LIMERICK closed the gap at the top of the First Division thanks to a late Denis Behan winner against Shelbourne at Tolka Park.

Shelbourne 1 Limerick FC 2

Denis Behan scored a dramatic stoppage time winner for the second week running to keep Limerick very much in the race for promotion.

As they did in the final game of the 2008 season when an injury time equaliser deprived Shels of going up, Limerick again proved a jinx for the Dubliners.

Trailing to Philly Hughes' deserved first half lead, Limerick staged a late, late fight back with Paudie Quinn heading them level from Rory Gaffney’s corner in the 91st minute.

Behan then reacted quickest to stab home the winner a minute later after Shels' keeper Dean Delaney failed to hold a shot by Gaffney.

Ex-Cork City striker Behan has now scored in each of Limerick’s last six games.

The win sees Limerick join Cork in joint third spot. Shelbourne remain seven points clear at the top.

Shelbourne dominated the first half and took the lead on 36 minutes. Captain David Cassidy fed Conan Byrne on the left and the winger got to the end line to pull the ball across to give Hughes a tap in for the easiest of his 17 goals this season.

Wexford Youths 0 Mervue United 3

Three goals in 17 second half minutes gave Mervue their first win in four games.

The only action of note in a dour first half came on 26 minutes when Mervue’s David O’Brien saw his miscued flick header ably saved by Youths’ 17-year-old debutant keeper Sean Allen.

But David Goldbey broke the deadlock nine minutes into the second half with a crisp volley.

Youths defender Martin Kehoe then turned the ball into his own net to double Mervue's lead on the hour mark.

Pat Hoban added the third goal, with another volley, on 71 minutes.