Glenville FC 0 - 3 Limerick FC

Limerick FC progressed to the third round of this year's FAI Ford Cup following a comfortable victory over Leinster Senior League side, Glenville FC.

The Palmerstown based outfit registered the tie’s first shot on target after three minutes, Bobby Cullen’s effort was comfortably grasped by Limerick goalkeeper, Barry Ryan. That was as good as it got for the hosts in the opening half as Stuart Taylor’s men soon took hold of possession and steadily began to threaten.

Shane Tracy failed to create enough power to beat Carl Donnelly with a glancing header.  The winger turned creator soon after, his delivery into the heart of the Glenville penalty area reached Aaron Brown but the towering central defender was unable to steer the ball home. Glenville continued to harry their opponents around the lush surface at Home Farm FC but Wayne Kelly’s teams failure to retain possession inside the opposition half continually gave their opponents the attacking impetus.

Axel Bossekota skied a tricky volley over the on the quarter hour, then mid-way through the half Limerick broke the deadlock. Stephen Bradley and Tracy exchanged neatly on the edge of the Glenville area, the former was closed out by two white shirts however, the ball squirmed the way of Rory Gaffney who calmly crashed home a right footed shot from ten yards.

Once ahead Limerick continued to switch the ball across the pitch with Bradley and skipper Joe Gamble becoming increasingly more involved in the buildup play. Tracy went close with two curling free kicks before the break, the first was flighted over the wall but drifted just right of Donnelly’s upright, the second fooled everyone as Tracy reversed his low effort back across goal but again it drifted narrowly wide. Glenville mustered a half chance approaching the interval, Carl Corcoran’s knock down fell for Mark Fogarty who reacted by stabbing the ball goal-wards but Ryan was positioned to gather.

The second half progressed in similar fashion, Limerick continued to be patient in possession, waiting for a gap to emerge in the Glenville defence. Their willingness to endure paid dividends in the 57th minute, Stephen Folan crossed the half way line before chipping a pass into Bossekota, the striker’s clever touch found Gaffney who doubled his tally with a deft flick over the diving Donnelly. Glenville persevered in their efforts to contain Limerick, thus limiting their attacking opportunities and leading to frustration at the lack of sight at goal.

Limerick substitute James McGrath had only entered the fray a matter of moments when he was hauled down outside the area and with Tracy having exited the field Bradley assumed free kick duties. The former Ireland U21 International swept the ball around Donnelly’s wall at into the corner of the net sealing Limerick's passage into the last 16 with just under 25 minutes remaining.

To their credit, Glenville ploughed on and almost pulled a goal back when Christopher Doyle evaded the attentions of Brown and then rounded Ryan on the end-line but the winger's cross was just beyond the reach of substitute Mark Roche. As the game began to peter out, Glenville pressed for a consolation goal and almost had it through Fogarty but again Ryan was well positioned to smoother on his goal-line.

Glenville FC: Carl Donnelly, Jason Hearty, Stephen Scott, Mark Fogarty, Ciaran McDonnell, Philip Duffy, Andrew Duffy, Bobby Cullen, David Martin, Carl Corcoran, Christopher Doyle. Subs: Mark Roche for A Duffy, Stephen Holmes for Corcoran, Tommy Wynne for Martin.

Unused: David Keogh, Dean Robertson, Ken Murray, Brian Clarke.

Booked: B Cullen(44), Mark Roche (78)

Limerick FC: Barry Ryan, Stephen Bradley, Aaron Brown, Daragh Rainsford, Stephen Folan, Shane Costello, Shane Tracey, Joe Gamble, Rory Gaffney, Danny Galbraith, Axel Bossekota. Subs: Val Fennel for Gamble, Barry Sheedy for Galbraith, James McGrath for Tracey.

Unused: Gavin Dillon, Jeffrey Judge, David O’Leary, Shane Cusack.

Booked: None

Referee: Paul Tuite

Attendance: 325

Extratime.ie Man of the Match: Rory Gaffney