Limerick FC 2017 season.

AlanOB

In-depth analysis of Dundalk's lesson on how to play against 10 contained within: http://bit.ly/2qI9rHr

osarusan

It's late notice, but for anybody who is interested in dropping in, the Official Supporters Club and Blue Army are jointly putting on a Q&A session with new manager Neil McDonald. This will be held tonight, Jerry O Dea's bar, 8pm.

AlanOB

And for those unable to attend Limerick's Dalymount Park bid to end a six-game winless streak tomorrow night, I'll be covering the game -- with a returning Conor Molan -- on Limerick Soccer Live

diusmr8a504cvk

Limerick are playing Crystal Palace in a pre season friendly this Summer.

Real Psycrow

Any reports from the Fan Forum last night?

Jofspring

Real Psycrow wrote: »

Any reports from the Fan Forum last night?

Saw it mentioned on foot.ie it was the standard stuff.

He wants the team playing attractive football but in the right areas. Players to come in. Age profile needs to be brought down a bit. Assistant manager just awaiting release from previous club.

johnnyryan89

Lilyana Uneven Dishcloth wrote: »

Limerick are playing Crystal Palace in a pre season friendly this Summer.

Looks like Big Sam could be stepping down as Palace manager. If true the club should tell Palace thanks but no thanks and try to get someone like Leeds over who would have a bigger Irish following and a former Limerick player as their u23s captain.

osarusan

Bohemians 1-2 Limerick

(Tosi, Own Goal)

Fantastic away win for Limerick against a poor Bohemians team tonight, and Neil McDonald will be mostly happy with what he saw.

We completely dominated the first 30 minutes, and created some good chances. We took the lead when Robbie Williams flicked on a free kick to the back post and Tosi got there before the Bohs keeper to head in.

We continued to press and were in control, but Bohs equalised out of nothing. A cross wasn't properly cleared and they passed across the box to a free player who rifled a shot past Hall. For the rest of the half we unnecessarily retreated and allowed Bohs to pressure us.

Whatever McDonald said at half-time worked, as we resumed control after the restart. We created more chances, the best of which was a diving header from Tosi which went just wide.Ogbene and Hery were excellent and the game was there for the taking.

Late on, a ball to the back post was headed back across the goal by Ogbene, and the defender trying to clear off the line could only help it into his own net.

Bohs were limited and we continued to press, and they finally had a man sent off for yet another hack on Ogbene. Right at the end we almost threw it away with some poor defending, but Bohs wasted the free kick and it was over. Fine performance and result.

Next game: away to Finn Harps, Friday May 26th.

osarusan

Finn Harps 3-2 Limerick

(Lynch, O'Conor)

I wasn't at the game, but it was a very disappointing result away to bottom-of-the-table Finn Harps tonight.

We were 1 down within 5 minutes, and although we equalised just a minute later when a Lynch cross made it all the way into the net, we continued to be shaky defensively, and were 3-1 down at the break. Harps' third was by all accounts a very good goal.

In the second half we had more possession and territory, but were never able to create much. With 3 minutes to go, we had hope when Paul O'Conor fired home in a scramble after a corner, but, despite a straight red card in injury time, Harps held on for the win.

The bottom half of the table is really congested and even though we stay in 6th place with 20 points, we are only 6 points off the bottom. The 3 points moved Finn Harps up from 12th to 8th. Fortunately, both St. Pats and Galway lost tonight, while Sligo (the other team in the bottom 3) picked up a point away to Bray.

Next game: home to Bray, Friday June 2nd, 7.45pm.

osarusan

Highlights from Soccer Republic here:

http://www.rte.ie/player/ie/show/soccer-republic-30002764/10732330/?ap=1

The 2-1 win at Bohemians starts at 2.53.

The 3-2 defeat at Finn Harps starts at 19.20.

diusmr8a504cvk

osarusan wrote: »

Highlights from Soccer Republic here:

http://www.rte.ie/player/ie/show/soccer-republic-30002764/10732330/?ap=1

The 2-1 win at Bohemians starts at 2.53.

The 3-2 defeat at Finn Harps starts at 19.20.

The FAI TV YouTube Channel put up the highlights from the individual games the day after Soccer Republic airs as well by the way.
Bohemians vs Limerick FC.
Finn Harps vs Limerick FC.

osarusan

Limerick 5-3 Bray Wanderers

(Ogbene 2, Tosi, Hery, Clarke)

Limerick came out on top in a topsy-turvy game tonight. With a new 3-5-2 formation, we started well and had a good tempo. We took the lead when Ogbene picked up a stray pass, got through a tackle to be in on goal, and absolutely smashed a shot past the keeper from the edge of the area. And he made it 2-0 just 5 minutes later, beating one defender for pace to get into the box, cutting inside another defender, and coolly sidefooting a shot low to the keeper's right.

We had been excellent up to that point, but as you can almost predict at this stage, it all fell apart. Bray got a goal back almost immediately - a cross from the left to the far post, and a Bray player cut back inside to fire across Hall into the bottom corner. They got an equaliser soon after. A corner was headed back out to where it came from, but when the second cross came in, ex-Limerick player Aaron Greene was all alone right in front of goal to head home.

We managed to turn it round again before half time. Dean Clarke, on as a sub for the injured Sean Kelly, had time to flight a perfect cross across the box, and Rodrigo Tosi expertly headed back across the keeper into the bottom right corner. 3-2 at halftime.

In the second half we started ok, but Bray slowly took control, and the goal that had been coming finally arrived when Hery gave away a penalty which they converted. It was a very even and exciting game at this stage, with both teams thinking they could win it. Bray had the better of it in midfield, and their best chance came with a one-on-one after a player got in behind the defence, but he fluffed his lines and fired weakly wide.

It looked like it might end 3-3, but in the 87th minute Limerick took the lead. It looked like Lee Lynch had wasted a great chance to score on the counter, but when the resulting corner was cleared to about 30 yards out, Paul O'Conor had a long range effort. The shot was blocked down, but only to Bastien Hery, who rifled home a low shot from the edge of the area. And then just a couple of minutes later, to settle the nerves, a delicate reverse pass from Tosi, which missed its intended target of Lee Lynch, fell into the path of Dean Clarke, who sidefooted under the keeper to make the game safe.

Great night of football, I'm hoarse.

There's a summer break and no football next weekend so our next game is in 2 weeks.

Next game: away to Cork, Friday June 16th, 7.45pm

washman3

Excellent report OSA.
Take a well earned 2 week break you too.

grenache

That game was absolutely schizophrenic!

I really dont know what to make of that. It could have finished 5-5 or Bray could have won 5-3 on another night. Final scoreline definitely flattered us but we took our opportunities while Greene & Connolly missed two sitters for Bray.

Ogbene & Bastian were outstanding. Lee J & Robbie very good too. Dean Clarke showed glimpses of his former self when introduced. Hope injuries to Kelly & Robson not bad, although Robson is returning to Sunderland soon anyway.

Badly needed boost before the summer break.

Anybody know the reason why Clarke replaced Freddy in goals at half time?! Was it tactical or did Freddy pick up a knock?

osarusan

grenache wrote: »

That game was absolutely schizophrenic!

I really dont know what to make of that. It could have finished 5-5 or Bray could have won 5-3 on another night. Final scoreline definitely flattered us but we took our opportunities while Greene & Connolly missed two sitters for Bray.

Ogbene & Bastian were outstanding. Lee J & Robbie very good too. Dean Clarke showed glimpses of his former self when introduced. Hope injuries to Kelly & Robson not bad, although Robson is returning to Sunderland soon anyway.

Badly needed boost before the summer break.

Anybody know the reason why Clarke replaced Freddy in goals at half time?! Was it tactical or did Freddy pick up a knock?

Freddy Hall was hobbling a bit in the stand in the second half, so I assume it was that.


Wow, I had completely forgotten Greene miscontrolling the ball right in front of goal...yeah, what a let off that was.

Jofspring

Ya Hall got injured from a corner right on the half time whistle. I think it was a shoulder injury. Could see Clarke running in to get ready straight away.

Crazy game but delighted with the win. Ogbene way more threatening up top than out on the wing.

johnnyryan89

Injuries are a killer but there's no better time to get them then just before the summer break, hopefully Kells and Robson are okay for the Cork game. Anyone know if Duggie is injured or "injured", he hasn't been his best this season and the other two lads are in better form at the moment no matter how many times they give you the willies when they take too much outta the ball and lose it.

buck65

Lads, I live near Ennis and myself and my young lad have gotten into watching League of Ireland on Friday nights after Dundalk's exploits and enjoy it more than the English games.

Would like to get him supporting a local club and Limerick fits the bill, he plays a bit but I never did and come from GAA stock.

Is Market's field A) child friendly? whats car parking like , might take in a game soon.

johnnyryan89

Markets field would be very child friendly, lots of young kids up there on match night and car parking shouldn't be too bad around the Mulgrave St area.

Don't know if you've got Twitter but there's a Banner Blues account https://mobile.twitter.com/bannerblues?lang=en , they've also got an email bannerblues2015@gmail.com so could be worth giving them a buzz to get to know more fans out that way.

Jofspring

As Johnny says it is very kid friendly. Give the Official Supporters Club and the Official club page a follow on Facebook and you will find lots of pics etc... of the junior blues at games, meeting players and being involved.

Real Psycrow

buck65 wrote: »

Lads, I live near Ennis and myself and my young lad have gotten into watching League of Ireland on Friday nights after Dundalk's exploits and enjoy it more than the English games.

Would like to get him supporting a local club and Limerick fits the bill, he plays a bit but I never did and come from GAA stock.

Is Market's field A) child friendly? whats car parking like , might take in a game soon.

Market's Field is very child friendly. I've had my 6 year old daughter up there (she was probably 5 at the time) and had no qualms about it. There's always dozens of kids up there and it very much has a family club feel.

Parking can be a little awkward, but if you go down by the hospital/donkey forde's area, you'll get a spot and you're only a 5 minute walk away

osarusan

Highlights from the 5-3 win over Bray here, starting at 25.24:

http://www.rte.ie/player/ie/show/soccer-republic-30002764/10735099/

Thanks Advanced Gh0st, I'll put up the youtube clip later, when it's uploaded.

EDIT: And here it is:

osarusan

Limerick and Janesboro play in the Sporting Limerick Cup at the Markets Field tomorrow, Tuesday night, kick-off 7.45pm. €5 admission. Don't know what the Sporting Limerick Cup is - something invented just a way for Limerick players to stay fit I'd imagine.

Limerick have also announced a friendly against Charlton Athletic for July 11th in The Markets Field.

In other news, both Tobias Kainz and Tommy Walsh have been released by the club.

johnnyryan89

This would be the second year it's been on. Sporting Limerick organise it and it's the winners of the junior league play a Limerick xi as it will probably be mostly 19s and players that havent played much like Turner, Kenny and Shane Tracy.

osarusan

Limerick beat Janesboro 8-2 in the Sporting Limerick Cup tonight.

I wasn't at the game but was following on twitter.

Limerick's team had only 2 or 3 first team players in it (Duggan, Mulhall and Tracy) with a few on the fringes and some underage lads. Janesboro went ahead inside a minute with a goal from former Limerick player Shane Clarke. We were 2-1 up at half time after goals from Ian Turner and Chris Mulhall.

In the second half they equalised early on, but Limerick went back in front just a few minutes later when Mulhall scored a penalty. It was a rout from the on, as Limerick added a further 5 goals, from Clyde O'Connell, Adam Foley x2, Garbhan Coughlan x2. I'm assuming that Janesboro just ran out of steam later on.

I'll let people who were at it comment on the performance, although I'd imagine not much can be read into it. Hopefully no injuries and McDonald got a look at some of the younger lads at the club.

Back to business this Friday away to Cork, kickoff 8pm. Serious crowd going down by the sounds of it, and it's live on Eir for those who can't make the trip

RINO87

As was said above looks to be a serious crowd heading to Cork on Friday...
Has anyone nominated a pub or somewhere for all the Limerick heads to congregate before the game??

Living in Cork myself so looking forward to not having to drive and being able to go for a few beers before the game!!

A_Sober_Paddy

Working till 8 so can't make it. Heard it's on TV? If so anyone if it's Eir or rte?

Jofspring

A_Sober_Paddy wrote: »

Working till 8 so can't make it. Heard it's on TV? If so anyone if it's Eir or rte?

On Eir sport from 8.

osarusan

Cork 4-1 Limerick

(Tosi)

Cork's incredible league form continued tonight as Limerick were unable to live with them for 90 minutes. It was mostly Cork pressure in the first half, and they had created a few decent chances before they finally went ahead when Sean McGuire got in at the near post to glance an I swinging cross past Clarke.

Against the run of play, we equalised just a few minutes later. After knocking the ball past him, Ogbene went down under a challenge from the keeper. It looked like a soft penalty, but it was still converted by Tosi. We almost held on until halftime but with a minute or two to go, they scored again from a shot from just outside the area.

We were still in the game and had some hope for the second half, but all that changed after 45 seconds. Unaware of Mcguire's presence, Robbie Williams made a lazy pass back to the keeper, which McGuire intercepted before rounding the keeper to score.

Cork took their foot off the gas after that, and we had the better of things for a period in the second half. We had a few chances from shots from the edge of the area but the only really good chance we created came from a Duggan cross to the far post. Paul O'Conor slid in and fired back across goal but but somehow put it wide.

Late on they made it 4-1 with a super curling strike into the far top corner from about 20 yards out.

Not the worst performance considering the opposition, but things ended on a sour note. We were kept behind for about 15 minutes, and some fans ended up having heated words with each other that escalated into pushing and shoving, with the Gardai having to step in.

Next game: home to bottom-of-the-table St. Pats, Saturday June 24th.

johnnyryan89

Heard someone involved with the club's under age stuck a head on one of the guys over the Blue Army. Was standing over far left so didn't see anything except for when the guards came in and dragged people away.