Premier Division Cork City progressed to the next round of the Ford FAI Cup following a nervous win over battling Limerick 37 at Jackman Park.
A debatable second-half penalty from Dave Mooney and a late, bullet-like header from Darren Murphy put the gloss on a flattering margin of victory for the visitors.
The cup holders arrived at the Lower Careys Road venue favourites to do the double over the Shannonsiders this season following their 3-0 League Cup vistory over Lims last month.
But it was the First Division side that almost drew first blood after Brendan Daly’s third minute corner was clawed from under his own crossbar by City keeper Mick Devine.
And five minutes later Devine had to race swiftly off his line to clear from Chukwuma Manjor following a flick on from Wayne Colbert.
Manjor went close again in the 11th minute - beating the offside trap to latch unto a through ball from Darren Harrington only for Devine to save with his feet at the edge of the box.
Pat Sullivan then had to race across the area to clear from man of the match Wayne Colbert as Limerick continued to show absolutely no respect for their Premier Division guests.
City, who repeatedly fell foul of the offside law in the opening quarter, had the ball in the net in the 24th minute via Joe Gamble, but Denis Behan was flagged offside.
At the other end Lims keeper Dave Ryan had to sprint off his line to clear from Dave Mooney following a threaded pass from Darren Murphy, who was booked for reacting to a Colbert challenge minutes later.
Gamble and Cillian Lordan both went close against the run of play on the stroke of half time, but Limerick held firm to earn a deserved ovation from their own fans at the break.
City edged ahead in the 56th minute when Brian Clearly was harshly adjudged to have taken down Mooney inside the box - Mooney stepped up and slotted home the resulting penalty.
And Murphy more or less put the matter beyond dispute ten minutes from time, rising unchallenged to head home Danny Murphy's corner to advance the Leesiders into the 4th round.
Limerick 37: Ryan, Daly, Cleary, White, Colbert (Quinlivan 82) Fogarty, Danahe, Ryan, McCarthy, Harrington (Cosgrave 75) Manjor.
Cork City: Devine, Horgan, Sullivan, Murray, Murphy, Lordan (Meyler 87) Gamble, D Murphy, Kearney, Mooney (O'Connor 90) Behan.
Referee: P Sutton (Clare)
