St Patrick's Athletic 3 - Limerick 1St Patrick's Athletic kept within touching distance at the top of the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division after three second-half goals secured victory over Limerick. The league's bottom side rattled a lacklustre Saints side in the opening period, taking a half-time lead after Dean Clarke found the net on 24 minutes. Pat's struck back in some fashion, though, goals from Chris Forrester, Aaron Greene and Christy Fagan inside 12 minutes of the restart seeing the Dubliners claim their third straight league victory. The Shannonsiders were quick to settle and just 30 seconds had elapsed when Paul O'Conor curled an edge-of-the-box effort wide. O'Conor was certainly the man of the opening stages, next leaving his mark on Killian Brennan with a 50/50 challenge on half-way, Brennan recovered to continue. The midfielder was just a shade the wrong side of the post from breaking the deadlock after 11 minutes, his 25-yard drive shaving the post. Limerick showed more energy in the opening quarter, a quick counter attack seeing Sean Hoare pick up a yellow card, fouling the flying Russell. The visitors deservedly took the lead on 24 minutes, Pat's were sloppy at the Shed end of the field, allowing Sean Russell to steal the ball. Russell, raced toward the by-line, his pull back found Clarke, drilling home his third of the season into the bottom corner of Brendan Clarke's net. The hosts struggled to bring their fluid game together after Limerick's surprise lead, Pat's showing little of the energy which resulted in a 3-1 win over Bohemians on Tuesday. Forrester's speculative effort rattled the cross bar from the edge of the box on the half hour mark, the Saints first real opening. Liam Buckley's should have been on level terms six minutes before the break, Lee Desmond, in the team for Ian Bermingham, slid the ball across the goal from the left. Just the slightest of touches would have been enough to turn it past Conor O'Donnell, only for Fagan and Greg Bolger's failure to connect. Forrester came agonisingly close two minutes later, collecting Fagan's cross-field ball on his chest, but sliding his shot past the post. Moments later at the other end, Dean Clarke collected a loose ball, his run and shot failing to trouble Brendan Clarke. The Richmond Park outfit were on level terms five minutes after the restart, showing much more energy, Greg Bolger finding Forrester, who checked inside and drove home left footed. O'Donnell showing agile bravery, diving low to deny Fagan just three minutes later, the striker smashing the ball at the full-stretched keeper. Pat's showed hunger and urgency, substitute Conor McCormack collecting a loose ball and releasing Greene who raced on to rifle home four minutes later. Two minutes before the hour mark the home side had a cushion, Fagan riffling a volley in the corner of O‘Donnell's net from Ger O'Brien's cross. McCormack continued his busy second-half appearance having replaced Brennan, finding Greene in space on 68 minutes, Greene's effort rattled the bottom of the post. O'Donnell showed expert reflexes three minutes later, blocking and holding Fagan rasper, Pat's having broken at speed and finding space in the Limerick defence. Limerick's hard working Shane Duggan continued to force his side forward in the closing stages though failed to test Brendan Clarke. The Inchicore side side remain in fourth place, but close the gap on Shamrock Rovers to three points in third place, remaining 10 points behind leaders Dundalk The Shannonsiders enter the mid-season break without a victory and prop up the Premier Division with just five points, six behind Bray Wanderers. © rte.ie
