Dundalk 5 Limerick FC 3: Dundalk will go into the hat for the quarter-finals thanks to this thrilling victory over Limerick at Oriel Park.
The visitors were still trying to find their feet when Dundalk grabbed their opener after just six minutes.
Captain Stephen O’Donnell sent Limerick goalkeeper Barry Ryan the wrong way from the penalty spot after Pat Hoban had been hauled down in the area by Robbie Williams.
Limerick levelled 10 minutes later when Dave O’Leary’s in-swinging free from the left was met by the head of Axel Bossekota and he headed home despite the best efforts of Peter Cherrie.
Dundalk restored their lead with a sublime goal in the 24th minus.
Richie Towell motored forward to collect a wonderful Kurtis Byrne lay off and he showed magnificent technique to smash the ball past Ryan with the outside of his right foot.
And the home side took a two-goal lead into the break when Byrne curled a cracking 25-yard free-kick into Ryan’s bottom corner.
The home side all but booked their place in the last eight when Darren Meenan turned the ball home from close range after Ryan could only parry a powerful Towell free-kick just short of the hour mark.
Limerick pulled one back in the 63rd minute when Rory Gaffney swept Danny Galbraith’s through ball past Cherrie via the post before Byrne restored Dundalk’s two-goal advantage with a tap in shortly after.
Stuart Taylor’s men refused to lie down and Gaffney grabbed a second in the 75th minute before the striker saw red three minutes later for a second yellow card after turning a free-kick into the net with his hand.
DUNDALK FC: Cherrie; Sullivan, Boyle, Rossiter, Massey (Dillon 79); Towell, Shields, O'Donnell (Faherty 86); Meenan (Mulvenna 83), Hoban, Byrne.
LIMERICK FC: Ryan; Kelly, Folan, Williams, Costelloe (Murphy 57); Galbraith, O'Leary, Rainsford, Gamble, Bossekota (Sheedy 62); Gaffney.
Referee: Anthony Buttimer.
Attendance: 1321.
