Trip up north for footballers after opening round defeat

Last Saturday Limerick got their return to the intermediate ranks of the All-Ireland Ladies Football Championship off to a poor start when they were beaten 3-15 to 3-5 by Kildare at the LIT Gaelic Grounds.

John Ryan’s side got off to the perfect start with two goals inside the opening five minutes from Iris Kenneally and Mairead Kavanagh, but that would be as good as it got from a Limerick point of view.

The Leinster side dominated the rest of the half, holding an eight point advantage at the break.

After winning the Junior All-Ireland title last year, manager Ryan commented on the step up in his post-match interview with Limerick failing to get to grips with Kildare for most of the game.

However, he is adamant that the performance against a seasoned Intermediate side can be used for the better as Limerick face into a trip to Down this weekend with their season on the line.

“We never got to grips with the pace of the game. At half time we had 16 turnovers and when you have 16 turnovers in 30 minutes of football then you know you’ve a problem.

“But I thought we regrouped well in the second half. I thought our decision making a running off the ball let us down.

“I think it a massive step up from junior. I said it during the week. We need to come up to the pace do the game and we learned an awful lot from today. It’s a learning curve for players and management.”

Limerick’s clash with Down this is essentially a knockout game with a loss almost certain to signal an end to their campaign ahead of their final round clash with Sligo a week from Saturday.

Ryan is fully aware of the situation that his side are in, with so much on the line. A Limerick loss would have them in danger of facing into relegation back to the junior ranks from which they emerged from last Autumn.

For Ryan, this weekend’s game is all about Limerick getting their own performance right with the result to follow should Limerick hit their peak.

“Basically, you’re into championship, this is it. It’s knockout basically, if we lose next weekend we are out of the championship, we’re in relegation, so it’s must win.

Although he has done some homework on this weekend’s opposition, Ryan’s priority will be his own team who have proved capable of travelling to the north and coming away with a result already this year in the league.

“It’s all about getting our own side right. If we get our dressing room right, then we’ll go up to Down and hopefully get the result.”

Limerick play Down in Sean Treacy Park this Sunday at 1pm.