Shamrock Rovers 4
Limerick 1
SHAMROCK ROVERS RETURNED to league action for the first time in 30 days this afternoon and put their European exit behind them with a comfortable 4-1 win over Limerick in Tallaght Stadium.
Brandon Miele was the star of the show, scoring a superb 30-yard strike in the first half, which was the Hoops’ 200th league goal in Tallaght, while for Limerick it was a 15th defeat of the season.
Pat Fenlon’s side were looking to extend their 366 day unbeaten run at home in the league, and they dominated the opening 15 minutes, but could have easily been behind after that when Robbie Williams headed against Barry Murphy’s crossbar.
That foray forward for the visitors was one of only a handful in the first half, however, and with just over a half an hour played Miele lit up what had been a dull afternoon up to that point.
Drifting in form the left side, he drove the ball from 30-yards, sending it to the top corner, and leaving Freddy Hall statue like in the Limerick goal.
Dean Clarke was Limerick’s only outlet up front, but he remained isolated for the most part, and eight minutes into the second half Rovers captain, Conor Kenna headed in Waters’ free kick to make it 2-0.
Limerick did hit back through Ian Turner on 62 minutes when Barry Murphy parried Shane Tracy’s shot into his path, but Patrick Cregg’s first league goal for Rovers three minutes later quickly reaffirmed their dominance.
And Miele added further gloss to his performance, and that of Rovers, with a fourth goal that came via a lovely backheel from Ryan Brennan.
Shamrock Rovers: Murphy, Madden, Byrne, Webster, Kenna, McCabe, Cregg, North (McCaffrey, 80), Waters (D Kavanagh, 85), C Kavanagh (R Brennan, 72), Miele.
Limerick: Hall, Williams, Paul O’Conor, Duggan, Tracy, Paudie O’Connor, Lynch, Agyemang (Rainsford, 63), Turner (Faherty, 63), Russell, Clarke.
