Amateur footage of Colin Healy's late wonder goal to beat Saint Pats 1-0

See this spectacular piece of skill when Cork needed it most right here: 

http://youtu.be/h8nRQOQMqYw

Report: Limerick 4-1 Bray Wanderers

REPORT: GAFFNEY HAT-TRICK SECURES BACK-TO-BACK WINS

Rory Gaffney’s injury-time finish completed his hat-trick and put the seal on back-to-back wins for Limerick as they overcame Bray Wanderers on another 4-1 scoreline at Thomond Park on Thursday evening.

Bray started brightly and had an early effort from Dean Zambra which was straight at Barry Ryan, before the ‘keeper reacted well to collect after Eric McGill’s 27th-minute free-kick was deflected onto the post.

But it was Limerick who drew first blood seven minutes before the break when Robbie Williams put an inch-perfect cross on a plate for Gaffney who headed past Stephen McGuinness.

Bray were reduced to ten men on the hour-mark when David Scully was dismissed for a second bookable offence, and then Limerick doubled their advantage with a cool finish from Lee-J Lynch.

The Seasiders soon responded through Zambra’s close-range finish, but after being denied by a spectacular save Gaffney eventually made certain of victory with a stunning strike eight minutes from time.

The Galway man then sealed his hat-trick in the first minute of injury-time when he slotted in from close range following Ian Turner’s low cross.

Manager Martin Russell was forced into one change from the team that lined out in the impressive 4-1 win over Shamrock Rovers six days earlier as captain Shane Duggan missed out through a hamstring injury.

It was the first league game that Duggan had missed since the trip to Dundalk back in March, which came through a suspension earned on the opening day against Bray. He was replaced by Prince Agyemang while Samuel Oji carried the captain’s armband.

But it was the Seagulls – without a league win since beating Limerick at the Carlisle Grounds back in May, 11 games ago – that started the brighter and they created a golden opening inside the first two minutes.

Adam Hanlon did well down the left and his cross was onto the head of Zambra in the centre, but from just eight-yards out the Wanderers No16 directed his effort straight at the grateful Ryan.

Limerick were slow to get into their stride with Bray forcing a number of corners, David Cassidy and Adam Mitchell threatening the home goal but the efforts were blocked and off-target respectively.

Bray continued to make most of the running and they could not have gone closer on 27 minutes.

After another Cassidy corner, the visitors earned a free-kick 25-yards from goal, with McGill’s set-piece taking a wicked deflection off the wall and hitting the bottom of the post. Ryan recovered well to collect with Mitchell about to tap in.

But against the run of play, Limerick broke the deadlock on 38 minutes. Williams skipped past his man down the left and delivered a perfect cross for Gaffney who clinically headed to the corner beyond the helpless McGuinness.

Into the second half, Williams again supplied a cross for Gaffney on 55 minutes but this time the header was straight at the ‘keeper, which came shortly after Lynch had a shot blocked down in the box.

The game went further in Limerick’s way on the hour-mark when Scully was adjudged to have dived in the box, which earned him a red card after he had also been booked in the first half.

Limerick extended their lead on 69 minutes after a good team move, Gaffney passing to Lynch who remained calm in the box before firing to the net. Bray, though, reduced the deficit almost immediately as a fierce Graham Kelly free-kick was pushed out by Ryan only as far as Zambra who fired in.

The Superblues went close to regaining their two-goal cushion 12 minutes from time when Prince fed Gaffney but his curling effort was spectacularly pushed wide by McGuinness.

But the Tuam man did make sure of the points soon as he drove a stunning strike which beat the ‘keeper at his near post. And then he made it a hat-trick – and his ninth goal of the season in all competitions – with a close-range finish in the 91st minute after a low cross from Turner.

Limerick: Barry Ryan, Patrick Nzuzi, Samuel Oji ©, Stephen Folan, Robbie Williams, Ian Turner, Lee-J Lynch, Prince Agyemang, Jason Hughes, Kieran Djilali (Shane O’Connor 76), Rory Gaffney. Goals: R Gaffney (38, 82, 90+1), L Lynch (69). Booked: None.Unused Subs: Shane Cusack (GK), Michael Leahy, Tony Whitehead, Val Feeney, Tam McManus, Ross Mann.

Bray Wanderers: Stephen McGuinness, Niall Cooney, Adam Mitchell, Joe Gorman, Michael Barker (Ryan Coombes 85), Dean Zambra, Eric McGill (Graham Kelly 50), David Cassidy, Adam Hanlon (Philip Hughes 52), David Scully, Ismahil Akinade. Goal: D Zambra (72). Booked: D Scully (35, 60). Sent-Off: D Scully (60). Unused Subs: Shane Redmond (GK), Shane O’Connor, Robert Maloney, Gareth McDonagh.

Referee: Graham Kelly (Cork)  

(Via Limerickfc.ie)

Limerick v Bray Wanderers Preview

PREVIEW: RUSSELL WANTS “SIMILAR PERFORMANCE”

Limerick manager Martin Russell has targeted a “similar performance” to last week as his side look to put further distance between themselves and the danger zone when they take on Bray Wanderers at Thomond Park on Thursday evening (kick-off 7.45pm).

The game has been brought forward 24 hours due to the World Club 7s Festival at the venue and it offers the Superblues the chance to climb to seventh for one night at least.

Limerick would also put an eight-point gap between themselves and Bray with a victory, with Russell keen to see his players build on their result and performance against Shamrock Rovers.

Goals from Rory Gaffney, Ian Turner and Stephen Folan, along with Rovers captain Conor Kenna putting through his own net, saw the Shannonsiders ease to a 4-1 win over the title hopefuls.

But now facing Bray – who avoided a seventh straight defeat with an injury-time equaliser at home to Athlone Town last Friday – the boss has warned against complacency.

“It’s important that we build on last week,” Russell told LimerickFC.ie. “You want to win each and every game and we’ll look forward to the visit of Bray.

“We want a similar performance to last week. We want to start in a positive manner and make sure we do things right. As we all know, there are no easy games in this league and Thursday will be no different.

“Bray have not had the results they would have wanted recently but teams can be broken and they can pick up a win somewhere.

“We need to put in a performance to match last week which will help our cause towards getting another three points.”

After last week’s game, the former midfielder called for more support for his team. “Part of the future is trying to get more people coming to the games,” the 47-year-old said, “supporting the local club and helping out the people behind the scenes here who are trying to do things.

“It all helps. We talk about the business on the field but there’s business off the field. I know how hard the people behind the scenes are working but we need to get those two things and maximize them.

“We’ll try to do our stuff on the field as best we can, but come out and support the club and it will make things even better.”

Limerick’s win over Rovers supplied their first points since returning from the mid season break, but they have now won three of our their last four home outings, a sequence including an impressive win over reigning champions Saint Patrick’s Athletic.

Bray, meanwhile, ended a six-game losing streak with a last-gasp leveller against Athlone at the Carlisle Grounds last weekend. Their last three games on the road have ended in defeat, with the Seagulls conceding 13 goals in that period.

While separated by just one place in the table, ninth-placed Limerick are five points ahead of their County Wicklow opponents.

Recent Meetings: The sides met on the opening day of the season and played out a scoreless draw at Thomond Park where both sides finished with ten men, the Shannonsiders losing captain Shane Duggan before David Cassidy was dismissed for the visitors.

In the return fixture in Bray in May, a dominant Limerick failed to make it count on the scoreboard and they were undone by an Adam Hanlon strike on 81 minutes as Alan Mathews’ side claimed a 1-0 win.

Team News: Limerick have slight doubts over centre halves Samuel Oji and Michael Leahy, while young left-sided player Colm Murphy remains on the sidelines having suffered concussion in the recent defeat by Sligo Rovers.

Referee for the game is Graham Kelly, his assistants are Ken Hennessey and Ralph Pieper while the fourth official is Patrick Gleeson. 

(via limerickfc.ie)

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Hi everyone some of you may have hinted by this stage that I am working on my own on this page and would be happy to accept offers from people to become admins. All you really need is a good general knowledge of Limerick FC and an engaging personality. Email me here: limerickbluearmy@gmail.com - James

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