Sligo Rovers 1-1 Limerick
A last minute Paul O'Conor equaliser heaped further pressure on Sligo Rovers manager Owen Heary as Limerick claimed a late, late point at the Showgrounds.
Dinny Corcoran had given the Bit O'Red a first half lead, but O'Conor pounced in the fourth minute of added time at the end of the game to extend Sligo's wait for a first home league win of the season.
During a game which failed to ever really ignite, Ian Turner should have done better with his volley as he ballooned an effort from the edge of the Sligo area on nine minutes. Moments later, Sligo full back Jake Dykes did well to divert Dean Clarke's close range effort away from goal.
With only one win from the first round of league games and difficult assignments against Cork and Drogheda to come, Sligo were in desperate need of three points. And following a rather flat-footed start from the home side, Corcoran fired the Bit O'Red into the lead on 26 minutes.
Winger Kevin Devaney dodged several attempts from the Limerick defence to dispossess him as he made his way across the face of the area, before finding Sander Puri out wide. The Estonian international's cross evaded everyone bar Corcoran who hammered the ball past Conor O'Donnell in the Limerick net.
Clear-cut goalscoring opportunities were few and far between for the remainder of the half as both teams struggled to break each other down.
O'Conor was fortunate not to direct his attempted clearance into his own goal five minutes from the break. Again, the Shannonsiders were slow to clear a Rovers corner as the ball broke through a host of defenders, with O'Conor putting just enough elevation on his clearance to avoid O'Donnell's crossbar.
18 minutes of the second half had elapsed before the game saw its next chance. Beattie's speed brought him past Limerick full back Sean Harding but O'Donnell was on hand to get down and block the former Bohs man's low drive.
Sligo were beginning to find joy down the Limerick right but fell short on several occasions. Corcoran went close on 66 but was unable to get the necessary touch to Puri's searching ball.
Beattie saw his effort from 20-yards sail over O'Donnell's crossbar with eleven minutes remaining on a soggy surface as the game continued in its scrappy nature.
The home side were offered another opportunity to put the game to bed but Beattie slipped his header wide from a well weighted Puri cross.
Rovers' indecisiveness in front of goal was then punished at the death as Martin Russell's side grabbed a late and vital point.
O'Conor returning to haunt his former employers as unmarked, he headed home Ian Turner's cross from the right in the fourth minute of stoppage time.
Sligo Rovers: Richard Brush; Alan Keane, Gary Boylan, Stephen Folan, Jake Dykes; Sander Puri, John Russell, David Cawley, Kevin Devaney (Raffaele Cretaro 69); Steven Beattie (for Morten Nielsen 93); Dinny Corcoran.
Subs not used: Ryan Coulter, Danny Ledwith, Eoin Wearen, Gary Armstrong, Ryan McManus.
Limerick: Conor O'Donnell; Sean Harding (for Jason Hughes 86), Paudie O'Connor (Tony Whitehead 63), Paul O'Conor, Robbie Williams; Ian Turner, Shane Duggan, Shane Tracey, Sean Russell; Dean Clarke, Vinny Faherty (Darragh Rainsford 53).
Subs not used: Tommy Holland, Val Feeney, Sean McSweeney, Aidan Price.
