LIMERICK CITY 1 CITY 4
Friendly
4th August 1991
Attendance 3,000 approx
Scorers
City Clarke(20), Brennan(25), Heath(65), Sheron(77)
Limerick Napier(86)
City Margetson, Brightwell, Hendry, Redmond, Pointon, White, Megson, Reid, Quinn, Clarke, Brennan – Used Subs Hill, Sheron, Heath
FROM THE PRESS BOX
REID’S HOT SHOTS
PAUL HINCE WRITING IN THE MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS 5TH AUGUST 1991
Clinical Manchester City brushed aside the part-timers of Limerick with a display of high quality finishing last night.
The Blues opened their accounts with the first of four super goals in the 20th minute, after big Niall Quinn had cleverly nodded down a David White cross into the path of Wayne Clarke. And Clarke, the “forgotten” man of Maine Road, proved what a deadly marksman he can be with a glorious left foot volley which left keeper Declan Campbell stranded as it flew into the top corner.
City’s second strike, four minutes later, again had First Division class stamped right through it. Super Ian Brightwell did all the damage with a breathtaking right-wing dash followed by a perfect cross to Mark Brennan whose header bulleted home without the keeper moving a muscle. The noisy Blues fans in the 3,000 crowd at the renovated Thomond Park Stadium Had to wait until the 65th minute for goal number three, but what a corker it was! Fullback Neil Pointon, fully recovered from his summer hernia operation, whipped over a cross from the left which was sent screaming into the roof of the net from 20 yards out by second half substitute Adrian Heath.
13 minutes from time the Blues underlined the gap in class between themselves and their plucky opponents with a goal which clearly delighted Peter Reid and his players.
And what a moment to remember it was for 19 year old rookie strike Mike Sheron, who showed great anticipation as he steered Quinn’s headed flick-on past the advancing keeper for the first senior goal of his Maine Road career.
The one small blemish on a high class display from the Blues came in the dying minutes, when Limerick’s Steve Napier guided a header past young Martyn Margetson, who had looked as safe as houses on the few occasions he had been called into action said player-boss Reid. “It was another excellent work-out and I am pleased to see our fitness improving with every match. We created some excellent chances and the quality of our finishing was right out of the top drawer.”