Limerick FC 1 Drogheda Utd 0
Rodrigo Tosi had an early season hat-trick for Limerick but his goal from a penalty on Saturday night against Drogheda was crucial to the Shanonsiders' chances of remaining in the Premier Division for next season.
Though relegated already, Drogheda worked tirelessly in an effort to ensure they kept the relegation battle alive for others.
Before an attendance of 1,622 Limerick wasted several chances with Tosi off target on a few occasions in both halves.
The first half was a very tame affair with Limerick doing most of the attacking. Lee J Lynch set up Tosi after five minutes but the effort came to nothing and at the other end Stephen McGuinness was in the right place to gather another Limerick effort.
Tosi missed another good chance two minutes before the break but when he was taken down by Colm Deasy four minutes into the second half the Brazilian made no mistake with the penalty.
Deasy was yellow carded for the foul and worse followed for him after 72 minutes when he was shown a second yellow which left his side with10 for the last 20 minutes.
LIMERICK FC: Clarke, O'Connor, Cotter, Lynch, Whitehead, Tracey, Crowe, Kenny (Fitzgerald, 74 mins), Tosi, Ogbene, Hery.
DROGHEDA UNITED: McGuinness, Deasy, Farragher, Mulcahy, Elworthy (Kane, 31 mins), Purdy (Russell, 69 mins), McEvoy, Bayly (Buckley, 72 mins), Wixted, Doyle, Mulhall.
Referee: Andrew Mullally.
