Andrew Cunneen reports from Markets Field
DUNDALK MAINTAINED THEIR two-point cushion at the summit of the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division with a comfortable 3-0 win over Limerick at the Markets Field.
In what was effectively a stroll in the park for the league leaders, they barely had to get out of second gear to roll over lowly Limerick in a game played at a slow pace throughout.
The visitors made two changes to the XI that struggled to break down Bray Wanderers on Friday night. Former Limerick centre half Stephen Folan retained his place, but was partnered by Sean Hoare, as Dan Cleary missed the game due to an injury. John Mountney also came on in place of Krisztian Adorjan.
Limerick, whose run of injuries early on in the season had hamstrung them somewhat, were to do without Danny Morrissey for this one. He was listed on the team sheet, but failed a fitness test pre-match and was left out of the matchday squad. Daniel Kearns, the former Dundalk winger and scorer of the Blues’ only goal in the last 600+ minutes of football, was also absent.
Dundalk had put 26 goals past Limerick in their last seven league encounters and any unreasonable worries they may have had pre-game were put to bed inside ten minutes when John Mountney bagged his second goal in two games.
However, there would be a hint of controversy about the opener. Stephen Folan appeared to pull back Connor Ellis before he released the ball to Jamie McGrath. From here, it was vintage Dundalk. McGrath skipped into the Limerick half before feeding Michael Duffy. The winger looked up and found Mountney at the back post. He made no mistake.
From here, it would be little more than a training session for the Lilywhites and the game was put to bed on the half-hour mark. Similar to the opening goal, Robbie Benson swung a pinpoint cross towards Pat Hoban who nodded home for his seventh league goal of the season.
A tiny crowd were hand for this one – a reflection of the uncertainty the club are currently going through courtesy of an inexperienced manager and ownership issues that have yet to be clarified.
Many of those in attendance would have been at this very fixture in June 2013 – the last time Limerick came from two goals down to win a game in the league. Rory Gaffney, Craig Curran and Shane Tracy scored the goals on that occasion, but a repeat on this occasion was a little shy of impossible.
Ten minutes into the second half, it was put to bed. Michael Duffy finished coolly past Brendan Clarke after a clever through ball from Jamie McGrath.
Limerick: Brendan Clarke; Shaun Kelly (Karl O’Sullivan, 59), Tony Whitehead, Killian Brouder, Kilian Cantwell; Will Fitzgerald, Conor Clifford, Shane Duggan (Eoin Wearen, 55), Cian Coleman (Barry Maguire, 83), Billy Dennehy; Connor Ellis.
Dundalk: Gary Rogers; Sean Gannon, Sean Hoare, Stephen Folan, Dane Massey; Robbie Benson, Chris Shields; John Mountney, Jamie McGrath, Michael Duffy (Dylan Connolly, 79); Patrick Hoban (Marco Tagbajumi, 64).
Referee: Damien McGrath.
