“There’s a lot of talent in the squad” | Ray Dempsey delighted with his side after picking up first point in Division 2

The Shannonsiders will next be in action on March 19 when they welcome Kildare to the TUS Gaelic Grounds knowing a defeat will see them relegated.

It wasn’t enough to secure a crucial win but Limerick eventually got points on the board in division two of the National Football League on Sunday with a hard earned draw with Meath.

Ray Dempsey’s men were four to the good at the half but surrendered the lead with a pair of sucker punch goals from the visitors after the restart. Brian Donovan kicked the equaliser in the 71st minute with Limerick taking their survival bid into the penultimate two rounds.

It’s likely that nothing other than a pair of wins will do against Kildare and Clare in the last two rounds but Dempsey was “delighted” with the resilience that the team showed in the display.

“I’m delighted, the lads gave a huge performance from start to finish and that’s all we’re looking for from any Limerick footballer. Maybe we could have gone on and won the game but there’s learning’s and we’ll go back and look on them. That’s what Division 2 is doing for us, it’s exposing us to a level of football. That’s the positive, I know the results have been a bit negative but you have to be exposed to it before you can master it.”

The draw came just seven days after the humbling suffered against Cork in Pairc Ui Chaoimh. The Rebels hit Limerick for six in a 24-point win last Sunday to leave the Shannonsiders cut adrift at the foot of the table.

But the response was the desired one against Meath with Dempsey offering some insight into the defeat to Cork and the group’s response in training.

“Last week was embarassing. We had put a lot into the Louth game and maybe if the break was after that to regroup, a week is a very short time when you’re playing the quality Cork have up front. That’s probably the big difference from today’s game. The lads got their focus back and it was a tonic to drive on.

Limerick are now just a point behind their final-round opponents with Clare and Kildare falling to defeats also on Sunday. Limerick will host Kildare in a fortnight’s time with Clare away the following week.

And the draw against the Royals could provide Limerick with the confidence needed says Dempsey as he backed the experience of the five games in the second tier thus far.

“I’m delighted because there’s a lot of talent in the squad and it’s just about getting belief under you against a high-quality traditional counties. It’s exposure to high level football and it’s going to stand to these players in their careers.”

The Shannonsiders will next be in action on March 19 when they welcome Kildare to the TUS Gaelic Grounds knowing a defeat will see them relegated.

However, if their performance follows a similar patter to the the most recent, the Treaty men will know they have enough to sustain their survival hopes to the final day.

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