Vital playoff begins for Limerick FC

Limerick FC make the arduous trip to Donegal to contest the promotion/relegation playoff against Finn Harps tonight (7.45).

Limerick have been aware that they would be involved in the playoff for a number of weeks but go into the game in poor form following another defeat to Waterford FC in the final league game of the regular season. However, the 4-1 scoreline will not concern Tommy Barrett as he was forced to rest key players like Shane Duggan, Tommy Holland and Shaun Kelly.

Academy graduates Adam Foley, Ger Barry and Aaron Fitzgerald featured in the starting 11 last week. Colm Walsh-O’Loughlen grabbed his first goal for the club but goals from Dessie Hutchinson (x2), Garry Comerford and John Martin ensured an easy victory for Waterford.

Limerick will be without long term absentees Eoin Wearen and Darren Dennehy but Tommy Barrett is hoping Will Fitzgerald and Cian Coleman will be in contention to start. Goalkeeper Tommy Holland will return for the game after being rested against Waterford. Killian Brouder has been struggling with injury and it is likely that Killian Cantwell will be partnered by Colman Kennedy at centre-back against his former club. 

Long serving and experienced full backs Shaun Kelly and Shane Tracy have endured tough seasons for the club but have regained form in recent weeks and are almost certainly going to start the game. Barrett will have big decisions to make in the midfield positions. The Limerick native has often opted to play all four of Darren Murphy, Shane Duggan, Cian Coleman and Barry Maguire on occasion with Will Fitzgerald providing the support to the striker. 

Both Fitzgerald and Karl O’Sullivan have impressed during their debut season for the club. In order to test the Harps defence, both players may be vital to Limerick’s chances. Both are suited to away games as their pace can catch the opposition on the break. When O’Sullivan is overlooked in favour of a 4-4-1-1 system, Limerick’s chronic lack of width contributes to a lack of goal threat. With a wider pitch in Finn Park, if both players are fully fit, they should be selected. Although the Limerick management team may opt for an experienced team and select Billy Dennehy on the left. The former Cork winger hasn’t featured much in recent games. 

Ballybofey is a notoriously difficult place to gain a victory in. Finn Harps have only lost three league games at the venue all season and their last defeat was against Dundalk in the FAI Cup in June. Shane Duggan, Shaun Kelly and Shane Tracy were on the team that suffered relegation at Finn Park in 2015.

Ollie Horgan will certainly have his players motivated for the battle ahead with the Shannonsiders. Horgan is an artist in playing down his team’s chances and speaking to Sporting Limerick earlier this week, Tommy Barrett re-iterated his belief that the first division side are favourites for the tie. “I think they are favourites. Is it mind games? I wouldn’t be like Ollie, he plays the mind games. infairness, he has done a fantastic job up there. To get them up to premier a couple of years ago and stay there for two seasons with the resources they have. He has done a really good job in getting players in.” 

Finn Harps favour a 3-5-2 formation with Cork City loanee John Kavanagh and Ciaran Coll as wing backs either side of a centre-back three of Keith Cowan, Sam Todd and Jakub Borg. Coll and Cowan were instrumental in the defeat of Limerick three years ago. They have only conceded 11 goals at Finn Park in the league this season. Nathan Boyle is the preferred option up front. Five players compete for the midfield spots with Gareth Harkin, Mark Boyle and Mikey Place the preferred choice in recent weeks. Former Limerick striker John O’Flynn may also be sprung from the substitutes bench. Former Celtic winger Paddy McCourt may also be in contention to start his last home game as a footballer as he is retiring at the end of the season.

In order for the Super Blues to come away with a positive result for the long journey home, they will have to match the intensity of Finn Harps which will be an extremely difficult task. Anything worse than a one goal deficit will be too difficult to turn around at the Markets Field on Friday night and could send the club to the first division which in its current form is certainly undesirable.