Updated at 22.05
Bray Wanderers 0
Limerick 1
Dave Donnelly reports at the Carlisle Grounds.
SHANE DUGGAN SCORED his first goal of the season as Limerick sealed a priceless win over relegation favourites Bray Wanderers at the Carlisle Grounds.
Duggan struck six minutes after the break as the Blues deservedly took all three points home to Munster, despite Bray defender Kevin Lynch twice hitting the bar.
A poor first half burst to life in the final minutes as Bray, who had been second-best until that point, were awarded a penalty after Billy Dennehy took down Cory Galvin.
The majority of the crowd just shy of 500 would have bet their houses on Gary McCabe converting from 12 yards, but the skipper hit an atrocious shot high over the bar.
That’s a word that couldn’t be applied to Kevin Lynch’s free kick moments later, a rocket bound for the top corner before Brendan Clarke brilliantly tipped it onto the bar.
There was still time for Limerick to go close as Shaun Kelly’s cross found Danny Morrissey between the centre-halves, but he could only turn his volley over the bar.
The Blues continued to be the better side in the second half and they got their reward six minutes in when captain Duggan defied logic to poke his shot through a tangle of legs.
Bray could have equalised against the run of play when Lynch’s cross was turned towards his own goal by Killian Brouder, but again Clarke was well-positioned to make the save.
Lynch was unlucky to hit the bar for a second time late on, and Douglas headed wide in injury time, and the Blues hung on for a well-earned three points.
BRAY WANDERERS: Dillon; McKenna , Kenna , Douglas , Lynch ; O’Conor , Gorman (Pender 63, ), McCabe ; D Kelly (Heaney 88), Galvin , Coughlan .
LIMERICK: Clarke ; S Kelly (Whitehead 46), Cantwell , Brouder , Tracy (Walsh O’Loughlen 71); Clifford (Maguire 80), Duggan , Wearen , Fitzgerald , Dennehy ; Morrissey .
Referee: Paul McLaughlin (Donegal)
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