Limerick 0-0 Scunny United
Limerick FC 0 S****horpe United 0
Limerick FC were left cursing their luck after creating the lion's share of chances and twice hitting the woodwork against English Division One side S****horpe United at Hogan Park last night.
The Iron carved out a number of openings in this mid tempo but entertaining friendly particularly in the opening exchanges with Tommy Johnson and the impressive Cleveland Taylor both testing Blues keeper Noel Mooney in the Treaty City.
But it was the home side that came closest to breaking the deadlock throughout the 90 minutes with midfielder Chris Kerins hitting the crossbar either side of the interval.
Kerins tested Paul Musselwhites woodwork with a 12 yard volley following incisive work from striker Robbie Kelleher and ex Aston Villa ace John McGrath seven minutes from the break.
And from the resulting rebound McGrath, who was guesting for his home town club, had appeals for a penalty waved aside by the referee after he went down under a challenge to the right of the six yard box.
United boss Brian Laws, who had his options limited because of a number of niggling injuries to key players, handed a debut to Ronan Smalle from local eircom U/21 side UL Aisling.
And the left winger proved to be a thorn in his fellow Shannosiders side firing over two inviting crosses inside the opening ten minutes the second of which was clawed from under the crossbar by Mooney.
Taylor was next to go close on fifteen minutes following a defence splitting ball from the creative Richard Ryan but his rising drive from inside the right of the area saw Mooney pull off the save of the match.
Ryan was again the architect of a fine move just before the break but Johnson opted for a cheeky lob over the alert Lims keeper from inside the box when maybe a low drive might have yielded better results.
Taylor was again denied by substitute keeper Kevin O'Sullivan two minutes after the break while at the other end Irish U/19 international defender Stephen O'Mahony blazed wide after being set free by McGrath inside the box.
United appeared to tire as the second half progressed culminating in a period of dominance from the home side which saw Jamie Nolan and Kerins both come within inches of netting.
Of the two, Kerins was left cursing his luck after watching his deep cross from the right palmed onto the crossbar by Musslewhite who was relieved to see another effort from New Zealand international Darren Young flash outside his post mid way through the half.
United responded via Steve Torpey but unfortunately for the visitors he blasted his 18 yard volley straight into the hands of O'Sullivan after the Lims netminder miscued a clearance straight into his path.
Tommy Barrett almost snatched it ten minutes from time with a 35 yard rasper following good work from Shane Guerin-but on an evening when defences were in a dominant mood a draw was a fair result.
Manager Brian Laws, who introduced UL Aisling's Anton Mannering for Andy Butler in the first half, said after the match that he was happy with the work out.
United will train at their base in Limerick University today ahead of travelling to Cork on Wednesday to meet Cobh Ramblers at St Coleman's Park.
Limerick FC : Mooney (O'Sullivan H/T) Cooke inj (Owens H/T) Finnucane (Ryan 80) McGauley (Barrett 80) Keating (Woulfe 55) Kerins (Harrington 80) McGrath ( Costello 80) Kelleher (Woulfe 55) Nolan (Moroney 86) Young (Guerin 86).
S****horpe United : Musselwhite, Byrne, Crosby, Butler (A Mannering 35), Hynes, Smalle (Griffen 80), Ryan, Johnson (Rankine 55), Smith, Torpey, Taylor.
