Drogheda United 1

Limerick 4

AS FAR AS returns to old haunts go, this will have gone far better than Stuart Taylor could have even expected. Unlikely victors against the champions last week, this was just another example of the potential waiting to be unlocked in Limerick.

For Drogheda, this will haunt them for some time. It was nightmarish stuff. Seven goal drubbings against their fierce local rivals are one thing, but Dundalk clinically dispose of most that stand in their way these days. At home to a time considered of a similar level,

Drogheda offered no antidote to their recent ills.

Goals from Danny Galbraith, Tom McManus, Shane Duggan and Shane Tracy were enough to secure another three points for Limerick at United Park and that somewhat surprising scoreline neither flattered the visitors nor was particularly harsh on Drogheda.

Just eight minutes had passed when the breakthrough was made. Some neat passing on the edge of the area saw the ball played out to Patrick Nzuzi. The right back’s low cross was met by Galbraith in the box and the Scot sidefooted his shot past Dave Ryan.

Ryan’s brother Barry was netminding at the other end for Limerick, but it was too be the younger of the two siblings who would have the busier night. On 24 minutes, that lead was doubled.  A mistake by Daire Doyle at the back allowed Tam McManus in to shoot past Ryan from a tight angle.

At that stage with those two goals in addition to the nine in total shipped away to Dundalk and Derry in the past ten days, home fans will have been praying for at the very least, a semblance of respectability.

Acrobatic

Just before the half hour, Fabio O’Brien forced Dave Ryan into a save with an acrobatic effort from a Shane Grimes cross. From the resulting corner, O’Brien got the touch at the near post for his eight of the season and Drogheda’s first since their win against Bohs two weeks ago. The joy was shortlived however, as Limerick skipper Shane Duggan volleyed superbly in just seconds later to regain the Blues’ two goal margin.

Not long after the restart, it was 1-4. Remarkably, a Shane Tracey corner managed to elude everyone in the penalty area and crept in at the far post. The home side came more into the game as it went on with Gary O’Neill and Paul Crowley going close but Limerick could have extended their lead, such was their pace and verve on the counter attack.

These back to back wins for Limerick have plundered six goals and they have gone some way to doubling their tally for their entire first third of the season. Taylor’s men move into the top six.

DROGHEDA UNITED: David Ryan, Shane Grimes, Alan McNally, Daire Doyle (Paul Andrews, 46), Cathal Brady (Carl Walshe, 78), Gavan Holohan, Gary O’Neill, Gavin Brennan, Declan O’Brien, Sean O’Connor, Eric Foley (Paul Crowley, 51).

Substitutes: Dylan Connolly, Paul Andrews, Paul Crowley, Philly Hughes, Dominic Mahon, Carl Walshe, Roy Kierans.

LIMERICK FC: Barry Ryan, Stephen Folan, Danny Galbraith (Darragh Rainsford, 89), Shane Duggan, Rory Gaffney, Shane Tracy (Tony Whitehead, 80), Patrick Nzuzi, Prince Agyemang, Thomas McManus (Ross Mann, 73), Samuel Oji, Jason Hughes.

Substitutes: Shane Cusack, Michael Leahy, Darragh Rainsford, James McGrath, Tony Whitehead, Kieran Hanlon, Ross Mann.

REFEREE: Anthony Buttimer