Allianz Football League Division 4 – Limerick 1-9 London 1-8

London fuming after Gottsche miss

Report from the Irish Independent newspaper

LIMERICK 1-9 LONDON 1-8

LIMERICK got their promotion bid back on track with a controversial one-point victory over a terribly unlucky London at Ruislip. The Shannonsiders led by six points with 10 minutes remaining but they were forced to withstand a late rally from the home side, who reduced arrears to the minimum in the dying moments but just ran out of time. The Exiles were fuming with referee Ray McBrien after he forced Mark Gottsche to retake a ’45’ in the final minute of normal time, the forward having converted his first attempt. Gottsche was off target with his second effort and it proved a crucial decision.

Such a tight finish didn’t seem likely after Maurice Horan’s side burst out of the traps, hitting an unanswered 1-4 in the opening 14 minutes with the lively John Riordan hammering home a well-taken goal. London were given hope in first-half injury-time with a penalty, converted by Lloyd Colfer to leave London trailing 1-7 to 1-2 at the interval. The home side finished the match strongly and hit the final five scores, only to fall narrowly short.

Man of the match: S Hannon (London)

SCORERS – Limerick: J Riordan 1-1, I Ryan 0-4 (4fs), E O’Connor 0-3, G Collins 0-1. London: L Colfer 1-2 (1-0 pen), E O’Neill 0-3 (2fs), M Gottsche 0-2 (1f), S Kelly 0-1.

LIMERICK – D O’Sullivan 7; D Quaid 6, J McCarthy 6, M O’Riordan 6; L O’Dwyer 7, P Browne 6, P Ranahan 7; T Lee 7, B O’Brien 6; S Lavin 7, S Buckley 7, J Riordan 7; E O’Connor 8, G Collins 6, I Ryan 7. Subs: M Sheehan 5 for Quaid (35), D O’Connor 6 for Buckley (59), J Galvin 6 for O’Brien (66).

LONDON – G McEvoy 7; S Mulligan 6, S Curran 7, D McGreevy 7; S Hannon 8, E McConville 7, D Ryan 6; C Doyle 7, G Crowley 7; T Gaughan 6, L Colfer 7, C McCallion 6; S Kelly 7, C Magee 6, M Gottsche 8. Subs: A McTigue 6 for McCallion (30), D O’Neill 7 for Ryan (h-t), L Mulvey 7 for Gaughan (48), E O’Neill 7 for Colfer (59).

REF – R McBrien (Leitrim)

Team News

The Limerick team to play London is as follows –

1. Donal O’Sullivan

2. Damian Quaid

3. Johnny McCarthy

4. Mark O’Riordan

5. Lorcan O’Dwyer

6. Paudie Browne

7. Pa Ranahan

8. Thomas Lee

9. Bobby O’Brien

10. Stephen Lavin

11. Seanie Buckley Captain.

12. John Riordan

13. Eoghan O’Connor

14. Ger Collins

15. Ian Ryan