Drogheda 1-4 Limerick
A remarkable three-goal blast inside the first 13 minutes set up Limerick for a hugely important SSE Airtricity League win that boosts their survival prospects and plunges Drogheda deeper into the mire.
Vinny Faherty headed home a corner-kick in the fifth minute and Ian Turner netted from the spot after a foul on Robbie Williams.
Darragh Rainsford’s superb header put the Shannonsiders further in front before the Drogs hit back through Tiarnan Mulvenna in the 26th minute.
Williams, however, restored Limerick’s three-goal cushion just before half-time.
Drogheda improved after the break, but Lee Duffy was denied by Limerick keeper Freddy Hall and Alan Byrne had a goal ruled out for offside.
Former international Keith Treacy was a surprise inclusion in Drogheda’s starting line-up after signing earlier in the week and he forced a save from Limerick keeper Hall from their first attack.
But the home side were then stunned by a hat-trick of goals inside eight minutes. The first was a disaster from Drogheda’s point of view as Faherty strolled into the six-yard area completely unmarked to head a corner-kick past Micheal Schlingermann.
Goal number two arrived on the 11-minute mark from the penalty spot after referee Jim McKell spotted a foul on Williams and Turner drove his kick down the middle as Schlingermann dived to his right.
Worse was to follow for the Boynesiders in the 13th minute when Turner galloped down the right flank and delivered a wonderful cross towards Rainsford, who planted a superb header high beyond the reach of Schlingermann.
Faherty, Sean Russell and Rainsford all had opportunities to put Limerick completely out of sight with 25 minutes not yet elapsed, but Drogheda gained a lifeline shortly after when Lee Duffy got on the end of a superb Treacy pass and the ball eventually bounced kindly for Mulvenna, who drove a firm shot past Hall.
Hall then had to save bravely at the feet of Sean Thornton and Mulvenna as Drogheda chased hard for a second goal.
Limerick’s Shane Tracy then blasted a free kick off the bar and, after Michael Daly had gone close with a header for Drogheda, the Boynesiders found themselves trailing by a three-goal margin again as Williams rose unchallenged to head home a Turner corner in the 41st minute.
Drogheda started the second half with considerably more purpose and a Treacy corner kick deceived Hall and struck the post, before the keeper produced a tip-over save to deny Duffy.
The Boynesiders thought they were back in the game in the 55th minute when Alan Byrne scrambled home a Jason Marks cross, only to have the effort ruled out for offside.
Just past the hour mark, Robert O’Reilly had a header cleared off the Limerick line and Treacy’s departure – playing his first match of any kind since last December – shortly after seemed to end any hope of a Drogheda comeback.
The visitors almost grabbed a fifth goal on several occasions, with Faherty and Lee Lynch going closest.
DROGHEDA UNITED: Micheal Schlingermann; Michael Daly, Alan Byrne, Robert O’Reilly, Joe Gorman; Tiarnan Mulvenna (Ger Pender 79), Sean Thornton, Stephen Maher (Adam Whelan 71), Jason Marks; Keith Treacy (Mark Hughes 63); Lee Duffy.
LIMERICK: Freddy Hall; Shaun Kelly, Patrick Kanyuka, Robbie Williams, Shane Tracy; Ian Turner, Darragh Rainsford (Val Feeney 73), Paul O’Conor, Lee Lynch, Sean Russell (Tony Whitehead 84); Vinny Faherty.
Referee: Jim McKell (Tipperary)
