Gutsy Limerick win on the road again to further promotion hopes

Billy Lee’s side picked up a second successive road win in the National League.

After defeat to Louth in UL last weekend, the Limerick footballers responded in style with a 1-13 to 1-9 win over Wicklow in Aughrim on Saturday afternoon.

Lee’s side were down to 13-men for periods late on but held on for a superb win to reestablish their place at the summit of the Division 3 table.

Josh Ryan was the goalscorer on the day with Westmeath up next for promotion chasing Limerick.

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The hosts, who were without a win to date in the League started with intent and were 0-3 to 0-0 to the good early on.

However, Limerick had the perfect tonic of a response as Josh Ryan hit the net for Lee’s side. Brian Donovan added to that score as the Shannonsiders took the lead for the first time in Aughrim.

Limerick continued in this vein and with Wicklow reduced to 14 for a black card, Hugh Bourke and Ryan added to the scoreboard.

Points from Ryan and Adrian Enright put daylight between the sides midway through the half at 1-5 to 0-3.

But just prior to the half hour mark, Wicklow goaled against the run of play and the deficit was back to two.

Two frees from Ryan and one from Bourke were the perfect response for Limerick who took a 1-8 to 1-3 advantage into the interval.

Wicklow, who were with the breeze in the second half, had the first score after the restart but Peter Nash replied for the visitors.

Wicklow, hit back with a couple to reduce the deficit to three but it could have been level were it not for a Donal O’Sullivan save with the hosts missing the resultant 45′.

At the other end, James Naughton made no mistake fisting over the bar, becoming the sixth Limerick forward to trouble the scoreboard.

The hosts had the next score to move back within three but Bourke was on hand with his fourth from play of the day.

Iain Corbett and Josh Ryan were both dismissed from black cards, but that didn’t deter this Limerick side as Diarmuid Kelly reestablished the four point cushion after Wicklow once more ate into the lead.

And despite losing Mike Donovan to a red, 13-man Limerick held on for the win to move back to the top of the Division 3 table with three to play.