Limerick FC 2018 season

mollymac57

Good away point v Sligo. Keeps them within reach. Next few games will be important. A win over Bohs will suck them back. Beating Bray would be a must to consign them to the automatic relegation spot. Things looking better than a couple of weeks ago

osarusan

Limerick 1-1 Bohemians

(Maguire)

Another late Bohs equaliser cost Limerick points tonight.

We were very good in the first half, looked dangerous in attack, and took the lead after about 35 minutes when Will Fitzgerald crossed into the box, O'Sullivan challenged a defender, and th ball broke for Maguire to volley home from about 8 yards. We could have made it two when Wearen flashed a shot wide from another breaking ball, and could have had another when Fitzgerald wrestled his way into the box and teed up Maguire, but he placed his shot just the wrong side of the post. Bohs's best chance was a snapshot before the break that Clarke had to beat away.

In the second half Bohs were much more purposeful, and gradually pushed us deeper and deeper. We had Clarke to thank for a could of very good saves, and we nearly sealed with a wonder goal from substitute Karl O'Sullivan, who picked up the ball inside his own half and wandered past 3 or 4 Bohs players, but their keeper clawed away his shot.

Late on, the equaliser finally arrived. After another good Clarke save, a Bohs player drilled the ball back into the area, and it was squeezed home via the post from about 12 yards.

Right at the end they should have won it, as they got in behind us and played the ball across the box to a striker rushing on goal and stretching to reach it, but with Clarke closing him down, he blazed the ball over from about 6 yards.

With Sligo and Bray both winning, things are getting very sticky at the bottom of the table.

Next game: away to Dundalk, Friday June 8th, 7.45pm

ShatterProof

Is the club gone? Hearing rumours that the players were told after draw with Bohs that there's no wages and as they haven't been paid since April - the entire squad is free to leave!!!!!

Insect Overlord

A couple of reliable guys on Twitter were saying exactly that last night. Hopefully just a rumour though.

johnnyryan89

ShatterProof wrote: »

Is the club gone? Hearing rumours that the players were told after draw with Bohs that there's no wages and as they haven't been paid since April - the entire squad is free to leave!!!!!

Not 100% sure but there's a clause that states if a player hasn't been paid in two months he's free to leave. Since they haven't been paid for May and supposdly told there's no money there they'll technically be allowed leave the end of June.

Main question now is whether its just wages can't be paid or literally money has stopped so can't even pay for buses or rent if rent is paid on a match by match bases.

osarusan

If this is true and the chairman Pat O'Sullivan knew his players hadn't been paid and had chosen to play anyway, the fact that he was in the stand roaring at the players last night is fairly disgusting.

osarusan

And you have to imagine that if things are this bad, they would have stopped paying for other stuff (busses, away meals, training facilities) well before it came to wages.

johnnyryan89

osarusan wrote: »

And you have to imagine that if things are this bad, they would have stopped paying for other stuff (busses, away meals, training facilities) well before it came to wages.

Clubs been training in Hogan Park for awhile now, don't think they've used UL for awhile now.

johnnyryan89

Quotes from Brendan Clarke from Andrew Cunneen article.

Clarke was one of the senior players in the dressing room when the squad were told of the financial uncertainty. He said:

“We were told to be there for six, which was early for a matchday. The club apologised for lateness of wages and said they’re waiting on sponsors cheques to clear. Club officials then told us that the way things are, we’re free to go and we won’t stand in your way.

“After the meeting, officials left and then coaching staff left. We had a discussion about whether or not we’d play – do we or do we not? Do we train or do we not?

“Everyone's now been landed in the bullsh*t stereotypical League of Ireland situation which is embarrassing. It's a real eye opener for some of younger lads in the squad.

“But we decided there was no point in making a bad situation worse. We also said to anyone that if they didn’t feel they could give 100%, not for the club, for the players next to them in that dressing room, that they didn’t have to play at all.

“To be fair everyone who was fit and available for selection, they said they'd commit to playing and give everything they had for their teammates. I think to perform the way we did given what we'd been through just before the game can leave no supporter, commentator or analyst questioning the character or integrity of that squad.

“We were assured that we wouldn’t be owed a penny by the club, just that they couldn’t tell us when the money would be there.”

osarusan

Shameful stuff, truly.

johnnyryan89

Didn't think my man crush for Brendan Clarke could get any bigger but the man is someone you just gotta love. He's the type of lad any club should love to have involved with them and would love to see him involved in whatever is left of the club during and after his playing career.

c.p.w.g.w

Heard pat was offered a €1 for the club back in January. The person would have cleared all debts(UL,Kelly Travel, Guards & others amounted to €300k). Didn't go through as pat felt the offer was too little.

Left Back on the Bench

To play the way they did after being told that before kick off and down 2 months wages was class i think.

Junior season over, English league over, time for people to get behind their local league of Ireland team and help them out in this hour of need i think.

johnnyryan89

Left Back on the Bench wrote: »

To play the way they did after being told that before kick off and down 2 months wages was class i think.

Junior season over, English league over, time for people to get behind their local league of Ireland team and help them out in this hour of need i think.

One months wages, if it was two months they all could have walked away as free agents.

osarusan

kilburn

Anyone know the weekly, monthly annual costs to run the club

Jofspring

kilburn wrote: »

Anyone know the weekly, monthly annual costs to run the club

You'd be talking in the region of €1m-€1.2m to run the club for a season.

diusmr8a504cvk

Apparently it costs ~200K for their Under-Age LOI teams, but they get a bit of a grant from UEFA which covers about half of it.

jonski

There is an interview with the sports editor from the LL on Off The balls Youtube channel about whats going on in the club if anyone is interested . Doesn't really add much to whats been posted above .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yioa25RsfM0

osarusan

Dundalk 4-0 Limerick

I wasn't at this, so just following updates.

It was just Dundalk pressure for pretty much the 90 minutes, especially in the second half. We were not helped with two injuries in the first 25 minutes too.

We held out until just before halftime, but 2 goals in 3 minutes midway through the second half put an end to things, and they added another late on.

Tbh, I'm just relieved that we fielded a team in the first place after the week that we've seen.

Next game: home to Shamrock Rovers, Friday June 15th, 7.45pm.

osarusan

osarusan

Limerick 0-2 Shamrock Rovers

Rovers ended up cantering to victory tonight after an even enough first half.

We probably had the best chance of the first half, with some neat passing sending Daniel Kearns in on goal, and after the keeper did well to save his shot, Mark O'Sullivan was there to nod the rebound towards goal, but it was cleared off the line.

Rovers hadn't offered that much in attack, but took the lead in first half injury time. A ball into the box was cleared away, but it was played back in, a scramble ensued. Cantwell initially did well to block, but couldn't get the ball away and former Corbally player Joel Coustrain squeezed it home.

And it was all over just 90 seconds into the second half, when Graham Burke collected the ball in the box and wriggled enough space to fire into the roof of the net.

After that the game was played at walking pace most of the time. Rovers were content to take it easy and probe for openings, while we had absolutely no way to do any damage to them. Burke almost scored a spectacular third when he rattled the post with a free kick from about 30 yards, and we had Brendan Clarke to thank for a couple of good saves also.

This was the last game before the break, and with Bray drawing and Sligo winning, it looks like being between us and Bray for the bottom spot. Our game in 2 weeks against Bray is a huge game.

Next game: home to Bray, Friday June 29th, 7.45pm.

diusmr8a504cvk

Would love to know how Henry Cameron is picking up a wage. The same lad is on the New Zealand squad and he can’t get on the second worst team in Ireland! I wouldn’t have him in Newcastle West nevermind New Zealand.

osarusan

Jane Screeching Queen wrote: »

Would love to know how Henry Cameron is picking up a wage. The same lad is on the New Zealand squad and he can’t get on the second worst team in Ireland! I wouldn’t have him in Newcastle West nevermind New Zealand.

Yeah, he was told at the start of the season that he wouldn't be featuring much at all. I think he tried to find a UK club during the window, but couldn't.

It is in his own interest to leave if he can. This spell out of the game is doing his career no good at all.

c.p.w.g.w

osarusan wrote: »

Yeah, he was told at the start of the season that he wouldn't be featuring much at all. I think he tried to find a UK club during the window, but couldn't.

It is in his own interest to leave if he can. This spell out of the game is doing his career no good at all.

He was told he could leave, said no. I'm under contract and i'm gonna collect my wage...Heard that directly from someone involved at the club

johnnyryan89

c.p.w.g.w wrote: »

He was told he could leave, said no. I'm under contract and i'm gonna collect my wage...Heard that directly from someone involved at the club

How he was allowed sign a 18 month contract is madness in the first place especially with the bad injury he picked up and nearly zero game time in the year before he arrived. It's gonna be some craic when the club try to renegotiate a smaller wage on contracts or offload players in July when they come around to the Dennehy's and Cameron.

diusmr8a504cvk

What was the story with the man going around collecting money, in what appeared to be a rubbish bin?
No club shop last night either.

Willie Fitz was poor last night, Billy Dennehy was piss poor and bordering disgraceful. Tracy doesn’t have the legs but I’m not exactly revealing anything there. Kearns was the only one with some bit about him last night. Bench is no good.
10th game I’ve been to this season, same sh*t.

osarusan

Will Fitz would be best used as a sub in the last 30 minutes, but we don't really have anybody to put on ahead of him. Kearns is busy but always seems to turn away from space, and always gets too close to his marker.

Without Clifford on the pitch, we had absolutely no way to build any platform to put attacks together.

Losses to Rovers don't bother me too much, as they are simply much better than us and a loss is expected.

Games against Sligo, Bohs, and Bray, are the only ones that we can really expect anything from. With Pats in terrible form, maybe them too if they stay that way.

johnnyryan89

Mid season break has come at the right time especially with the next game at home to Bray, two week break should hopefully see some players return and give those who are carry knocks rest up and the young players a rest too who could have a long end of season if there's an exodus of senior players in two weeks time.

diusmr8a504cvk

Limerick are playing Janesboro, in Janesboro, this Tuesday in the Sporting Limerick Cup at 7PM.

You’d have to imagine they couldn’t afford to rent the Market’s Field for the friendly. I know the rent went up this year, but how they’ll afford it next year (if we’re in the First Division) is beyond me. Even though we’re the main tenants, I think George Lee is just as happy to have a few rugby games every now and then and have the Markets Field act as a monument as opposed to being a ground hosting football every second week.
If Limerick move back to Jackman you’d lose a big scalp of fans, who’d want to take their children there?