Cork City 4 Bray Wanderers 0
A home win was never really in doubt as Cork City recorded a four-goal victory against Bray Wanderers for the second time this season.
The league champions – overtaken by Dundalk at the top on Monday night but with a game in hand – were set on their way when Jimmy Keohane opened the scoring in the third minute, profiting from a lovely weighted pass by Barry McNamee after loose Bray defending.
John Caulfield's side should have pushed on after that, with Garry Buckley impressing, but some poor shooting and saves by Bray goalkeeper Evan Moran kept it at 1-0.
Bray's best chance fell to Seán Heaney, who headed wide from a free kick before City got their second coming up to half-time as Seán McLoughlin netted when Buckley and Graham Cummins did well from a McNamee corner.
Kieran Sadlier could have made it 3-0 early in the second half after Moran miscued a clearance but the third did arrive when Cummins converted after the goalkeeper palmed down a Sadlier cross.
Buckley wrapped things up on 76 as he got the goal his performance deserved, heading home from a cross by sub Karl Sheppard.
CORK CITY: McNulty; Horgan, McCarthy (Barry, 76 mins), Griffin; McCormack, Keohane; McNamee (Sheppard, 65 mins), Buckley, Sadlier; Cummins (O'Hanlon, 65 mins).
BRAY WANDERERS: Moran; Hayes, Kenna (Gibbons, 79 mins), Heaney, Lynch; O'Conor, McCabe (Pender, 69 mins); Kelly (Flynn, 83 mins), McKenna, Galvin; Coughlan.
Referee: D MacGrath (Mayo).
Attendance: 4,070.
Waterford 3 Limerick 6
Limerick tore Waterford’s unbeaten home record apart by scoring three times in each half during a rip-roaring Munster derby at the RSC on Friday night.
Despite losing their last three games, Tommy Barrett’s strugglers took complete control within 22 minutes.
Waterford switched off from Conor Clifford's corner on 10 minutes to allow Danny Morrissey glance his header into the far corner and, three minutes later, he punished a weak back pass from Dave Webster by notching his second.
Matters soon worsened for the Blues on 19 minutes when Stanley Aborah received a straight red card for a two-footed lunge on Daniel Kearns.
Limerick weren't long about making it count, as three minutes later, Billy Dennehy crossed for Karl O'Sullivan to add a third from close range.
While Kevin Feely and Courtney Duffus each scored for the Blues either side of the break, substitute Mark O'Sullivan looked to have killed the game by firing in Limerick's fourth on 58 minutes.
Back came the home side with another from Duffus with 10 minutes left but Barry Maguire and Dennehy’s penalty added more for the victors.
WATERFORD: Vigouroux; Feely (O'Halloran, 83 mins), Browne, Webster, Barnett; Héry; Kasmi (Keegan, 46 mins), Aborah, Holohan; Akinade, Duffus.
LIMERICK: Clarke; Cantwell, Brouder (S Kelly, 39 mins), Wearen, B Dennehy; K O'Sullivan, Clifford, Coleman, Kearns (Fitzgerald, 78 mins); Maguire; Morrissey (M O'Sullivan, 46 mins).
Referee: G Kelly (Cork).
Attendance: 1,774.
St Patrick’s Athletic 5 Derry City 2
St Patrick’s twice came from behind to earn a fourth successive win and leapfrog Derry into fourth place following a madcap game at Richmond Park.
A mistake by Barry Murphy gifted Derry the lead on six minutes when Aaron McEneff pounced on a loose clearance to set up Rory Patterson to tap in.
St Pat's were level within a minute, Conan Byrne crossing for Jake Keegan to side-foot into the far corner.
But poor defending cost St Pat's a second goal on 17 minutes. Defender Darren Cole galloped forward, worked a one-two with Nicky Low, to score with a deflected shot.
In an action-packed finish to the half, St Pat’s turned the game on its head.
Derry goalkeeper Ger Doherty recklessly pushed over Ryan Brennan to concede a 43rd-minute penalty which Conan Byrne duly despatched.
Then, right on 45 minutes, defender Kevin Toner rose to power a bullet header from Conan Byrne's corner to the net.
Thomas Byrne skilfully cut inside a defender to rifle home to make it 4-2 on 54 minutes.
Darragh Markey showed delightful feet to add the gloss on 90 minutes with a rising shot.
ST PATRICK'S ATHLETIC: Murphy; Madden, Toner, Desmond, Bermingham; Lennon; C Byrne, R. Brennan, Markey, T Byrne (Fagan, 73 mins); Keegan.
DERRY CITY: G Doherty; Cole, Peers (McDonagh, 62 mins), Toal; McDermott, McEneff, Rory Hale, Low, Doyle; Patterson (B Doherty, 70 mins), Ronan Hale (Curtis, 60 mins).
Referee: Ben Connolly (Dublin).
