Limerick moved out of the relegation playoff spot with a well-deserved 1-0 win over bottom-place Bray Wanderers at the Carlisle Grounds.
Captain Shane Duggan was the difference-maker on the night, squirrelling his shot through a maze of legs to earn Tommy Barrett's side for a first win in nine matches.
Limerick made three enforced changes from the 1-1 draw with Shamrock Rovers as Shaun Kelly, Shane Tracy and Eoin Wearen replaced Darren Dennehy, Connor Ellis and the suspended Cian Coleman.
Bray caretaker boss Graham Kelly stuck with the same starting eleven that took to the pitch last weekend in defeat to Waterford, with Ronan Coughlan again deputising for injured Aaron Greene.
But the home side – so impressive here two weeks ago against Dundalk and Shamrock Rovers – struggled to impose themselves on the game in its early stages.
The visitors had the better of the play early doors, with young winger Will Fitzgerald causing endless problems for defender Daniel McKenna down the left-hand side, but few clear sights of goal.
Danny Morrissey headed over from a clipped Wearen cross midway through the half before Killian Cantwell landed another header onto the top of the net from Billy Dennehy's delivery.
Bray created little in the opening period but they had a chance to take a lead against the run of play four minutes from half time when Dennehy brought down the pacey Cory Galvin inside the box.
The normally metronomic Gary McCabe stepped up to face Brendan Clarke from 12 yards, but the midfielder's effort was abysmal, flying high over the bar and into the car park behind the goal.
Kevin Lynch gave a lesson in how to strike a ball moments later when he arrowed a free kick towards the top corner, and it took a top-class save from Clarke to touch it onto the bar.
And the first-half action wasn't finished there as right-back Shaun Kelly cut in on his unfavoured foot and whipped a cross in between the centre-halves that Morrissey could only direct over the bar.
Limerick deservedly hit the front six minutes into the second half, and it was the captain Shane Duggan who reeled away with his hand in the air as he netted his first of the season.
A long throw-in from Fitzgerald found the midfielder on the edge of the box, and he fought for space amid a sea of legs before poking the ball into the bottom corner.
Clarke had to be on top form to deny Bray an equaliser when Lynch's cross was turned goalward by Killian Brouder, and the Dubliner came to his defender's aid with a good low stop.
Substitute Ger Pender had a couple of half-chances but the best chance fell to Lynch, who found himself in space in the box from a corner only to once again crack the top of the bar.
And when Hugh Douglas headed wide in injury time, the Seagulls' misery was complete and the visitors rightly returned to Munster with three points in tow.
Bray Wanderers: Aaron Dillon; Dan McKenna, Conor Kenna, Hugh Douglas, Kevin Lynch; Paul O'Conor, Rhys Gorman (Ger Pender 63), Gary McCabe; Daniel Kelly (Sean Heaney 88), Cory Galvin, Ronan Coughlan.
Limerick: Brendan Clarke; Shaun Kelly (Tony Whitehead 46), Killian Cantwell, Killian Brouder, Shane Tracy (Colm Walsh O'Loughlen 71); Conor Clifford (Barry Maguire 80), Shane Duggan, Eoin Wearen, Billy Dennehy, William Fitzgerald; Danny Morrissey.
Referee: Paul McLaughlin (Donegal).
