2015 Fixtures

[kingpin4]

Been away from the last few games because of all that nonsense with the Blue Army being banned, I'd have some good mates in that group so stood by them. It's over now, there's not going to be a resolution to it unless the crowds seriously nose dive and they ask the lads to come back. My first game back will be this Saturday.

Rather than a new thread for every game, probably easier to keep it all together here.

So season so far?

Rubbish. Bar the Dundalk result and performance against Pats, not a whole lot to see that's been positive.

Sat 25/04/15
Limerick V Rovers
Not really expecting a whole lot from this. Hoping we don't get our arses handed to us on front of an already poor crowd.
Predicitons? Prayers? Hopes? :o

[osarusan]

From goalkicks, O'Donnell will pass to a defender, and we will pass the ball round the back, coming under more and more pressure as the opposition close us down, before it is hoofed fairly aimlessly upfield from an even worse situation than the original goalkick. We'll do the same from freekicks and throw-ins, even if they are inside the opposition half.

We've done this many many times every game so far, so I don't expect much to change against Rovers.

We may hold our own until the first goal conceded (we've done that a few times) but we will never look like getting back into it.

[Lims4ever]

Prediction 1-4 but I probably thought the same was going to happen v Dundalk .Can only see a bad beating rovers have built a decent team and have a striker in very good form and with the way we're conceding goals going to be a very difficult night

[LFC Blue]

Great point tonight and very close to bagging all three against the mighty Rovers.Thought we played some lovely football in patches. To hold Dundalk and Rovers proves that this team has something going for it. I think we are well capable of staying up. Galway hammered Bray 5-0 so we are well capable of overtaking Bray and at worst end up in the playoffs.

[faceoff]

Good point in fairness but Rovers will be kicking themselves.Good committment out of the lads tonight.Was expecting a bigger rovers crowd.

[fieldofmarkets]

Excellent point alright, but rovers should easily have had about 4 goals without playing that well. Missed the goal but Duggan played very very well.

[Jofspring]

Great to get the point last night.

Performances like last nights one are what make the Galway and Bray results a bit harder to take.

I thought once again Clarke was outstanding up front and the only thing he is missing at the moment is goals. Great touch, quick feet, pace and strength. Good attitude also.

Thought Paudie O Connor stepped up with another good performance last night. Again he was far from out of his depth.
Price also had one of his better games.

[gael353]

Good point with a very good rearguard fight throughout the game against a leaderless rovers. Two things are bugging me though. Sean russell is very poor and should not start any game. Equally we have by far the worst keeper in the prem in o'donnell. Sad that the Limerick fans are still banned and that so many rovers couldnt gain entry due to ticket allocation restrictions.

[osarusan]

Yeah, Clarke can do everything well except score. Missed a really good chance with that header about 25 minutes in. Missed a similar one against Dundalk also, and missed two great chances against Bray. Hopefully the first one will help him settle and get confident.

Agree on Russell - can't believe that Clarke went off and he stayed on. He offers so little on the wing. Hughes should have come on for hime ealier in the game.

Faherty and Clarke up front looks like our best combination so far. Faherty does a good job winning headers and he and Clarke seem to link together well enough.

O Donnell actually started well enough and made some good catches (great save from a header early on) but missed badly with a punch in the 2nd half and flapped for everythig after that.

Defensively we came under a lot of pressure but stayed strong. Having said that, Rovers missed a sitter through Fahey, had a goal disallowed (was it offside) hit the post twice, and i thought they should have had a penalty for handball, although people around me thought it was his head rather than hand that made contact with it.

Still, a point against Rovers is more than Bray or Galway managed so far.

[da bishop]

Good result and tbf you could not fault most of them for effort.in terms of quality the usual problems,O Donnell,Harding,Russell,O Conner[paul] very poor given the positions they play in.once again Duggan outstanding,Clarke until his injury[needs to start scoring.] and both centrehalfs did their bit.have to confess that imo Faherty is a complete bluffer,contributes nothing to the team and is a waste of valuable wages.on another day Rovers would have hit four or five between crossbar,post,blocks on lineand in box, they battered us a bit but the players kept going to the end.pity about the crowd but thats the clubs fault.

[Lims4ever]

Great effort by all to be honest expected a lot more from rovers but a great shift from start to finish. Clarke done a great job up front worked so hard deserved a goal Faherty had his best game I have seen him playing anyway put himself about much more and linked well with Clarke. Price and especially o Connor were excellent and Shane Tracy done a decent job considering it was only his second game back. O donnell for me is a promising keeper and will be good in time but his big weakness is from crosses never looks confident coming out flapped at I don't know how many balls. The goal we gave away was a mess pity we did not hold on but then again hard to argue rovers did not deserve at least a point considering the amount of chances they had second half. It seems we need to be playing the bigger teams to bring out the performance within the team it will be interesting to see if we can keep it going against a struggling Sligo rovers side.

[osarusan]

What I liked about Tracy at LB was that we tried that pass-pass-pass across the back, when we came under a bit of pressure he would play a decent ball down the wing rather than let O' Donnell hoof it long, as usually happens.

It looks like Duggan trusts him to play good long passes too, whereas he doesn't seem to trust Harding or Price.

[LFC Blue]

SLIGO ROVERS V LIMERICK
Off to the Showgrounds for yet another relegation 6 pointer tomorrow. The time has come for Russell to prove that he can set this side up to beat fellow strugglers not just nick points off the big guns. Expect the same 11 or 12 personnel again tomorrow night. Heary and Sligo in desperate need of the win probably even more so than us but I expect us to go there and put it up to them on a decent surface with 3 points well within our capabilities. My major worry again tomorrow is Conor O Donnell. With Galway and Drogs losing tonight a win will put us right back in the pack.

[LFC Blue]

Sligo 1-1 Limerick
Last ditch 94th minute Paul O Connor header snatches a point in the Showgrounds. The lads on Ocean FM sounded absolutely dejected. Will feel like a win for Limerick heading back down on the bus. Still no win but the spirit seems to be there and there are positive signs heading in to the second series of games and the return to the Markets Field.

[gael353]

Wow. What a game. Total rubbish from both sides. Robbie Williams motm at center half. Vinnie faherty passing the ball to sligo players and unable to hold the ball up. Sean russell somehow gets another 90 mins under his belt without actually doing anything. With a combined 3 shots on target in the 94 mins you can tell how bad this game was

[da bishop]

Wow. What a game. Total rubbish from both sides. Robbie Williams motm at center half. Vinnie faherty passing the ball to sligo players and unable to hold the ball up. Sean russell somehow gets another 90 mins under his belt without actually doing anything. With a combined 3 shots on target in the 94 mins you can tell how bad this game was

Ah yes Gael ,but its another moral victory snatched from the jaws of defeat ..and ..gives the special few another opportunity to celebrate it in the Icon.we are going to win...soon.

[osarusan]

As I reported elsewhere:

We conceded early, through a free header from a corner, and didn't offer much at all in the first half.

In the second, a Tracey corner went all the way through the box, a Bohs defender dallied, and Clarke nipped in to score. We were the better team for a good 15-20 minutes after that, and it was probably the best I've seen us play all season. We created some good chances for a change, although we gave up chances as well. Very lucky to escape after O'Donnell let a Bohs attacker get way too close, and his clearance was blocked down - hit the post and back into play. Clarke did well to create a good chance for Hanlon, but he miscued when in a good position. But as the half went on Bohs pressed more, and when a cross dropped into our box, Jason Byrne turned to score.

Our next 5 games are: Cork (H), Longford (A), Drogheda (H), Pats (A), Dundalk (A). At that stage half of the season will be over, and we may not have even one game.

The games against Longford, Drogheda, Galway, Bray and Sligo this series will be crucial. If we don't start keeping clean sheets and winning, we are definitely looking at relegation.

[da bishop]

our last 12 games were crucial,12 without a win..on the Bohs game i thought we were awful at times though we had a decent spell in the second half,Bohs were no great shakes but they were well organised and worked hard all game.delighted Clarke got a goal his workrate alone deserves one.

[Lim till i die]

Conor O'Donnell had 2 (TWO) clearances blocked down on Friday night.

And another one today in Askeaton.

Is this some kind of world record?

[kingpin4]

Cork at home tonight.
I'm hoping they go the same way all the better ball playing teams have on their visit to Jackman. Pats, Rovers, Dundalk have all struggled to play football there, so here is hoping Cork follow suit and we can get a point.

Things I'd like to see tonight:
- Defenders marking Shepherd (or whoever else is in the box) when the ball goes out wide.
- Everyone marking someone from a corner
- O'Donnell claiming a ball in the air with some degree of authority
- Clarke to score

If any of those things happen and we get a draw I'll be relatively happy.

[Lims4ever]

You were spot on cork did struggle to play football but my god so did we worst game of football I have seen in a longtime , I was tearing my hair out watching darragh rainsford how Martin Russell could sit there and watch it for 70 odd minutes I don't know as I have said before I can't fault him for effort but he plays with no conviction and has no end product just not good enough for that level. Meant to be a Munster Derby it was one of the tamest derbies I have ever witnessed and worst thing of all there was more away fans there than home fans in a crowd of only 600 great stuff from the sporting capital of Ireland

[kingpin4]

You were spot on cork did struggle to play football but my god so did we worst game of football I have seen in a longtime , I was tearing my hair out watching darragh rainsford how Martin Russell could sit there and watch it for 70 odd minutes I don't know as I have said before I can't fault him for effort but he plays with no conviction and has no end product just not good enough for that level. Meant to be a Munster Derby it was one of the tamest derbies I have ever witnessed and worst thing of all there was more away fans there than home fans in a crowd of only 600 great stuff from the sporting capital of Ireland

Awful awful game.
1 0 to Cork. No one near Shephard in the box, it's schoolboy stuff at times looking at us defending.
You could bring a bunch of under 12s in and tell them to do the exact opposite to what our defence do at times.
O'Donnell looks like the most confident keeper in the world when he's coming to claim a cross and then at some point in his run to it, loses all confidence. Flaps at it or pushes it back in to a crowd and its panic stations for everyone.

Rainsford at least gives effort. It's clear he is one of a number of players who aren't up to the required level. To be honest, Cork didn't even have to get out of second gear for this.

The worst thing about this is, when we do to to the Markets Field, and playing on a better surface that allows other teams to play ball too, we'll get stuffed by the better teams. We struggle to cope in Jackman!

[fieldofmarkets]

We didn't look particularly bad i thought. Only 1-0 to the second placed team is hardly a disgrace. Frustrating because Cork did not look a whole lot better. Got nothing because the keeper didn't claim a handy cross. Table looking quiet scary tonight following the Bray and Sligo results, well and truly adrift now. On the positive side, second series of games, we have lost both openers again but by 2-1 & 0-1 instead of 0-3 & 5-0. So at least we are getting more competitive. We drew our 3rd game 2-2 in the first series....maybe a win next week then?

[Jofspring]

From what I've seen this season, if we had the same team now that we finished last season with we would easily be challenging the top 3. Pity really. Standard is shocking.

[osarusan]

We were shocking. Two long range shots was all we could manage.

Bray beat Pats tonight, and Sligo won also. We're 5 points adrift, and at the rate we're going, it will take us another 13 games to even get those 5 points.

Without a serious overhaul of the team, we will be relegated.

[gael353]

If zero quality comes in during the break It'll be the club telling the fans that they re accepting relegation. Which will mean that they have accepted relegation from the start of the season such is the lack of qulity in the squad. We'll see in a few weeks

[da bishop]

we did not deserve anything out of the game,poor as Cork were they were comfortable throughout we rarely threatened,did well for a spell after halftime but not a serious goalthreat.weak in so many areas and truth be told some players taking the p-ss.Williams hung young Paudie out to dry tonight,barely challenged for a ball and ran a mile from o Sullivan in case he got hurt,tbf young Paudie stood up to it.why is the manager playing Flaharty the guy is contributing nothing ,get a local lad in there,a few others are just not doing it trying hard or not,brutal crowd and the chairman making a show of himself....again,,and what about the silly announcer... limerick fans wait a few minutes to let our Cork brothers out first five minutes to go thus emptying the ground .positives...let me see Duggan,young P,Hughes goal block,Tracy in parts,Dolan fitting into his seat[it was him i think].....the pipe band.

[bluewhitearmy]

we did not deserve anything out of the game,poor as Cork were they were comfortable throughout we rarely threatened,did well for a spell after halftime but not a serious goalthreat.weak in so many areas and truth be told some players taking the p-ss.Williams hung young Paudie out to dry tonight,barely challenged for a ball and ran a mile from o Sullivan in case he got hurt,tbf young Paudie stood up to it.why is the manager playing Flaharty the guy is contributing nothing ,get a local lad in there,a few others are just not doing it trying hard or not,brutal crowd and the chairman making a show of himself....again,,and what about the silly announcer... limerick fans wait a few minutes to let our Cork brothers out first five minutes to go thus emptying the ground .positives...let me see Duggan,young P,Hughes goal block,Tracy in parts,Dolan fitting into his seat[it was him i think].....the pipe band.


What did he do?

[Lim till i die]

Are they actively trying to fold the club??

Could the Limerick fans stay back to let the Cork fans out first!! Clearout with five minutes to go. Another hundred people sent home annoyed. More contempt for the fans.

Conor O'Donnell started dummying backpasses tonight which made a refreshing change from lashing them off opposition strikers.

We're a farce of a circus of a club at the moment. No wonder no one cares.

[Jofspring]

I actually ignored the announcement because I presumed it was for the cork fans. When i got around to the other side of the ground then I was wondering why all the Limerick and Cork fans were leaving at the same time. It wasn't till I saw the picture on Twitter last night that I realised they actually had kept the Limerick fans back. I did find it strange that one side of the ground cleared out when it was only 0-1 and we were on the attack with a chance of snatching something.

[osarusan]

In the end, I don't think they even held back any Limerick fans for any real length of time anyway.

When the final whistle went I walked around to the exit and was able to walk out straight away.

[NeverFeltBetter]

Holy God that sounds embarrassing.

What is POS' plan at the moment? Alright, Market's Field open soon, then what? Is he walking away? Is he going to invest more money and hope for the best? Are the trust plans being relied upon? Like, next season, regardless of what division Limerick are in, is is still pauper-level budget for the squad or will things change?

[blueblood]

ODonnell needs to be dropped hes not LOI standard anyway, surely young Holland couldn't be as bad.
What's POS at roaring at Turner telling him he's only a Cork rejected

[Jofspring]

ODonnell needs to be dropped hes not LOI standard anyway, surely young Holland couldn't be as bad.
What's POS at roaring at Turner telling him he's only a Cork rejected

Seriously? That is disgraceful. Even if he is paying his wages, no one has the right to say that to anyone else.

[blueblood]

I'm sure he was only trying the old 'reverse psychology', sounded disgraceful tho!!

[osarusan]

I was pretty close to Pat, and he was critical of Turner, although I never heard him yell that Turner was only a Cork reject. Not saying he didn't - I wasn't listening that closely.

It was mostly the usual 'c'mon lads, hit it up the field' stuff he comes out with.

[NeverFeltBetter]

Wouldn't surprise me to be honest. I've heard him say rather nasty stuff to his own players/manager before, and he does seem to have lost the plot a bit lately.

[Jofspring]

Heard tonight the reason the Limerick fans got held back was that the club were informed during the game that the train to Cork was leaving earlier. It was verified with the train station so they decided to let the cork fans out first to make the train.

[bluewhitearmy]

Is it just me or have they put up the prices?

[Jofspring]

Is it just me or have they put up the prices?

€12 for terrace and €15 for stand. Same last season.

[bluewhitearmy]

€12 for terrace and €15 for stand. Same last season.

But more than it has been this season ya?

[Jofspring]

No I paid €12 into every game I've been at.

[bluewhitearmy]

No I paid €12 into every game I've been at.

Dunno what I was thinking so for some reason I was convinced it was 12 for stand 10 for terrace at the start of this season.

[CraftyToePoke]

Six point gap to Bray after tonight's games, badly need the win to come against Longford later, the table is starting to look ugly.

[fieldofmarkets]

Yep, starting to feel like a must win game already. Bray look to have steadied the ship. Enormous task now.

[Jofspring]

I think the Drogheda, Bray and Galway games at home in June are going to be the big decider.

Longford will be tough to beat. They have a lot of LOI experience throughout the team which should be enough overall to keep them up and probably be just that bit too much from us. Hopefully the lads can pull 3 points out of the bag though.

[kingpin4]

Tommy Holland (17) starting in goal and 2 players under 20 in defence.
I'm saying my prayers now, if we get a point from this I'll be happy.

[donnrua]

In fairness he can't be any worse in goal than O'Donnell...

[Treaty Gooner]

One win, just one. One win and we'll go away quietly.

[fieldofmarkets]

How many times can we keep losing by a goal