League Report: Drogheda United 0 - 2 Limerick

Limerick ran out deserved 2-0 winners at United Park on Friday as they brushed aside Drogheda United with a dominant performance.

Limerick thought they had hit the front after nine minutes as Drogheda defender Luke Gallagher placed the ball into his own net.

However, what would have been an own goal was ruled out as Chiedozie Ogbene was deemed to be interfering with play in an offside position after Dean Clarke had sent the ball goalwards.

The visitors took the lead just three minutes later. A Lee-J Lynch free-kick took a touch in the box on its way to Robbie Williams who headed home.

The linesman appeared to raise his flag for offside only to be overruled by the referee who deemed the touch in the box to have come from a Drogheda player.

Limerick continued to press against a Drogheda side who could not keep possession of the ball and the flag was again raised, this time against Robbie Williams in the six-yard box. However, the scorer of Limerick’s goal had skied his effort well over the bar before the whistle had blown.

Drogheda’s first chance of the game came on 26 minutes but Sean Brennan’s free kick on the edge of the box was hit straight at the Limerick wall.

Brendan Clarke was called into action for the first time five minutes later as he easily gathered Ryan Masterson’s weak header.

Clarke was again called upon to make an impressive save six minutes before the break. Sean Brennan played a superb ball to the back post towards McGuigan. The Drogheda defender connected well but Clarke was there to get the ball to safety.

It was Drogheda who created the first chance of the second half but Ryan McEvoy slipped as he shot from all of 30 yards and his effort was well wide of the Limerick goal.

Just a minute later at the opposite end of the pitch, Ogbene was played in on goal down the left-hand side but his effort was always rising and failed to trouble Stephen McGuinness.

Limerick kept finding opportunities to hit Drogheda on the counter and three minutes after the Ogbene missed his chance, he played a great Crossfield pass to Clarke.

Clarke though, took too long on the ball and was closed down as he shot forcing him to fire wide.

Drogheda’s next effort came with twenty minutes to play when Mark Doyle picked the ball up after Sean Brennan had intercepted a Limerick pass. Doyle turned and found space before firing into the side netting.

Drogheda never managed to find any foothold in this game and Limerick found a deserved second goal to finish the game four minutes from time.

A long ball from the Limerick defence was met by substitute Garbhan Coughlan on the edge of the box and his looping header over Drogheda’s Stephen McGuinness found the net to seal the three points for Limerick.

Drogheda United: Stephen McGuinness; Colm Deasy (Shane Elworthy 41’), Luke Gallagher, Ciarán McGuigan, Conor Kane; Sean Brennan (c), Richie Purdy (Sean Thornton HT’), Ryan McEvoy; Adam Wixted, Ryan Masterson (Stephen Meaney 73’), Mark Doyle.

Unused Subs: Ryan Coulter (GK), Stephen Dunne, Kevin Farragher, Jake Hyland.

Booked: None.

Limerick: Brendan Clarke; Shaun Kelly, Tony Whitehead, Robbie Williams, David O’Connor; Shane Duggan (c) (Paul O’Conor 88’), Bastien Hery, Lee-J Lynch, Chiedozie Ogbene (Garbhan Coughlan 77’); Dean Clarke (Stephen Kenny 68’), Rodrigo Tosi.

Unused Subs: Freddy Hall (GK), Shane Tracy, John O’Flynn, Chris Mulhall,.

Booked: Shaun Kelly (26’)

Referee: Robert Harvey.

Attendance: 600 (est).

Extratime.ie Man of the Match: Bastien Hery (Limerick).