Fast start essential for Limerick FC on Friday

Limerick FC head into the promotion/relegation playoff tomorrow evening looking to overturn a 1-0 deficit from the first leg in Finn Park on Monday night. The return leg will take place at the Markets Field on Friday night (kick-off 7.45). 

A Paddy McCourt penalty handed Finn Harps the victory in Donegal on Monday night despite a largely dominant display from Limerick. Conor Ellis had Limerick’s best chance of the game as he pounced on hesitant defending to round goalkeeper Peter Burke but hit the post from a tight angle. 

However, early pressure counted for little when a rash tackle from Killian Brouder on Jesse Devers resulted in a penalty which retiring McCourt dispatched to the net. Despite a flurry of late crosses into the opposition box, the Super Blues never looked like making them count.

Full backs Shaun Kelly and Shane Tracy were afforded a lot of freedom from their opponents as Billy Dennehy and Karl O’Sullivan occupied Harps wing backs while the midfield were slow to press. However, both were restricted to deep crosses into the box which Ollie Horgan’s three centre backs dealt with easily. Tommy Barrett will surely urge his wingers to attempt to get to the by-line before crossing on Friday to unsettle Cowan, Todd and Borg at the heart of the Finn Harps defence.

Either that or Barrett may have to partner Conor Ellis with Danny Morrissey to test the aforementioned trio. Jakub Borg is certainly the weakest link in the Harps team at centre back but both he and Todd can be exploited either side of captain Keith Cowan. . Ollie Horgan’s team are notoriously defensive in their approach and will certainly take that approach on Friday with the goal advantage. Therefore the responsibility to attack early will rest with Limerick. 

Obviously, the game can’t be won in the first 20 minutes but it can certainly be lost and some caution must be shown. But worryingly for Limerick, performances at the Markets Field this season have been relatively poor, particularly in the attacking third. Another option may be to transfer Billy Dennehy to left back in support of Will Fitzgerald and place Karl O’Sullivan on the opposite wing. Shane Tracy has played well in recent weeks but Dennehy would be capable of overlapping in support of Fitzgerald on a regular basis. The Shannonsiders need both wingers to take the game to the visiting defence from the first whistle to stand any chance of creating goal scoring opportunities. 

Outside of that, obvious options are fairly limited and Barrett will most likely be without goalkeeper Tommy Holland who was stretchered off in the second half of the defeat in Donegal. Limerick must make use of the big pitch at the Markets Field as Finn Harps are likely to sit deep.

Deep crosses will be defended by Keith Cowan and co. all evening and are not an option again. Matching Harps 3-5-2 system in order to get support for Ellis would only be possible with Dennehy at left wing back but with Colman Kennedy the only centre-back option on the bench and a lack of confidence with the formation earlier in the season, it is unlikely that this option will be taken.

One thing is for sure, Limerick need to score at least two goals to win the game outside of penalties and it is a feat that has only been achieved on three occasions by the team all season. It may take something special to change that on Friday night. For the future of the club and senior soccer in the city, let’s hope this group can pull it off.