Limerick manager Stuart Taylor hailed his team's character following an absorbing game.

Limerick trailed to first-half goals from Kurtis Byrne (9) and Dane Massey (38), but Taylor's charges responded in splendid fashion in the second period as Shane Tracy began the fightback by scoring from a controversial free-kick 10 minutes into the second half. Substitute Rory Gaffney equalised with his first touch on 74 minutes and then Craig Curran drove home the winner nine minutes from the end.

"We are never dead and buried. Not with the squad of players," beamed Taylor afterwards "To come from two goals down against a team that is in such good form is great. We haven't had much luck this season, but we got a little bit here and hopefully it has turned for us."

Dundalk were left reflecting on their failure to close the deal, with manager Stephen Kenny irked by referee Tom Connolly's decision to penalise Andy Boyle after a collision with Curran, which gave Tracy the chance to spark the revival.

"It was never a free-kick ... We scored two excellent goals, but if I am being honest I think that the two-goal lead at half-time flattered us," said Kenny.

Limerick FC – Ryan; Kelly, Williams, Folan, Tracy; Galbraith, Gamble (Gaffney, 73), O'Leary, Bossekota; Ranisford, Curran.

Dundalk – Cherrie; Sullivan, Rossiter (McDonnell, 27), Boyle, Massey; Towell, Shields, Mountney (Mulvenna, 78); Meenan, Faherty, Byrne (Dillon, 62).

Ref –T Connolly (Dublin)

Irish Independent