Substitute Tommy Stack emerged as the hero for basement county Limerick when he struck with a 66th-minute goal to give them victory over Wicklow in the football league at the Gaelic Grounds yesterday.

Fielding eight members of their under-21 squad, it was the perfect build-up for the home county who will be defending their provincial title against Cork next Saturday. Their task was made easier when Wicklow had midfielder Garry Doran sent off after 28 minutes.

Tom Gill was twice on the mark for Wicklow inside the opening five minutes, but Limerick - playing into the strong breeze - surged back and Michael Reidy, John Quane and John Murphy had them level at 0-3 each after 20 minutes. Wicklow stepped up the pace again and Gill and Paul O'Callaghan had them back in front, 0-5 to 0-4, at the interval.

Gill shot over three early second-half points, but with Murphy, Reidy, Shane Kelly and Neilus Hunt bringing Limerick level, it was left to Stack to clinch victory.

LIMERICK: A Kitson; M O'Riordan, D Sheehy, Dennis Reidy; C Mullane, J Stokes, N O'Riordan; J Quane (0-1), J Galvin; E Keating, Damian Reidy, M Reidy (0-3); J Murphy (0-2), J Lydon, N Hunt (0-1). Subs: S Kelly (0-1) for Keating; T Stack (1-0) for Sheehy; P Fitzgerald for M O'Riordan.

WICKLOW: T Murphy; M Coffey, G Jameson, T Burke; S Cush, B O'Donovan, B Hannah; D Coffey, G Doran; T Hannon (0-1), R Coffey, T Harney; K Byrne, T Gill (0-6), J Behan. Subs: P O'Callaghan (0-1) for Behan.

Referee: B Duff (Kildare).

A tragedy has struck for the second time on GAA playing fields in the mid-West. Gary Bewick was in training with his club Feohanagh/Castlemahon when he collapsed and died on the pitch.

Gary (17), was not involved with anybody else during the session when he collapsed. Looking on was his older brother Nigel, who was to have played for Limerick yesterday.