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O'Brien strikes to seal Limerick revival

NFL Division One A/ Limerick 2-10 Fermanagh 1-08 : A spirited second-half comeback by Limerick gave them a deserved win over…

Mon Feb 19 2007 - 00:00

NFL Division One A/ Limerick 2-10 Fermanagh 1-08: A spirited second-half comeback by Limerick gave them a deserved win over Fermanagh yesterday in Clones.

A muscular Limerick side made their intentions known from the start, taking the game to their opponents and scoring the opening point through John Cooke.

But Fermanagh bounced back with a Ciarán McElroy goal after Ciarán O'Reilly's free kick had come back off the crossbar.

Fermanagh enjoyed a good early spell, with James Sherry knocking over a point from a tight angle. But Limerick knocked over three unanswered points, the first when Jason O'Brien got away from his marker Niall Bogue and the second and third from Garreth Noonan and Cooke.

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Fermanagh built on their lead when full back Bogue joined the attack to score, but Limerick pulled one back through John Galvin to leave just one point between the sides at the break.

Limerick made a lively start to the second half when Tommy Carroll pointed and Michael Reidy quickly followed with another point, putting his team ahead.

With their tails up Limerick netted a goal through Reidy before Noonan added another point to leave them five ahead.

Tom Brewster's free narrowed the gap before Shaun Doherty bought the scores to 1-8 to 1-5, but Fermanagh could never get on terms.

Cooke added another point for Limerick before Doherty and Eamonn Maguire pointed again for Fermanagh.

And as the Ernesiders went all out for the late comeback they left gaps at the back for Ger Collins to point before O'Brien found the net again.

Fermanagh are already in trouble after their second defeat in the campaign but Limerick, who impressed against Dublin last week when they lost by a point, will feel they are making real progress under manager Mickey Ned O'Sullivan.

LIMERICK: S Kiely; S Gallagher, J McCarthy, J O'Brien (1-1); P Ahern, P Browne, P Ranahan; T Cahill, J Galvin (0-1); G Noonan (0-3), T Carroll (0-1), J Cooke (0-2); J Ryan, D Horan, M Reidy (1-1). Subs: M Crowley for Noonan (58 mins); G Collins (0-1)for Cooke (62 mins).

FERMANAGH: C Breen; N Bogue (0-1), B Owens, S Goan; S McDermott (0-1), S Lyons, P Sherry; M McGrath, J Sherry (0-1); M Little, S Doherty (0-3), E Maguire (0-1); C McElroy (1-0), M Murphy, C O'Reilly. Subs: T Brewster (0-1)for Murphy (26 mins); R Keenan for Little, Murphy for McGrath, R McCluskey for Lyons (all 50 mins); S McCabe for O'Reilly (57 mins).

Referee: M Duffy(Sligo).