A second-half goal from the penalty spot by Philip Sheppard was sufficient to secure Monaghan United full points from this season opener with Limerick played in a deluge at Century Homes Park.
The conditions lessened the quality of the game considerably, but an off-colour Limerick didn’t help their cause with a cautious tactical deployment that saw James Hayes as a lone striker.
Despite their cagey approach, Limerick had the better chances of a mostly tame first half. Willie Bruton was denied by the legs of Monaghan 'keeper Brendan Kennedy when Ross Cosgrave carved
him an opening.
Then Cosgrave himself flashed a shot from outside the box that Kennedy did well to turn around the post.
As the half was ending, United debutant James Hand showed flashes of promise. He met Stephen McCrossan's pass from the wing with a deft volley that beat David Ryan in the Limerick goal but was hacked off the line by Paul Danaher.
Hand then sent in a fearsome shot from distance that whistled a
foot past the post.
The game's decisive moment came in the 56th minute when Sheppard was upended in the Limerick box by a clumsy challenge from behind by Chukwuma Manjor, and drove home the resultant penalty.
Limerick got some belated momentum from manager Mick Kerley's
introduction of Darren Harrington and David Ryan. They prompted some dramatic penalty box scrambles in the latter stages but United held out.
The closest the visitors came to an equaliser was in the 78th minute. Shane Tracey hammered a free-kick from 25 yards that seemed destined for the top corner, but Kennedy executed a superb fingertip save.
Monaghan United: Kennedy; Whelan, Mooney, Malone, Williamson; Lanigan (Meenan 69), Tierney, McCrossan, Hand; Collins, Sheppard (Hanaphy 93).
Limerick 37: David Ryan; Daly, Danaher, T Barrett, Tracey; Colbert, Fogerty, Cosgrave (L Barrett 60), Hayes (David Ryan 84); Manjor (Harrington 80), Bruton.
Referee: R Rogers (Dublin)
