Cork City secured their first victory in the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division since the beginning of August as they defeated Limerick 3-0 at Turner’s Cross.
Goals from the man of the match Jimmy Keohane, Kieran Sadlier and Aaron Barry was enough to see City earn the three points to complete a positive week for the club.
John Caulfield made eight changes to the side that defeated Bohemians 2-1 on Monday night to send the FAI Cup holders to their fourth FAI Cup final in succession with Kieran Sadlier, Conor McCarthy and Jimmy Keohane the only survivors.
And it was Keohane who opened the scoring in the second minute as he turned on Barry McNamee’s pullback before blasting the ball in off the underside of the crossbar from close range.
Darren Murphy was one of five former Cork City players in the Limerick side and he almost became the second visiting player in a week to score a stunner at the shed end.
The holding midfielder decided to try his luck from distance but his powerful drive sailed narrowly wide of the top right corner much to the relief of the majority of 2,486 crowd in attendance.
Danny Morrissey again went to netting on his return to Leeside but his clever shot on the turn was brilliantly tipped around his right post by the outstretched Peter Cherrie.
The SSE Airtricity League runners-up almost doubled their tally moments before the half time break but Conor McCarthy’s header from a corner was hacked off the line by the alert defence.
But they would finally make it 2-0 shortly after the restart as Kieran Sadlier scored his 12th league goal of the season following a sweeping attacking move.
Daly Butz combined with Keohane on the edge of the Limerick penalty area before the latter picked out Sadlier with a sensational through ball.
The attacker kept his nerve as he coolly took the ball past the onrushing goalkeeper and hammered his shot home at near post despite best efforts of the defenders on the line.
That second all but killed off the challenge of Limerick as Cork dominated the remainder of proceedings.
Sadlier was inches away from grabbing a stunning third in the 68th minute but his ambitious free-kick from distance clipped the top of the crossbar.
Limerick keeper Tommy Holland did well to deny both Shane Daly Butz and Pierce Phillips moments later shortly before Sadlier saw his rebound deflect wide of the far post.
But it was of little consequence as the FAI Cup finalists added a third in injury time to secure the victory which sees them on course to surpass last season tally by a point should they win their final two games.
Centre-back Aaron Barry was the man who got it as he headed a corner past the keeper at the near post to secure a comfortable win.
Cork City: Peter Cherrie; Conor McCarthy, Damien Delaney, Aaron Barry, Ronan Hurley; Conor McCormack, Jimmy Keohane (Pierce Phillips 67); Shane Daly Butz (Dale Holland 85), Barry McNamee, Kieran Sadlier; Ronan Coughlan (Cian Murphy 57).
Limerick: Tommy Holland; Shaun Kelly, Killian Cantwell, Killian Brouder (Colman Kennedy 73), Shane Tracy; Darren Murphy (Karl O’Sullivan 61); Shane Duggan, Cian Coleman, Barry Maguire, Shane Tracy; Danny Morrissey (Connor Ellis 72).
