Substitute Michael Reidy turned out to be Limerick's trump card as they stepped up their Division 2A promotion hopes with a slender victory over other promotion hopefuls Offaly in wet and windy conditions at Kilmallock yesterday.
Having entered the second half with a 1-3 to 0-5 advantage thanks to a 33rd-minute fisted goal by Brian Begley, Limerick brought in Reidy, surprisingly omitted from the starting line-up, to pep up their ineffective attack.
Within seconds of his arrival on the scene Reidy took a long delivery from John Galvin and raced 25 yards before shooting past goalkeeper Colin McNamara.
The Offaly response was almost immediate with John Reynolds taking advantage of a slip-up between Seamus O'Donnell and Mark O'Riordan and when Colin Quinn pointed from a free to level at 2-3 to 1-6, it was there for either side to win.
Enter Reidy again to be fouled by Karol Slattery in 64 minutes and Muiris Gavin restored their advantage. Slattery picked up a second yellow card for the offence and was sent off.
Offaly, who flew in midfielder Ciaran McManus, were in further trouble when Reidy pounced to squeeze the ball between the uprights for the insurance score and with the last kick of the game, Shane Sullivan was on the mark for the visitors. Afterwards Limerick manager Liam Kearns praised Reidy's contribution and added: "It was the sort of game that could have gone either way and we are pleased to have bounced back from that defeat by Westmeath."
LIMERICK: S O'Donnell, M O'Riordan, D Sheehy, T Stack, S Lavin, D Reidy (0-1), P Browne, J Quane, J Galvin, C Mullane, J Murphy, J Stokes, S Kelly (0-1), B Begley (1-0), M Gavin (0-2). Subs: M Reidy (1-1) for Murphy; C Fitzgerald for Begley; E Keating for Quane.
OFFALY: C McNamara, C Daly, G Rafferty, B Mooney, S Sullivan (0-1), M Mitchell, K Slattery, A McNamee, C McManus, C Quinn (0-3), N Coughlan, P Mulhaire, P Kellaghan (0-1), R Malone (0-1), J Reynolds (1-1). Subs: J Kenny for Malone; M O'Gorman for Mooney; M Stones for Slattery; J Grennan for Kellaghan.
Referee: M Collins (Cork).
