lehane.
Referee: Eoghan O’Shea
Attendance: 1,590
