Limerick drop back to Division 4 despite dramatic victory over Fermanagh

LIMERICK showed great fighting spirit - and excellent two-point shooting - as they scored an unlikely come-from-behind 2-15 to 0-20 win against Fermanagh in the Allianz Football League clash at Mick Neville Park on Sunday afternoon.

However, Sligo’s equally dramatic win over Clare meant the win was in vain as Jimmy Lee’s side were relegated to Division 4

Orange flags from Eliah Riordan (2) and Peter Nash in five second half minutes helped Jimmy Lee’s side overcome an 11-point deficit late in the first half. A James Naughton goal on the stroke of half time gave belief to the hosts before a remarkable second half from the Shannonsiders.

And when Tony McCarthy struck a 60th-minute goal, remarkably, the sides were level.

Fermanagh retook the lead and looked to have won the game.

A three-up breach offered the Ulster side a tap-over free to take the lead in the second minute of injury time.

However, up stepped super sub Rory O’Brien to kick a two-pointer with the last kick of the game to secure a dramatic victory.

SCORERS: Limerick: James Naughton 1-2 (2f); Eliah Riordan 0-5 (2x2pt); Peter Nash 0-3 (f, 1x2pt); Tony McCarthy 1-0; Rory O’Brien 0-2 (1x2pt); Shane Cross, Danny Neville 0-1 each.

Fermanagh: Darragh McGurn (2 2pt), Conor Love (1f) 0-4 each; Garvan Jones 0-3; Ciaran Corrigan, Sean Cassidy (1f) 0-2 each; Oisin Kelm Ronan McCaffrey, Declan McCusker, Sean McNally (‘45), Stephen McGullion 0-1 each.

LIMERICK: Jeffrey Alfred; Sean Kilbridge, Colm McSweeney, Diarmuid Buckley; Cormac Woulfe, Killian Ryan, Mark McCarthy; Eliah O’Riordan, Barry Coleman; Paul Maher, Danny Neville, Cillian Fahy; Shane Cross, James Naughton, Peter Nash.

Subs: Robbie Childs for Shane Cross (ht); Tony McCarthy for Cormac Woulfe (51 mins); Rory O’Brien for Cillian Fahy (58 mins); Jack McCarthy for James Naughton (63 mins);

FERMANAGH: Sean McNally; Jonathan Cassidy, Oisin Smyth, Luke Flanagan; Shane McGullion, Ronan McCaffrey, Josh Largo Elis; Conor McGee, Stephen McGullion; Declan McCusker, Darragh McGurn, Ciaran Corrigan; Conor Love, Garvan Jones, Oisin Kelm.

Subs: Jack Largo Elis for Oisin Kelm (45 mins); Sean Cassidy for Garvan Jones (53 mins); Aogan Kelm for Conor McGee (58 mins); Cian O’Brien for Conor Love (68 mins)

REFEREE: James Molloy (Galway).

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