Derry City 1-2 Limerick
A stoppage-time winner from striker Rory Gaffney ensured Limerick took all three Premier Division points from the Brandywell.
The big front man capitalised on a defensive error from Mark Timlin to fire home.
The visitors took the lead thanks to Shane Duggan's close-range strike, but the effort was cancelled out by Barry McNamee's goal just after the hour mark.
City, who had made a host of changes to their side going into this game, went close to breaking the deadlock on 23 minutes but Sean Houston, who latched onto Philip Lowry’s tremendous through ball, saw his shot from 12 yards fail to trouble Limerick goalkeeper Ali Abass.
After a disappointing first half it was Limerick who started on the front foot after the break with substitute Darragh Rainsford, who replaced Kieran Djilali, denied by a smart save by Derry goalkeeper Ciaran Gallagher.
Limerick kept going forward and they should have taken the lead when Gaffney got in behind the City defence, but his close-range strike failed to bother Gallagher and trickled wide.
Martin Russell’s men did take the lead on 58 minutes when Gaffney brought the ball down inside the box for the in-rushing Duggan, his initial strike was superbly kept out by Gallagher but the skipper was on hand to turn home the loose ball.
It did not take Derry long to level things: McNamee’s close-range header from Stephen Dooley’s centre gave Abass no chance.
Gallagher came to his side’s rescue on 65 minutes: this time he did well to tip over Stephen Folan’s snap-shot.
Five minutes from time Ian Turner had a well-hit free-kick on the edge of the box superbly kept out by Gallagher.
Right at the death a terrible attempted clearance by Timlin fell perfectly for Gaffney and he blasted home past Gallagher.
Derry City: Gallagher, Jarvis (Ventre 66), Molloy, S McEleney, Timlin; Lowry (McBride 86), McNamee, Houston; Dooley (Patterson 80), Curran, Duffy.
Limerick: Abass, Folan, Turner, Lynch, Duggan, Gaffney, Djilali (Rainsford H-T), Leahy, Agyemang (Ndo 80), O’Connor, Oji.
Referee: Paul Tuite (Dublin).
