A wonder goal from Chiedozie Ogbene and a late penalty save from Brendan Clarke deprived Bray Wanderers of a morale-boosting victory in their SSE Airtricity League Premier Division clash at the Carlisle Grounds.
With allegations of match-fixing hanging over the club, Bray had hoped to put a difficult week behind them in front of an attendance of just 481, their second lowest of the league season.
But Harry Kenny’s Wanderers were a little sluggish from the start, gifting Limerick a clearcut chance just 28 seconds in.
Bray left-back Karl Moore’s attempted throw to Tim Clancy was intercepted by the alert Rodrigo Tosi.
Limerick's Brazilian striker turned and raced in on goal, unleashing a crisp drive that Peter Cherrie did very well to palm away for a corner.
Clarke, at the other end, wasn’t quite so troubled as Bray responded four minutes later, the Limerick keeper comfortably gathering Darragh Noone’s curling effort.
In a tight game in which both sides looked to pass the ball, Bray’s Aaron Greene burst through from midfield ten minutes later to drill a shot wide.
However, Limerick had a better shape about them and passed the ball with a little more urgency and purpose.
Tosi was given another chance on 22 minutes, turning well from Lee J Lynch’s free kick to get his shot off which was blocked by Bray skipper Conor Kenna.
Kenna was then the first player booked four minutes later for a push on the menacing Ogbene. Shane Tracy got his direct free up and over the wall, though straight at Cherrie on his line.
Ogbene was a thorn down Bray’s right side and the left winger cut across to set up Stephen Kenny who might have done better than shoot wide as limerick remained the better side past the half hour.
Cherrie then had to rescue Bray on 35 minutes, going full stretch to his right to push away another drive from Tosi after Limerick skipper Shane Duggan had tenaciously won a tackle with Noone.
Limerick’s dominance of possession counted for little, though, as two minutes later Bray’s best passing move of the first half brought them the lead.
Gary McCabe swept a ball right to Keith Buckley whose arced delivery was well met by Noone, who’d snuck between Limerick’s centre-backs, to head powerfully to the far corner of the net, giving Clarke little chance.
Barry Cotter wasn't quite so accurate for Limerick two minutes before the interval, glancing his header wide from Lynch’s corner.
The Limerick right-back then had Clarke to thank three minutes into the second half. Cotter miscontrolled a deep cross from Ryan Brennan to gift the ball to Jason Marks whose shot was brilliant deflected over the bar by Clarke with his legs.
It was a timely save as a minute later Limerick were level from from Ogbene's brilliance.
The Nigerian stormed past Moore down the right, cut inside past two defenders before drilling a shot beyond Cherrie.
But Bray had been much better since the restart with Greene firing into the side netting before volleying straight at Clarke.
The Limerick keeper was there on 71 minutes to thwart Marks once more after Greene’s superb ball put him in on the left.
And Clarke wasn’t going to be beaten again as he made his most telling stop of the game on 73 minutes.
McCabe was fouled by Cotter inside there area with referee Paul McLaughlin pointing to the spot, but Clarke dived low down to his left to push away McCabe's spot kick.
Bray Wanderers: Peter Cherrie; Keith Buckley, Conor Kenna, Tim Clancy, Karl Moore (Jake Ellis 83); John Sullivan, Darragh Noone (Hugh Douglas 78); Ryan Brennan, Gary McCabe, Jason Marks (Kevin Lynch 74); Aaron Greene.
Limerick: Brendan Clarke; Barry Cotter, Tony Whitehead, David O’Connor, Shane Tracy; Bastien Hery; Stephen Kenny (Dean Clarke 74), Shane Duggan, Lee-J Lynch (John O’Flynn 62), Chiedozie Ogbene; Rodrigo Tosi.
Refere: Paul McLaughlin (Donegal).
