Floodlight failure forces Limerick/Derry to be abandoned

The Airtricity League Premier Division clash between Derry City and Limerick was called off after 25 minutes of the first half following floodlight failure on Friday night.

The game was level at 1-1, following goals from Dean Clarke and Ronan Curtis, when the floodlights at Maginn Park failed and, despite efforts to rectify the situation, had to be called off.

The fixture has been rescheduled for Tuesday 21st March.

Cork City 4 Galway United 0

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Cork City’s good start to the season continued as they found little resistance from Galway United at Turner’s Cross.

Last year’s runners-up were always in control and took the lead through man of the match Seán Maguire after 15 minutes.

Having earlier been denied by a good Ciarán Nugent save, he reacted quickly to dispossess the ‘keeper outside his area and then followed the loose ball to send it over the line.

City could probably have been further ahead at half-time, with Maguire unlucky on two more occasions. Yet only eight second-half minutes had elapsed when defender Ryan Delaney doubled their lead with a great header from Stephen Dooley’s cross following a short corner.

It was winger Dooley who got the third goal in the 64th minute, producing a beautiful lob over the onrushing Nugent after Greg Bolger and Jimmy Keohane had combined well - and from there City played out the game comfortably.

Substitute Karl Sheppard had a chance for 4-0 late on but Nugent saved from him, however teenager Connor Ellis later made no mistake as he got his first goal for the club in injury time.

Bray Wanderers 5 Finn Harps 3

Gary McCabe scored twice and provided two assists as Bray made it two wins from two after this entertaining encounter at the Carlisle Grounds.

Harps had a penalty appeal ignored by referee Anthony Buttimer before his award of a free kick for a dubious foul at the other end led to Bray's opening goal on nine minutes - Anto Flood converting after Harps failed to clear McCabe's delivery.

Buttimer then incensed Harps further when awarding Bray a penalty on 20 minutes after Michael Funston appeared to handle the ball outside the area. McCabe confidently sent ‘keeper Ciaran Gallagher the wrong way from the spot.

Harps hit back on 32 minutes. Jonny Bonner’s free kick from a tight angle came back off the far post with Ciaran O’Connor stabbing the ball to the net.

Minutes before half-time Bray regained their two goal lead though thanks to Aaron Greene powering home a header from skipper Conor Kenna’s cross.

O’Connor pulled a second goal back for Harps on 47 minutes with his shot having too much power for ‘keeper Peter Cherrie.

Despite Harps’ pressure, McCabe added his second goal for Bray on 58 minutes.

Gallagher raced outside his area to clear Keith Buckley’s through ball with a diving header. But the ball ran to McCabe who shot to the empty net as Gallagher lay injured.

Bray got a fifth goal on 69 minutes, before Ethan Boyle’s header from substitute Paddy McCourt’s 74th minute corner kept the contest alive. But Bray held firm for the win.

Drogheda United 2-0 St Patrick’s Athletic

Drogheda united continued their perfect return to Premier Division football as they defeated St Patrick’s Athletic 2-0 at a wet and windy United Park.

It was the Boynesiders who created the first opportunity of the game as a clever corner-kick routing on the right saw the ball rolled back for Stephen Dunne but the defender's thunderous strike cannoned back off the crossbar.

The hosts were in again on eight minutes as the promising Thomas Byrne evaded Ian Bermingham, but St Pat’s keeper Barry Murphy was equal to the winger’s chipped effort.

Former Republic of Ireland international Stephen Elliott was a constant threat up front for Drogheda and he missed two chances in quick succession as his touch let him down before looping a header narrowly over the bar.

Despite their dominance, Drogheda came close to falling behind on 40 minutes as a corner-kick was knocked back across the box to Barker and his scuffed strike was cleared off the line by Gavin Brennan.

There was controversy on the stroke of half-time as a lightening quick counter-attack from Drogheda saw Byrne race clear on goal before being pulled back by Alex O’Hanlon with the midfielder cautioned by referee Sean Grant.

The frame of the goal was struck once again on 55 minutes when a lofted ball was met by Billy Dennehy only for the winger’s strike to smash off the inside of the post and across the face of goal.

Drogheda’s goal finally arrived against the run of play as good approach play from Gavin Brennan resulted in the winger sliding the ball into the path of Hyland who calmly slotted beyond Murphy for the opener.

The hosts had the ball in the again seconds later as Elliott picked out the unmarked Hyland - but his strike was ruled out for offside.

St Pat’s applied pressure to the Drogheda goal in the latter stages but it was United who sealed victory at the death as Colm Deasy’s superb run resulted in Pat Cregg nodding the ball into his own goal.