Cobh Ramblers - 3 Limerick - 3: Cobh Ramblers had to play the final 23 minutes of last night's tie with 10 men after Kieran O'Reilly was shown a second yellow card for dissent by referee Jimmy O'Neill. O'Reilly's double yellows brought the total number of bookings on the night to nine.
When Colin P O'Brien scored twice for Limerick, in the 65th and 80th minutes, to put them 3-2 up it looked as if a surprise was on the cards.
But Cobh came back through substitute Chris O'Shea in the 87th minute when he headed in a corner from Stephen Yelverton to set up a replay on Tuesday in Limerick.
Cobh's early pressure paid off with a splendid goal in the 10th minute. Tony Tynan capped an enterprising run on the left wing with a perfect cross for Robert Brosnan to head past goalkeeper John Healy from 10 yards.
The goal acted as a wake-up call for Limerick, who operated with five in midfield, and they took a grip on the game.
They equalised when full back Stephen O'Mahony's cross broke off a group of players to Keith Hartnett on the edge of the penalty area, and his shot was too hot for goalkeeper Peter Cuthbert.
Cobh stepped up their game in the second half and Brosnan crossed for Anthony Wolfe to head home from six yards, before O'Brien, the former Cork City striker, struck for his two goals.
COBH RAMBLERS: Cuthbert; Hastings, Wolfe, Murphy, Meade; Yelverton, Cummins, Warren, Tynan; Brosnan, O'Reilly.
LIMERICK: Healy; O'Mahony, Aherne, Finucane, Kulsten; Cosgrave, Conway, Hartnett, Browne, Hughes (Barry 62/Kerley 84); O'Brien.
Referee: J O'Neill (Waterford).
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