By Pat McAuliffe at Turner's Cross
Cork City 2-3 Limerick
Limerick boosted their fight against relegation as they put a massive dent in Cork's Premier Division title hopes at Turner's Cross.
Limerick earned a deserved lead after just seven minutes as Vinny Faherty fired home from 20 yards but Cork scored a fortunate equaliser when a centre from substitute Ross Gaynor flew past goalkeeper Freddy Hall.
The visitors were playing with great confidence, however, and they again went in front - this time Dean Clarke finishing from close range.
Cork substitute John O'Flynn had Cork level before the hour mark but a 65th-minute header from Paudie O'Connor won the match for the Blues.
Consecutive victories at the Markets Field over Sligo Rovers and Bohemians meant the Shannonsiders arrived in Cork in good spirits.
John Caulfield's Cork had reduced the arrears at the top of the table with Dundalk to just four points, with a tremendous run of 12 unbeaten league matches - a run that included nine wins.
With just one defeat in their 22-match campaign, they were determined to complete a hat-trick of league wins over Limerick for the second season in a row.
But the visitors had other ideas and went at Cork from the kick-off.
They might have hit the front after only two minutes when a misplaced pass from home goalkeeper Mark McNulty found Lee Lynch, who struck a 30-yard shot, kept out by a diving save from McNulty.
But Martin Russell's side were playing a sharp, crisp passing game and deservedly took the lead in the seventh minute.
A fine through ball from Lynch set up striker Faherty, who drilled a low shot from the edge of the penalty area into the bottom corner of the Cork net.
The Leesiders then lost skipper John Dunleavy to injury and he was replaced by Ross Gaynor, who drew them level in the 21st minute.
Gaynor sent in a cross shot from the right wing that flew past Bermudan international goalkeeper Freddy Hall, who was possibly distracted by lurking Cork striker Mark O'Sullivan.
It was Gaynor's third goal of the season, the previous two coming against his former club Sligo at The Showgrounds.
But vastly improved Limerick were in front again on 36 minutes.
A good break on the right from former City player Ian Turner saw his shot blocked by the legs of McNulty but Clarke was there to sweep home from 12 yards and put them 2-1 in front at the break.
Cork lost top scorer Mark O'Sullivan at the break- he had come into the match with a knee injury - and his replacement John O'Flynn had Cork level again in the 57th minute. He scored from close range following a Colin Healy corner.
But Limerick showed that they will certainly give all the other clubs in the relegation dogfight plenty to think about when they again hit the front on 65 minutes.
A free-kick from Sèan Russell was headed home by the visitors' defender O'Connor from ten yards, much to the delight of the travelling Limerick fans.
Cork: Mark McNulty; Colin Healy, Alan Bennett, Dan Murray, Kevin O'Connor; Karl Sheppard, John Dunleavy (Ross Gaynor, inj 18), Liam Miller, Gary Buckley, Steven Beattie; Mark O'Sullivan (inj h/t,O'Flynn)
Limerick: Freddy Hall; Paul O'Connor, Robbie Williams, Paudie O'Connor, Shane Tracey; Ian Turner, Shane Duggan, Lee Lynch, Dean Clarke (Darragh Rainsford 90); Sean Russell (Prince Agyemang 80); Vinny Haherty.
Referee. Dave McKeon (Dublin)
