WATCH: Barrett “We need to do more to attract crowds”

Limerick FC manager Tommy Barrett cut a frustrated figure after his side’s 1-1 draw with Athlone Town on Friday night. Limerick managed to secure a draw after falling behind in the first half as substitute Darren Murphy’s shot took a wicked deflection and nestled into the bottom corner of the net.

Adam Foley, Kieran Hanlon and Karl O’Sullivan all spurned guilt edge chances in the second half, on a night when the lowest ever attendance since the return to the Markets Field was recorded with just 227 paying customers coming through the gate.

Barrett was equally frustrated by the attendance and feels the club also need to do more to arrest the decline.

It’s very poor. We are Sporting Limerick and we are great supporting our own. I don’t mean that sarcastically but we have never got massive crowds either.

I have said it in the past as well that we need to do more too. If we aren’t getting big crowds in, you have to go into schools and if you have to give out free tickets, you give out free tickets.

You can get the younger fans in and make it a livelier atmosphere. People want to support success as well. We have to get better at that side of things.

Limerick now face Sligo Rovers in the Extra.ie FAI Cup next Saturday (August 24th) at 7.45 pm. Limerick will certainly be up against it but the Shannonsiders did have a good record at the Showgrounds last season in the Premier Division.

To watch the full interview, click on the link below.