LIMERICK FC pulled off a major shock when seeing off the challenge of Bray Wanderers in a dramatic FAI Ford Cup fourth round tie at the Carlisle Grounds.

Pat Scully's First Division side were deserving winners against a frustrated Bray side reduced to nine men late on after both Adam Mitchell and Danny O'Connor were sent off late on by Dublin referee Rob Rogers.

Defences were totally on top in the first half although the Seagulls spurned two chances before the interval. First a foul by Peter White on Irish Under 19 international striker Conor Murphy on 33 minutes enabled winger Jake Kelly to get in a free pushed away by 'keeper Barry Ryan.

From the resulting corner by Dean Zambra on the left, midfielder Daire Doyle headed inches wide of the target. The Seagulls were to regret that miss when Limerick broke the deadlock three minutes before the break.

A long ball from Denis Behan was not properly cleared by 'keeper Darren Quigley to allow midfielder Paudie Quinn to fire home from the edge of the area.

In added first half time, Bray might have equalised when a short corner by Kelly was whipped over by striker Chris Shields only for defender Derek Prendergast to head just over the bar.

Then on 54 minutes midfielder Daire Doyle whipped a shot across the face of goal but there was no Bray player up to apply the finishing touch.

Substitute John Mulroy fired narrowly over for Bray before disaster struck for the home side in the 74th minute when they had Mitchell and Danny O'Connor sent off by Dublin referee Rob Rogers.

Barry Sheedy had a shot blocked by Quigley with the ball rebounding  to Quinn who was taken out by Mitchell. He was immediately shown the red card by refeee Rogers and the same fate befell O'Connor for arguing persistently with the referee's decision. Denis Behan made no mistake with the resulting penalty

With Bray down to nine men, Limerick made use of their numerical advantage  when substitute Garbhan Goughlan added a third goal on 86 minutes after a mistake by Prendergast. Limerick's night of glory was completed in the first minute of added time when Quinn fired  home his second goal of the night after a move started by David O'Leary. 

BRAY WANDERERS - Quigley; S.O'Connor (Knight 62), Mitchell , Prendergast, Massey;  Zambra, D.O'Connor, D. Doyle, J.Kelly; Shields (Mulroy 51), Murphy (McGuinness 80).

LIMERICK FC - Ryan; Treacy, Purcell, White, Bhandarkar (Broughall  70);  Sheedy (Hynes 78), O'Leary, Judge, Quinn; Behan, Brosnan (Coughlan 62) .

Referee - Rob Rogers (Dublin).