Limerick FC manager Tommy Barrett calls for more bravery following loss to St Pats

Limerick FC manager Tommy Barrett has urged his young side to be braver in future games following Friday night’s 1-0 loss to St. Patrick’s Athletic at Richmond Park. A bullet header from Ian Bermingham in the second half separated the sides on a night when Limerick struggled to bring high energy and intensity levels to the game. The result moves St. Pats up to fifth in the league while the Shannonsiders now sit in eight place after Bohemians emerged victorious from their basement clash with Bray Wanderers.

Speaking to the club’s official website after the game, Barrett felt his team could have been braver on the night;

“We didn’t do enough. The pitch was good tonight so there were no excuses. We had to play a bit more and didn’t start playing until we went a goal down. We need to be braver earlier and take the game to them a bit more.”

One obvious failing for the visitors on the night was the lack of creativity and ball retention. Lone striker Conor Ellis is clearly unsuited to the current role he occupies. However, Barrett will be disappointed with how quickly possession was lost in the final third. Limerick’s best chance of the night came in the form of a Darren Dennehy header from a Will Fitzgerald cross. The lack of goals is a worry for Limerick with only four goals from eight games and the team are lacking a focal point in Mark O’Sullivan who is still a couple of weeks from a return.

Barrett was quick to point out that his side struggled to create any clear cut chances on the night. “We didn’t really look like scoring bar a few dangerous balls into the box towards the end. We need to do more in that regard but I can’t fault the boys for effort.

Frustratingly for the Limerick native, it was another set piece which led to the concession of a goal. Limerick have only conceded three goals in their last three games with two goals from the penalty spot and one from the free-kick. Barrett realises that concentration levels must improve at vital moments of the game.

“It’s those fine margins. You have to keep the concentration levels. That’s happened us the last two games. We conceded two penalties and the free-kick. When you are playing against teams in this division you have to keep the concentration levels and if you can’t win, come away with a point.”

One major concern for Limerick’s management team is the growing injury list at the club. The squad is already very thin but the Super Blues are currently missing Mark O’Sullivan, Eoin Wearen, Daniel Kearns and Danny Morrissey. Barry Maguire is battling to regain his fitness. However, Barrett is not going to blame the defeat on the injuries. “We are not going to make excuses about injuries. The boys are still doing well. We had enough on the pitch tonight to win the game.”

The next league match for Limerick FC will be the second Munster derby clash of the season at the Markets Field as high-flying Waterford United are the visitors on the back of a 2-1 win over Shamrock Rovers on Friday night. Barrett insists that the Suirsiders will not have an easy game next Saturday.

“They are flying it yeah. They had a good win again tonight. I thought they might beat Rovers to be fair. A great win for them but they won’t get anything easy against us either.”