Limerick the big wan

[Acornvilla]

Better make bits of my adopted home town on Saturday!
Gambles away on his honeymoon as far as I know so thats a big bonus for us if he won't be around. Skully is great at screwing up on the big occasions so regardless of how we have been playing lately I think we've a good shot at at least a draw and nicking it is not beyond the realms of possibility. Shall be dragging a few friends along for this one hopefully

[Martinho II]

yep gamble is definitely out acornvilla! there seems to be a lot of interest around town in this game hopefully the int will generate into bums on seats!

[Cabs88]

No exaggeration to say this is our biggest game in years. . Plans are afoot for a banners etc, and to meet up before the game in a local establishment, all welcome. . more details to follow. . Would encourage any one that has reservations about section o to leave them aside and come over and give it a try for the limerick game, very impressed with some of the younger lads at the orchard game, but we need more of it! Hopefully be out early on sat around 7, and take over the O!
YOUR TOWN NEEDS YOU!!

[Lim till i die]

No exaggeration to say this is our biggest game in years. . Plans are afoot for a banners etc, and to meet up before the game in a local establishment, all welcome. . more details to follow. . Would encourage any one that has reservations about section o to leave them aside and come over and give it a try for the limerick game, very impressed with some of the younger lads at the orchard game, but we need more of it! Hopefully be out early on sat around 7, and take over the O!
YOUR TOWN NEEDS YOU!!

Can I humbly suggest Section O consider a move to N or P if the hoarding set up in your ground is still the same??

One of the lads has an absolutely brilliant photo from a few years back of a much depleted Section O standing directly above a hoarding which said.......... "Need a Friend? Contact the Samaritans" :D

[outspoken]

YE this is the one I've made a small simple banner from an Ireland flag that simply says LTFC and on away days I will have an LTFC boys on tour but the other lads are going all out with a big bed sheet and a few buckets of paint and as far as I know it will read Longford Town FC champions of the midlands since 1924. I really enjoyed being on the drum the last day so hopefully someone will bring a few again this time because it does make a huge diffrence to the atmosphere.

I'd back what the lads are saying about intrest in the game and friends coming along I have a few coming too however since they are only passers by kind of lads they probably won't come over to section O but who knows maybe theyl catch the Longford Town bug like I did many years ago.

On the game itself my record of not making predictions and getting good results came to an end Sunday so I'm going to say the lim boys bottle it and we win it in the 90th minute 2-1 I just have a feeling!

[Longfordian]

We'd want to liven up a bit from Sunday's performance but we usually respond to poor performances so hopefully Saturday will be the same. Taking some of our chances would be a good start.

[outspoken]

We'd want to liven up a bit from Sunday's performance but we usually respond to poor performances so hopefully Saturday will be the same. Taking some of our chances would be a good start.

We didn't really have an out an out striker on after Aussie got injured on Sunday with Purdy (whos played out wide a good bit this year) and Duffy up top. One of the lads asked Shaw if hed be ok for Limerick and he said ye while as said above Bermo was suspended so hopefully theyl be fresh and ready to fire....Any word on Aussie?

[donnrua]

we're a better side without Gamble and I always believed that Athlone Town were the champions of the midlands...they have the league titles to prove it!

[Jofspring]

we're a better side without Gamble and I always believed that Athlone Town were the champions of the midlands...they have the league titles to prove it!

I wouldn't say that now. Gamble has been player of the month two months running now. O'Leary has been outstanding though and is making up for Gambles absence.

[outspoken]

we're a better side without gamble and i always believed that athlone town were the champions of the midlands...they have the league titles to prove it!

oohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

[fitzpatrick10]

I always believed that Athlone Town were the champions of the midlands...they have the league titles to prove it!

champions and limerick.. two words you dont hear in the same sentence very often unless bare knuckle boxing is brought up in conversation ehh:p:p..

anyway as the thread says this is the big wan and i feel we need to keep the four point gap at least going into the break as its only half way through the season and plenty of ball to be played yet.
gona go with 2-1 win town and as outspoken mentioned on another thread the odds are 8/1 for dat.. not a bad little bet as most our wins this season have been on a 2-1 score line

Also interview up on extratime.ie with crawly after game last Sunday. Id say tony will have given them a roasting after that game.
http://extratime.ie/newsdesk/articles/8204/crawley-rues-early-cup-exit/

[donnrua]

actually it was Athlone and champions in the same sentance... but we do have a couple of league titles.

[bluepowers]

Cheapest and best option for a hotel overnight in longford lads all i seem to find on this is the Longford Arms

[L.T.F.C.]

Longford Arms is fine! Straight out the road to Flansiro, and then you're right beside Blazersto drown your sorrows after the game. Free in I think if you're a guest, and €2 drinks! Late check out!

[Macy]

Typically for the clubs luck, looks like the weather could be poor enough Saturday night. Total balls.

On accomodation - the Arms has some ok offers on B&B at times. Definitely worth checking out anyway, as can be alright value.

[Jofspring]

Stayed in both the Longford Arms and PV's and to be honest PV's is far nicer and the room was bigger too.

[Acornvilla]

Stayed in both the Longford Arms and PV's and to be honest PV's is far nicer and the room was bigger too.

Win or lose i'll have to work in PV's tonight :( rooms are grand and cheap in both places really

[Richardanthonyc]

Such a vital game. Hopefully we will see the biggest crowd of the season at it!

[outspoken]

Think the GAA being on Sunday could be a factor....I think weather is suppose to be ok-ish

[RonnieB]

A nervy one nil would do.

[Longfordian]

A draw would do fine. We're due a draw actually.

[Martinho II]

the lack of a response after the match says it all about our performance which was crap and puts more pressure on us to stay ahead of limerick

[Cabs88]

Bitterly disappointed after last night. Not only were we well beaten, we were well beaten by a hungrier side. First ten mins we actually started well but as soon as they scored, all went down hill from there. Our heads dropped and when they got the second, there was no coming back. Cousins has to take a deal of the blame of late, i cant understand how he persists with Crawley left full. No disrespect to Crawley, but he is a left winger, not a left full. Cousins shouldnt have started Haverty, he wasnt right and he shouldnt try to accomodate Kirby, Gillespie and Salmon, he seems afraid of making big calls. Kirby was poor last night as was Salmon. Their midfield bossed the game, and Gillespie got no help.
Our tactics were wrong last night, allowing for the wet surface, we should not have insisted on hoofing high ball after high ball up to Shaw. He is not a target man. All too rarely we got the ball down and tried to get in behind Limerick. Only when Crawley moved left wing and Mick Lee behind him did it look like we might create chances.
It was very frustrating seeing deans lump ball after ball wide left when James was in acres of space time and time again.. It only served to give the ball back to them.
This defeat was coming as we have been very poor in recent weeks, and have only been getting away with it because the league is so poor. Now we have Limerick breathing down our necks and it will be interesting to see how we respond. The break might come at a good time for us.
We need a few signings in July to freshen things up, possibly an attacking midfielder/number 10, a right winger and possibly a centre back.
Hopefully the players go away enjoy their break and are ready for the challenge ahead. The next 5 or 6 games after the break are vital.. We will know a lot more about where we are at after that..

[outspoken]

I think most of us took to the Limerick forum after the game :) on the game itself yes Martinho in the first half we were absoutle dogs poo I never seen us play so poorly at home in a big game but credit where credit is due we took advantage of the red card which by the sounds if it was an awful decision and we put pressure on Limerick right until the death hitting the post twice and forcing several saves out of a very good Ryan on the night. I said it in section o on the night and Im still saying it now it just was one of those nights where the ball didn't want to go in for us where as on the other side Limerick got a huge slice of luck with the opening goal and kirbs (who was not himself) gifted them a 2nd.

The break couldn't come at a better time for us as we haven't played well in weeks and hopefully it might break up limericks momentum a tiny bit. The question a lot of us keep asking on match day us where is Michael Lee? Surely it's time he was given a starting role! I've said it before on here but Lee and Crawley is the perfect partnership as they can rotate between LB and LM....Personally I think Crawley is a far better LM than LB and Lee should start at LB where he was our player of the year only 2 seasons ago!

I don't know what the rest of you think about this but I'd love to see some of our players become a little bit more greedy! Ever since Keith Gillespie joined I've watched him go on these wonderful powerful runs from deep but at the end I'd just love to see him smash one....he's well capable! Same with Kirbs I know he's not as quick as he was but when he does get it in space I'd like to see him play higher up and then pass it off instead of going sideways and backways all the time which cost us big for the 2nd last night!

I know a lot of people were worried about Hylo constantly punching the ball but I think he was worried about the wet conditions and when he did punch it he did it well on the night.

The difference on the night was the frontmen....As always Shaw and Bermo worked their socks off but when I look at the goal charts and see some very average players from other clubs with more goals than all our strikers combined I get very worried and I think we all agree we need a new striker in thr next Market that can get us 10+ goals but they are not easy to come by and I'm sure their not cheap when they do become available so wel have to wait and see....Personally I think we have maybe 4 or 5 players in the squad that are not been used and perhaps we could let a few go to free up some funds for a bit of fresh blood.

However, i think the most important thing right now is that the fans stick by the players and manager all the way because it's going to be one long hard battle with last nights visitors and who knows a few others could yet stick their nose into the promotion battle (Waterford comes to mind for me).

Harps next, what a game that'll be!

[Richardanthonyc]

That was one horrendous performance... Kirbs was the worse I have ever seen him play and as has already been stated what the hell was with all the hoofing of the ball to players who are not Target men. I said to my dad when it kicked off that Denis Behan was looking fierce fat... bam! He gets two goals! Limerick deserved it

[rossi_eire]

Agree with all that has been said. Crawley grew in confidence when pushed up to left midfield. He is not performing at LB. A back four of James, Deans, Hope and Lee, as we ended, would be my preference.
Kirby's current form is also a major worry. Misplaced far too many passes but he will get back to his best.
I would have liked to have seen us changing 5 in mid in the first half sacrificing one of our forwards as we were struggling. Their number 19 caused havoc and put RB area under pressure until they had a man sent off. An extra body may have helped.
No seemed willing to beat a man Sat night. Duffy, if introduced earlier, may have provided this although Gillespie has shown that he still has a burst of pace and can beat a man effortlessly as he did in the second half. Would love to see more.
Striker must be a striker. Would a certain Dan Cowan be available on loan. After an injury ravaged season surely an opportunity to build up his fitness could be a runner!
But chins up, we're top of the league. Enjoy the break!

[Macy]

I really didn't see up front as the problem on Saturday at all. Midfield was the issue, and it looks several points less than the sum of it's parts. They sat back and we never exploited the space in front - big gap between defence/midfield and attack crying out for somebody to attack from deep to draw them out. Only thing I will say about the attacking players is that their movement was poor and they weren't giving options apart from the long ball. For all the criticism he ships, a lot of it not actually based on football imo, Duffy did change that.

We've certainly rain out of steam, and the break has come at the right time for us. Hopefully it'll damage any momentum that Limerick might've got from the win. Really hope we kick on from the break, but have to admit I'm worried.

Top performance from the singers in Section O on Saturday. I was in just after kick off (I know it'll be a shock that I was late), and it was really loud even over in the far corner by the turnstiles.

[El-Pietro]

Win or lose i'll have to work in PV's tonight :( rooms are grand and cheap in both places really

decent breakfast as well