Limerick FC announce Tommy Barrett as new first-team manager

Limerick FC have unveiled the club’s under 19s manager Tommy Barrett as the new manager of the senior team for the upcoming Airtricity League Premier Division season. The announcement was made following the departure of Neil McDonald over a week ago. Barrett is an internal appointment as he has been in charge of the club’s under 19 team for the past three seasons.

Tommy Barrett played for local nursery Geraldines for the majority of his schoolboy career before moving to local rivals Fairview Rangers at junior level. He played as a striker at Fairview and was a vital member of the team who won the 2004 FAI Junior Cup. In 2005, Tommy made the step up to the Eircom League having been signed by Limerick FC under then manager Noel O’Connor. O’Connor converted Barrett from a striker to a box to box midfielder and he finished his first season in the national league as the club’s top scorer with eight goals. He was certainly a fans favourite during his time as a player at the club as well as a leader for his fellow players. He also spent half a season with Shamrock Rovers in 2007 in the premier division before returning to Shannonside and eventually captaining his hometown club.

The appointment may come as a surprise to many due to Barrett’s lack of experience outside of the underage set-up. The former Fairview man faces a hectic month in preparing his team for upcoming friendlies and the season opener against Sligo Rovers on the Saturday 17th February. It is expected that the club will hold a press conference during the week while Barrett will be working on assembling a backroom team for the new season at the Markets Field.