Limerick FC look to get back to winning ways against Cobh

Limerick FC welcome Cobh Ramblers to the Markets Field on Friday night in a bid to return to winning ways following two consecutive defeats to Bray Wanderers and Drogheda United. Last week’s defeat puts Limerick seven points behind fourth place Cabinteely and all but ended any play-off ambitions for the season.

Tommy Barrett’s men started well against Drogheda and took an early lead through a powerful header from centre-back Clyde O’Connell. They had chances to extend the lead through Kieran Hanlon and Lee Devitt. Early in the second half, Hanlon raced on to a flick from Devitt but was denied by Luka Gratzer’s legs.

It proved to be a pivotal moment as the visitors took control from there and equalised through Jamie Hollywood and went on to add three more goals in a disappointing end for Limerick. With Cabinteely defeating Longford, it all but ended the Shannonsiders hopes of an unlikely play off place.

Barrett was disappointed that the game only attracted 331 supporters to the Garryowen venue despite the team challenging for a play-off place in trying circumstances.

I was disappointed with the crowd again. When you see Shelbourne going to Galway in their last home match and they are at the bottom of the division and they got 816. We were fourth heading into the game against Longford and we get 3-400.

It doesn’t say much for soccer in the region. We are too fractured between the city and county and maybe some of that is our own fault as well as we don’t brand ourselves properly and maybe we haven’t done things the way they should have been done down through the years.

We cant throw blame out on it as we have to accept responsibility on that too.

Staggeringly, since Limerick FC’s last game of the 2017 season, which is just over a year and a half ago, 30 players and coaches have left the club. All of those players were senior professionals so this does not count younger players who have also departed. It looked as though the constant use of the exit door had drained the current group on Friday as they were very dejected leaving the pitch.

The current team have shown a lot of heart and ambition this season despite the negative publicity surrounding the club. The team is now effectively full of locals and while the standard of the first division has decreased significantly since the beginning of this century, the club were not expected to challenge for a play-off place until this juncture.

Visitors Cobh Ramblers have underwent many changes in recent weeks with manager Stephen Henderson resigning from his role and joining Shelbourne as Youth Academy Director. Henderson’s new club have taken Denzil Fernandes and Jaze Kabia to Tolka Park which was a big blow to the club. Also, the club have recently launched a co-operative with which is member owned and includes local, national and international membership.

On the pitch, there is just one place separating the teams with Limerick in 6th and Ramblers in 7th However, the Super Blues are 9 points better off than their First Division rivals and defeated the Rams in both league meetings. The first meeting at the Markets Field was Limerick’s first league win of the season with Kieran Hanlon scoring two and former player Connor Ellis adding another in a 3-1 win.

Although both league games went according to plan, Cobh did beat Limerick FC in the EA Sports Cup at St. Colman’s Park. Darren Murphy is due to return to the side from suspension but the combative midfielder picked up a knock in the Bray Wanderers defeat two weeks ago and will be monitored before the game. Tomas O’Connor sat out the Drogheda game with a broken thumb and it remains to be seen whether the centre-back will be selected.