Limerick Soccer - Carew do enough to stay top

Pat Sheehan reports on the Limerick District Premier League game where leaders Carew Park almost came unstuck at home to Corbally Utd.

Premier League leaders Carew Park nearly paid the price for complacency when they hosted Corbally Utd on Sunday morning.

Leading 2-0, Carew Park squandered their advantage and while they regained the lead a late disallowed goal for Corbally stood between them and their unbeaten record.

On a brighter note for the visitors an injury to Evan O’Mara, turned out to be less serious than was feared at time.

Any hopes of a surprise took a nosedive on five minutes when John Boyle latched onto a poor clearance and from 25 yards hit a screamer to the bottom corner of the net.

It got even worse for Corbally five minutes later when a cross from Boyle fell to Jamie O’Sullivan and he volleyed between two players to the corner of the net.

To their credit Corbally battled back and got back into the game when Dave O’Gorman crossed into the area and the impressive Ben Savage rose to head home.

Evan O’Mara delivered a free kick into the area and B player Stephen Bourke rattled the net from six yards to put Corbally back on level pegging.

That was O’Mara’s last action as he fell injured just before the break necessitating a long delay before the action began again.

A penalty kick early in the second half converted by Gary Griffin put Carew Park back in front but numerous missed chances kept the deficit to one.

A free kick from Pat Boyle forced Adrian Duhig full length to turn the ball away and minutes later the Corbally keeper made another fine block to deny Jonathan Grant.

Corbally’s chances were not helped by a rather soft red card than reduced them to ten men for the last 12 minutes. They did press forward and looked to have salvaged something when Jimmy Fyffe headed past Ronan Power in the Carew goal but the Referee adjudged a foul and Carew will know they escaped lightly.

CAREW PARK - Ronan Power; Gary Griffin; Jon Somers; Francis Kett; Mark Keane; Cyril Maher; John Boyle; Jamie O’Sullivan; Stephen Grant; Pat Boyle; Jonathon Grant.

CORBALLY UTD - Adrian Duhig; Byron O’Neill; Evan O’Mara; Conor O’Driscoll; Jimmy Fyffe; Barry Hartnett; Stephen Bourke; Ian Dunworth; Ben Savage; Darren O’Sullivan; Dave O’Gorman. Subs not used: Ian O’Donoghue; James Ryan