FAI Cup Report: Limerick 2 - 1 Cabinteely

Diarmuid Kearney reports from Markets Field 

As the late summer sun set on the Markets Field, Limerick returned to winning ways after a hard earned 2-1 win over Cabinteely in the last 16 of the FAI Cup.

Goals from Conor Ellis and Barry Maguire were enough to seal the victory for Limerick despite a late goal by Kevin Knight for Cabinteely.

Limerick’s opening chance fell in the fifth minute as a Shane Tracy free was whipped in on the left but Connor Ellis’ glancing header was easily saved by Cabinteely ‘keeper Stephen McGuinness.

Defence issues have been a worry all season for Tommy Barret’s side and it looked as if their issues were about to look bleaker when they lost Eoin Wearen to injury after just nine minutes.

The Super Blues were playing with a more direct style opting to play with a more compacted formation with two strikers up front and they would dominate the opening 15 minutes but fail to break down the Cabinteely defence. 

Cabinteely should have been a goal ahead midway through the half after a defence meltdown nearly ended with a Cabo man sending a header into the net, but Tommy Holland managed to gather the ball on the line.

Limerick found the front in the 29thminute and in quite comical fashion. As the homeside were putting pressure on the visitor’s defence, Karl Manahan opted to play a pass back toward his own ‘keeper Stephen McGuinness. However the pass was intercepted by Limerick forward Conor Ellis who rounded McGuiness and fired into the empty net.

The Shannonsiders almost went two goals up after the half hour mark, but centre back Colman Kennedy failed to direct a Shane Tracy free kick on target with the defender firing well over the bar.

Ellis was almost celebrating his second goal of the night in the 40thminute after McGuinness failed to clear a cross. The Limerick foreward would again round the stranded goalkeeper and fire a low hard shot toward goal but it was cleared off the line by Daniel Blackbyrne. The defender’s clearance would again fall to Ellis but his second effort was saved by a combination of McGuinness and Blackbyrne.



Limerick dominated the opening half of football and were deserving of taking the half time lead. The home side could have easily been ahead by more than just a single goal at the break having missed some easy scoreable chances.

The away side almost came out the better in the early stages of the second half as Joe Doyle met the cross of Jack Watson but his goal bound header was well stopped by Limerick ‘keeper Tommy Holland. At the other end Limerick’s counter attack saw Maguire go close with a shot just over the bar.

The Super Blues would double their advantage in the 57thminute though. Ellis ran wide beyond the Limerick defence and delivered a cross into the area where Maguire would pounce and convert via a rebound from the Cabinteely Keeper.

It looked almost over as a contest by the hour mark as Limerick came a whisker away from adding a third goal but Ellis’ rebounded effort failed to be converted by Maguire.

After that Limerick chance very little opportunites were created by either side in the final quarter hour of football until towards injury time. Following a Dean Casey corner Cabinteely managed to pull a goal back as Kevin Knight finished after a defensive scramble.

It was a nervous final few minutes for the home side as Cabinteely threw everything at Limerick. The Shannonsiders had their backs to the walls following corner after corner but Limerick eventually would come out winners and advance to the next round of the cup after a 2-1 win.



Limerick:Tommy Holland; Shaun Kelly, Eoin Wearen (Killian Brouder 9), Colman Kennedy, Billy Dennehy; Cian Coleman, Darren Murphy, Shane Tracy (Karl O’Sullivan 56), Barry Maguire; Conor Ellis (Will Fitzgerald 76), Danny Morrissey.

Subs not used:Jack Brady, Colm Walsh-O’Loughlin, Adam Foley, Ger Barry.

Booked:Shane Tracy (53), Darren Murphy (78).

Cabinteely:Stephen McGuinness; Daniel Blackbyrne, Jack Tuite, Kevin Knight, Karl Byrne; Jack Watson, Karl Manahan (Eoghan Morgan 75), Keith Dalton; Kieran Walters, Joe Doyle (Jean Yves Poame 60), Luke Clucas (Dean Casey 60).

Subs not used:Jack Menton, Robert McGee, Seán Fitzpatrick, Andrew O’Reilly.

Booked: Karl Byrne (72).

Referee:Anthony Buttimer

Attendance:400 (estimate)

Extratime.ie Man of the Match:Barry Maguire (Limerick)

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