A brace of quick first half goals continued Limerick 37’s impressive run of form and shattered the defensive record of a Monaghan United side that had kept the previous six visitors to their Century Homes Park fortress scoreless.
Limerick brought the game to the home side from the off, with Chukwuma Manjor’s mobility posing problems for Monaghan’s sturdy trio of central defenders.
However, the closest Michael Kerley’s men came to breaking the deadlock was when Paul Walsh availed of a slip by United full-back Barry Clancy to try a chip from an acute angle which Brendan Kennedy backtracked adroitly to save.
Monaghan appeared to have weathered the storm when they were struck by two Limerick goals in quick succession at the half-hour.
Gary Sheehan was afforded too much space on the left and, when Brendan Daly glanced on his cross, Walsh sent a deft low header beyond Kennedy on 30 minutes.
The goal seemed to shatter United’s defensive composure and they were at sixes and sevens at the back when Dave Ryan broke through from midfield and sent a low drive past the advancing Kennedy just two minutes later.
That stung a defiant response from the home side. Brian Clancy swept in a dangerous low cross and Ian Maher would have bundled it across the line but for a great last-ditch save by the diving Limerick ‘keeper David Ryan.
Most of the second half was played in sheeting rain that militated against good football. Sheehan made several powerhouse runs for Limerick but his shooting let him down.
Monaghan manager Mick Cooke made three substitutions in quick succession to try to enliven his side, and one of the new men, Darren Meenan, struck the side netting with a snap shot from the edge of the box.
But it was raiding wing-back Paul Whelan, Monaghan’s top scorer so far this season, who almost brought United back into the game, flashing a header from Clancy’s corner inches over the bar.
In the closing minutes Dave Ryan almost added to the Limerick tally, meeting a half-cleared cross with a blistering drive that flashed just past the top corner.
Monaghan United: Kennedy; Gartland (McMahon 66), Mooney, Byrne; Whelan, Tierney, McCrossan, Maher (Meenan
71), Clancy; Collins (Lanigan 63), Scully.
Limerick 37: David Ryan; White, Danagher, Barrett, Cleary; Daly (Goggins 91), Hughes, Dave Ryan; Manjor (Guerin 75); Walsh (Hayes 90), Sheehan.
Referee: P Caschera
