Dundalk 6-2 Limerick
David McMillan and Brian Gartland helped themselves to a brace apiece as league leaders Dundalk put six past bottom of the table Limerick in an entertaining contest at Oriel Park.
The champions were 3-0 up at half-time thanks to strikes from Stephen O'Donnell, Gartland and McMillan.
The latter pair doubled their tally after the break but Limerick salvaged some pride with goals from Sean Harding and Shane Duggan before a late own-goal from Tony Whitehead made it a four-goal gap once more.
Martin Russell’s side came into the game looking to end a run of six straight defeats, but they started in the worst possible manner.
O’Donnell, making his first start since the title decider with Cork City on the final day of last season, played a neat one-two with Daryl Horgan before planting a blistering drive past Conor O’Donnell from close range.
The basement side steadied the ship after that and created a couple of opportunities to have a pop at the Dundalk goal. Harding and Paul O’Conor posed no danger to Gary Rogers but the Dundalk goalkeeper was worked by Sean Russell’s left footed drive in the 24th minute, getting down to his right to parry the ball to safety.
A lull in the game was lifted by a driving run from Richie Towell on the half hour mark. The Dundalk midfielder carried the ball over 30 yards into the Limerick box, but saw two efforts blocked. Limerick, however, weren’t off the hook. From Darren Meenan’s corner, Gartland rose to head home his fourth goal of the season.
The league leaders battered Limerick after that and it was almost 3-0 straight from the kick off. Dundalk won possession of the ball with Towell setting Horgan in the clear but the winger’s first touch let him down and the ball carried through to O’Donnell.
Ronan Finn then beat the Limerick goalkeeper with a neat finish from another Towell pass, but the assistant’s flag saw the goal ruled out for offside.
The inevitable arrived in the 35th minute. Finn unlocked the Limerick back four again and McMillan ran through to beat O’Donnell and claim his first goal since 17 April. The half-time whistle would have been welcomed by those in blue shirts.
The second half continued in the same vein. O’Donnell continued to catch the eye and his break forward in the 54th minute created an opening for McMillan, who diverted the cutback wide. The striker fared better just a minute later, taking hold of a Finn pass to smash the ball in via the underside of the crossbar.
Dundalk fans were left sweating when Towell went down in a heap behind the Limerick goal in the 59th minute and most people were watching him receive treatment when Limerick pulled one back. Harding’s free kick drifted in from the right and beat Rogers, who gave the impression that the ball was going wide.
Towell recovered from the knock and Dundalk restored their four-goal cushion when Gartland flicked home another Meenan corner in the 64th minute.
The goals continued to rain down and Limerick made it 5-2 in the 70th minute. Dean Clarke’s drive was well stopped by Rogers but Duggan pounced on Andy Boyle’s attempted header back to his goalkeeper to prod the ball home.
Rogers redeemed himself in the 75th minute when he got down to save a Shane Tracey penalty after Dane Massey had hauled substitute Ross Mann down on the right of the box.
The scoring was rounded off when Limerick sub Whitehead deflected a Jake Kelly cross into his net in the final minute.
DUNDALK: Gary Rogers; Sean Gannon, Brian Gartland, Andy Boyle, Dane Massey; Stephen O’Donnell (Chris Shields 60), Richie Towell; Darren Meenan, Ronan Finn, Daryl Horgan; David McMillan ( John Mountney 69). Subs not used: Kurtis Byrne, Shane Grimes, Paddy Barrett, Jake Kelly, Gabriel Sava (GK).
LIMERICK: Conor O’Donnell; Sean Harding, Aidan Price, Robbie Williams, Shane Tracy; Jason Hughes (Ross Mann 62), Sean Russell, Paul O’Conor, Shane Duggan, Darragh Rainsford (Vinny Faherty 62); Dean Clarke. Subs not used: Tom Whitehead, Val Feeney, Prince Agyemann,, Kieran Hanlon, Ali Abass (GK).
REFEREE: Rob Rogers.
