O’Leary snatches Limerick victory in Cork

Late winner came after 10-man homeside had drawn level at Turner’s Cross

Axel Bossekota was on the scoresheet for Limerick at Turner’s Cross. Photograph: Inpho
Axel Bossekota was on the scoresheet for Limerick at Turner’s Cross. Photograph: Inpho

Cork City 2 Limerick City 3: Limerick midfielder David O'Leary scored the winning goal, and provided two assists, as the Shannonsiders took the spoils following a frenetic Munster derby at Turner's Cross this afternoon.

Cork City, who played the entire second half with 10 men, had broken the deadlock on 13 minutes when Gearóid Morrissey picked out Denis Behan after Aaron Brown made a mess of his attempted clearance.

Up against his former club, Behan took a touch and steadied himself before slotting the ball neatly past Barry Ryan and into the bottom left corner. However, Brown redeemed himself in the 27 minute when he rose highest to head a nicely positioned O'Leary free-kick into the net.

Incredibly, Limerick were ahead two minutes later from a carbon copy move as another O'Leary delivery from almost the same position was nodded home by Axel Bossekota.

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Darren Dennehy was then sent off by referee Paul McLaughlin four minutes before the break in controversial circumstances. He certainly made contact with Limerick defender Shaun Kelly, but there was seemingly no malice in the challenge.

It made Cork's task a lot more difficult, but 11 minutes into the second half they regained parity thanks to a header from Shane Duggan after Danny Morrissey found him with a cushioned ball back across goal.

It was O'Leary who had the last, say though, as another setpiece, this time taken by Shane Tracy, caused havoc and the ball broke kindly to the midfielder, who slotted into an empty net after Mark McNulty failed to claim the initial ball into the box.

Cork City: McNulty; N Horgan, Dennehy, D Murray, Murphy; G Morrissey, Duggan, Healy, D Horgan (Turner 81); D Morrissey (Furlong 77), Behan (Spillane 42).

Limerick FC: Ryan; Kelly, Brown, Folan, Williams; Galbraith, O'Leary (Judge 80), Gamble, Tracy, Bossekota (Rainsford 90); Curran. Referee: Paul McLaughlin (Donegal).