Need to bounce back after the poor performance against Drogheda.
Not as much of a formality as I would have thought it was before Tuesday night's game.
I'm going for a nervous 2 1 win
Don't think it was ever a formality. They are playing well and won up in Derry in their last game so this is going to be a tough one. Saying that, they won't be as physical or as defensive minded as our last few games so I reckon a 1-0 win.Originally Posted by kingpin4
It would be excellent to keep a clean sheet away from home. With the exception of the Bray came we have conceded 2 games in every away game so far this season.
UCD 1 1 Limerick
Judge sent off, finished the game with 9 after Purcell came on and went off injured.
Wasn't at the game so can someone who was, post a report?!
The red cards are ridiculous by the way, but I won't comment until I see it Monday.
Was out there tonight. First time in the Bowl, nice ground, friendly staff, Koka noodles at half time. Would guess somewhere in the region of 350-400 at it? Decent atmosphere regardless. Pitch looked a little hard, might explain a few of the injuries.
Started off great. Think it was O’ Callaghan working with Galbraith to get the cross in from the right, UCD probably should have cleared it since it was a bouncing ball, but somehow got to Tracy and he just rifled it home on the volley. Really thought we’d push on from there.
But it just didn’t happen. It was always either Axel or Curran upfront on their own, usually heading down the left wing. Long ball to them, and if they get it ahead of the two defenders around them they’d have to stop, hold, and wait for options. Precious little low through balls, even though one of them had Axel clean through on goal in the first half. UCD got around the park nicely, had some fire. The #19 for them, going down the right, was a constant threat. Limerick were giving away so many frees in their own half throughout the match, that the Students had ample opportunity to float crosses in. Thankfully that appears to be a weaker part of their game, but better teams will relish such opportunity.
The UCD goal was coming for a while, and it was a badly exposed left back position that gifted it, though the CB’s were AWOL when the ball was actually played to Benson in the box. He had time to take the pass, control, turn and one more touch before just burying it past a helpless Ryan. And it happened that way a few more times in the second, but thankfully UCD weren’t good enough to put them away, though there was some scary moments. Bar one bad pass out in the second, Ryan had another good game, and thank God for that because the defence is just so breakable. O’Callaghan was caught for pace frequently, and when Purcell was brought on to help out, well he didn’t last long, going off with an injury around 75 minutes in I think.
Midfield struggled. Galbraith was looking a bit of a threat in the first but grew less and les effective as the game went on. O’Leary wasn’t at his best, and Feeney wasn’t having a good night I thought. UCD played a lot of stupid passes in the centre mid position straight to them, but they were very slow to use that possession and there was plenty of aimless ball played forward high and long for Curran and Axel to waste their time chasing. We had plenty of chances before we started losing players, and Curran was guiltiest, and absolute sitter from a few yards out with the keeper stranded. Got the ball tangled up and UCD survived.
Ref wasn’t great. Tended to blow too often. I could have sworn I saw Dean Clarke come down directly on O’Leary’s shin early in the first. All he got was a yellow while O’Leary hobbled off, and then the ref booked Curran and one of their lads for mouthing and jostling a bit. Totally unnecessary, though Curran was a fierce bad way all game, screaming at his teammates and cursing at the officials. Seemed a bit hesitant to challenge for high balls at times, because of the face injury maybe. Typically similar behaviour from the bench at times, giving out, etc.
Judge came on and could have been a bit of a threat, but he never got the chance. Got hit by a really bad, cynical tackle from a UCD lad bursting forward, should have been happy with the free. But he jumped straight up and squared up to the lad, might have been a clash of foreheads, couldn’t be sure from the angle I was at. But I think in this league, with the way Limerick players and staff have been acting towards refs and other players at times, he was asking for trouble. Straight red. I think he knew coming off how stupid he was, since we’d already gone down to ten after losing Purcell to what looked a bit of a bad injury. Ironically, play restarted with a Limerick free, and Tracy nearly won the game with it, think it hit the outside of the post.
Down to nine, and who was next with the stupidity? Axel goes shoulder first into the back of a UCD lad while being the only Limerick player contesting the ball in their half. Less than 20 seconds after getting a yellow, he chases down another Student and trips up from behind really recklessly. Total nonsense. I don’t know if they were annoyed with the ref, if UCD were aggravating them, but I wouldn’t have batted an eyelid if he got another red for it. Axel played well enough and did his bit in defence when it was called for, but that was a total rush of blood.
Held out in the end, and results elsewhere make it a bit more palatable. But still pretty poor stuff at times. Defence very dodgy, midfield not working right, strikers isolated most of the time, and a really small amount of depth in the team. O’Leary and Purcell now out I would presume, and Judge suspended for the next game. I have no expectation of getting anything off Sligo. Discipline just has to improve.
I saw the Supporters Club bus going the opposite way of the stadium heading in, I presume the driver got a bit lost lads?
Author of Never Felt Better (History, Film Reviews).
Fairplay, im not bothered writing a full match report but two quick points:
Judges sending off was a second yellow he got the first for cleaving a fella about thirty yards from goal by the near touchline.
And Shane Cusack was in goals not Barry Ryan!!
Got there late, sun in eyes, bad eyesight etc. Just assumed it was Ryan, but Cusack had a good day, helpless for UCD goal. I must have missed Judge's first, but I could have sworn ref just pulled out a red for the second offence.
Last edited by NeverFeltBetter; 18/05/2013 at 1:45 AM.
Author of Never Felt Better (History, Film Reviews).
Thanks for the report. Just a few points that seem to be repeating themselves weekly with this Limerick team. Defence is a shambles and we're lucky not to have been thumped by a few clubs already. There dos'nt seem to be any improvement as the season goes on which is a big worry. Our strikers finishing is woeful. We create lots of chances every game,many are gimme's but we are unable to convert. This too has not improved as the season progresses. We allowed management time as the squad was put together quickly but by now things should be getting better not worse. My last point is discipline. We must surely have the worst record in the league and its only a matter of time before the club gets a fine. Playing so many games with 10 men does not help our cause in getting the right results also.
OK rant over. God help us next week against Sligo
"We've had a lot of good times, but you don't know how good they are until you have the bad ones" Tony Adams
The style of football has dropped off over the last few weeks in the games I've seen, as has the work rate. I think Taylor is in a strong position because of how late he got the position and how long it took him to get a squad together, we can judge more harshly after the transfer window.
We need two centre backs, an attacking midfielder, and a finisher. Hopefully the transfer window will allow us to bring in a few. We aren't the only team struggling in those positions though in fairness. Look how many teams miss sitters or messs up great chances in this league. That's the difference between winning this league and finishing mid table.
thats true jofspring, just look at Elding at Sligp or Twigg a few seasons back they were vital in winning the league or as with Elding giving them that extra edge this year. Neither of these players were anything in the UK and over the last few weeks there have been 100s of players release from clubs especially from League 1 & 2. That's where i hope we pick up a few players. Taylor was going on a bit about his connections in Europe & UK, Like Lambert at Villa. Maybe its time to call in a few favour's and get some loan players in.
"We've had a lot of good times, but you don't know how good they are until you have the bad ones" Tony Adams
I think it'll come down to budget as well though. From what I've heard, there will need to be a couple shipped out if a few new faces are to arrive.
Most definietly. I'm sure Taylor and Malky have a good idea who they would like to release and who they would consider key players to hold onto.
There is a list here of out contract players that I'm sure they will be looking at.
http://www.thepfa.com/transferlist
O'Leary stuck a photo of his foot up on Twitter a little while ago, very badly swollen and bruised, but getting better apparently. Obviously won't play tomorrow.
Author of Never Felt Better (History, Film Reviews).
Posting Permissions
Quote
Bookmarks