Limerick Premier Division 2015/16

[AlanOB]

Season preview here:

https://limerickdl.wordpress.com/2015/08/12/limerick-district-premier-league-201516-season-preview/

Let's try and get this place going again.

[maroonandwhite]

Summerville are DOOMED so by the looks of it....Predictions for this weekends games...
I will go with

Geraldines 0 - 0 Summerville

[Second]

Summerville are DOOMED so by the looks of it....Predictions for this weekends games...
I will go with

Geraldines 0 - 0 Summerville

Funny how he knows all these things as fact.. hasn't mark keane signed for boro and not retired and young smyth couldn't have signed for pike cause he is in America for last 3 months ..

[Treaty Gooner]

To be fair to AOB he said when he posted the preview on Facebook that he was open to correction. Also, in fairness to him, one of the main issues I had with his stuff over the years was that he didn't have enough local knowledge and was only posting about matches in isolation but you couldn't criticise him for that now. He's clearly done his homework.

[Fairkop]

Great read from AOB,lot of work gone into that piece.

[Jofspring]

Ya in fairness to Alan he has said he is open to correction. It seems he has rang the clubs and mangers for information on signings etc... he probably actually knows a lot more about movements than people hearing through friends of friends or the guy down the pub. He has to trust the information the clubs have given him.

Heard on the radio this morning Fairview have brought in Paudie Quinn (ex-Limerick and Waterford).

I reckon Fairview, Pike, Janesboro, Carew and Geraldines will all be very close to each other at the top.

Balla and Regional to be mid table.

Moyross, Summerville, Mungret, Aisling and Wembley to fight it out at the bottom half.

[AlanOB]

Appreciate the support lads, but don't pay any heed to people like that. I don't. There's constructive criticism out there too though - which I've listened to and learned from.

Paudie Quinn would be a fantastic signing. Stuck out like a sore thumb in the Kerry DL team that played Limerick in the OT last season. Be bad news for Eoin Roche though. They'd both be competing for the same position off the frontman.

I'll get that one confirmed/denied tomorrow when I cover the Carew/Fairview game - which incidentally features the same two managers as the game I covered on the opening day last season!

[AlanOB]

Carew Park 1-1 Fairview Rangers (McGrath 13′; Scanlon 20′) (https://limerickdl.wordpress.com/2015/08/16/carew-park-1-1-fairview-rangers-mcgrath-13-scanlon-20/)

https://limerickdl.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/carewview.jpg?w=600

Good game, as opening day fixtures go. Positive signs for 'View here based on their first half performance, but credit to Carew for digging in in the second.

[southern kid]

Awful quiet thread lads!! Any other prem results please guys??

[AlanOB]

Pat Sheehan, of the Leader, posts the results on his website here: http://www.limerickjuniorsoccer.com/2014-15-results

No shocks on the first weekend. Regional's away win in in Shelbourne Park is probably the most impressive result on the list, relative to expectations.

[southern kid]

Thanks Alan. Very impressive result by jsnesboro, the team to beat again in my view!

[maroonandwhite]

Thanks Alan. Very impressive result by jsnesboro, the team to beat again in my view!


Tough first game for us last sunday.We put it up to Geraldines in the 1st half and had 2 half chances.They themselves had only one which they scored and which you would expect them to do at premier level.2nd half we lacked energy and fitness and geraldines took full advantage of this but we will work on this and hopefully improve.Long season ahead.Best of luck to geraldines for the season and for the future.Putting together a nice setup below in Garryowen.

[AlanOB]

Geraldines 3-2 Regional United (Hartnett 29′, C. O’Neill 61′, D. O’Neill (pen) 74′; O’Doherty 66′, 89′) (https://limerickdl.wordpress.com/2015/08/20/geraldines-3-2-regional-united-hartnett-29-c-oneill-61-d-oneill-pen-74-odoherty-66-89/)https://limerickdl.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/dinesreg.jpg?w=600

[Treaty Gooner]

I thought Garbhan Coughlan was supposed to be head and shoulders above everyone in the league? 1 goal in 2 games against hardly top class opposition?

[AlanOB]

I know there was a lot of hype around the Coughlan signing, but I don't think anyone was going that far!

Think you're being a bit premature in your criticism too, to say the least. First of all, both Ballynanty and Geraldines are top half sides. Secondly, although he's been very wasteful in his first two games - missing a penalty in the first and passing up five or six presentable chances in the second - you could also take the view that a higher percentage of these chances will be taken when he acquires a greater level of match sharpness.

Put it this way - I doubt many players in the league had at least eight clear cut scoring opportunities in the opening 180 minutes of action.

[Treaty Gooner]

A lot of players would miss 7 of those 8... He's meant to be better than that

[AlanOB]

Sure, time will tell! I'm sure the lad himself knows he's better than that. We'll see how things look in a couple of weeks time when we reach the quarter-way point.

[southern kid]

Any results lads? Can some one post them after games please.. I find it difficult to make games at moment with work family etc... Thanks

[AlanOB]

Summerville 1-2 Carew Park
Moyross 0-3 Fairview
Dines 3-2 Regional
AA 2-5 Janesboro
Wembley 0-3 Ballynanty
Mungret 0-3 Pike

Away win city, basically.

[Fairkop]

Summerville 1-2 Carew Park
Moyross 0-3 Fairview
Dines 3-2 Regional
AA 2-5 Janesboro
Wembley 0-3 Ballynanty
Mungret 0-3 Pike

Away win city, basically.

Another first class report Al,long time for Geraldines to hold out ,Regional will be kicking themselves ,as a matter of interest i see keith harnett playing with Geraldines ,how did he play,surprised he is not back with pike.Janesboro look the team to beat saw them v Aisling very impressive,Tierney,Clarke combined well.

[faceoff]

Steve McGann is some addition to Pike Rovers.Heard he came on the other night and ran the show.Shiels seems to be building an impressive squad up there.Heard Smith signed with Boro and young Brazier was going to Pike.Maybe rumours though.Anyone confirm?

[AlanOB]

As a matter of interest i see keith harnett playing with Geraldines ,how did he play,surprised he is not back with pike.

Hartnett played very well indeed - opened the scoring and covered an incredible amount of ground when his side were a man down. As far as I know, Pike were courting him alright, but he chose Geraldines. Presumably with an eye to starting regularly, which is admirable.


Steve McGann is some addition to Pike Rovers.Heard he came on the other night and ran the show.Shiels seems to be building an impressive squad up there.Heard Smith signed with Boro and young Brazier was going to Pike.Maybe rumours though.Anyone confirm?

I heard the same about McGann, although he did pick up a knock late on apparently. May miss the game tomorrow morning - we'll see. Squad does look impressive, particularly in the centre of midfield. Still a bit light in certain areas though - up top and in wide areas, hence the pursuit of Brazier. Eddie deserves to be starting for a top team more regularly, on the basis of his form last season. Boro were never going to keep those four wingers (Nunan, Waters, Hogan, Brazier) happy for long. All of them top class on form.

[southern kid]

Any results lads?

[AlanOB]

Ballynanty Rovers 1-3 Pike Rovers (Purcell 15′; O’Malley 11′, Daly 25′, W. Colbert 41′) (https://limerickdl.wordpress.com/2015/08/23/ballynanty-rovers-1-3-pike-rovers-purcell-15-omalley-11-daly-25-w-colbert-41/)https://limerickdl.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/ballapike.jpg?w=600

[AlanOB]

Ballynanty Rovers 1-3 Pike Rovers
Moyross United 3-6 Carew Park
Geraldines 7-0 Wembley Rovers
Fairview Rangers 4-1 Aisling Annacotty
Summerville Rovers 1-2 Regional Utd
Janesboro 6-0 Mungret Regional

Two heavy defeats for the newly promoted sides there and AA and Moyross shipping a lot of goals again. While the gap might be closing between the top three and the midtable sides, the gap between both and the rest might be larger than ever.

[southern kid]

Thanks.. Big wins for big four

[faceoff]

Caught the second half of this game and it was only average imo.Pike had most possesion of the ball and looked to be happy enough with their days work.A lot of fouls by both sides but nothing cynical to be fair.Pen save by Neville was prob crucial as Balla would have went hammer and thongs for the equaliser.What i see of Mcgann he looks very impressive and comfortable on the ball.Got a silly yellow and possibly could have got second one for the pen.Could be a very important player for Pike this season and with Mullins to go back in there and prob shift Colbert into the middle they will be a hard team to beat.Thought Wayne Donovan had very good game from what i saw.Daly and Hanrahan linked up well too.Heard Alan Barry's name could be added to squad too.League is very competitive this year by the looks of things.Dines v Pike thurs night could be interesting.

[Treaty Gooner]

Balla would have went hammer and thongs for the equaliser..

Worth the €5 entry fee to see this, Mange is the man for the thongs I hear.

[fanaticfan]

Another hiding for wembley. Bad defeat for mungret regional as well. Gonna be close at the top of the table this year :)

[maroonandwhite]

Another hiding for wembley. Bad defeat for mungret regional as well. Gonna be close at the top of the table this year :)


Will be close at the bottom as well as usual

[southern kid]

Any results tonight lads please??

[AlanOB]

Pike Rovers 1-0 Geraldines (O’Connor o.g. 55′) (https://limerickdl.wordpress.com/2015/08/27/pike-rovers-1-0-geraldines-oconnor-o-g-55/)https://limerickdl.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/pikedines.jpg?w=600

[AlanOB]

Geraldines 1-1 Janesboro (Earls 16; T. Clarke 7′) (https://limerickdl.wordpress.com/2015/08/30/geraldines-1-1-janesboro-earls-16-t-clarke-7/)https://limerickdl.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/dinesboro.jpg?w=600

[AlanOB]

The LDMC: Short-sighted, inconsistent and incompetent – why Limerick desperately needs a change at the top of junior soccer (https://limerickdl.wordpress.com/2015/09/02/the-ldmc-short-sighted-inconsistent-and-incompetent-why-limerick-desperately-needs-a-change-at-the-top-of-junior-soccer/)

[Treaty Gooner]

Well this escalated quickly... In black and white, a one team club couldn't field a team because the players they signed were gutless and couldn't stomach a fight. Let's all blame the LDMC for it... The only thing the league could do, as much as I dislike them, would have been to limit the numbers of players any club could sign so the better ones wouldn't be monopolised.

[AlanOB]

Sorry?

In my opening two paragraphs, I clearly outline that I am NOT blaming the LDMC for the demise of Wembley Rovers.

[Fairkop]

the overall theme behind AOB piece is the plain truth,our governing soccer body is a democratic council in all but name,the bottom line is its a one man show with a selection of puppets on strings who make up the numbers and say......yes.the local league has not advanced in any form in many years and the rest of the country has been fooled in to thinking otherwise by club success in the FAI etc.the Wembley demise is not down to the council ,its the clubs own fault,however the council should have done more to sort it and forsee the situation before the club arrived at its decision to withdraw which looks very poor for the league.

[Treaty Gooner]

Sorry?

In my opening two paragraphs, I clearly outline that I am NOT blaming the LDMC for the demise of Wembley Rovers.

Never said you did old chum, it's the Facebookers that are jumping on that bandwagon.

[AlanOB]

Ah, I see. You didn't mention FB in your original post, so you can understand why I thought you were directing that comment at me. No worries.

[sweeper]

the overall theme behind AOB piece is the plain truth,our governing soccer body is a democratic council in all but name,the bottom line is its a one man show with a selection of puppets on strings who make up the numbers and say......yes.the local league has not advanced in any form in many years and the rest of the country has been fooled in to thinking otherwise by club success in the FAI etc.the Wembley demise is not down to the council ,its the clubs own fault,however the council should have done more to sort it and forsee the situation before the club arrived at its decision to withdraw which looks very poor for the league.

Well then the clubs must be puppets for electing these people,maybe the clubs could elect someone that are interested in going on the committee.

[harpin]

Limerick junior soccer is on it's a## and has been for a while. Whether that's the fault of the LDMC or the BIG clubs in town who "invest" wisely is another topic. I think it's the lack of control the LDMC have over these clubs, just seen above about restricting numbers in signing of players that'd be a start.

I'm sure a lot of clubs are in the same situation as Wembley,except they're still trying to keep going

As for dealings with the LDMC well everyone knows that's a shambles so the article is spot on but who wants to change it... complain about it but do nothing cos then you might have to actually do it and get involved.

[AlanOB]

Pike Rovers 3-1 Regional United: Last-gasp Daly winner preserves Hoops’ perfect record (https://limerickdl.wordpress.com/2015/09/03/pike-rovers-3-1-regional-united-last-gasp-daly-winner-preserves-hoops-perfect-record/)https://limerickdl.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/pikereg.jpg?w=600

[AlanOB]

Aisling Annacotty 2-2 Ballynanty Rovers: Paddy Fitzgerald strikes in injury time to deny Ballynanty a third win on the bounce (https://limerickdl.wordpress.com/2015/09/06/aisling-annacotty-2-2-ballynanty-rovers-paddy-fitzgerald-strikes-in-injury-time-to-deny-ballynanty-a-third-win-on-the-bounce/)https://limerickdl.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/aaballa.jpg?w=600

[Kennycon]

lads any report on the Geraldine's and moyross game.

[AlanOB]

https://limerickdl.wordpress.com/statistics/

Statistics page live on the website now, to be updated weekly.

[AlanOB]

Pike Rovers 0-1 Carew Park: Hanlon spot-kick spoils Pike’s perfect record (https://limerickdl.wordpress.com/2015/09/10/pike-rovers-0-1-carew-park-hanlon-spot-kick-spoils-pikes-perfect-record/)https://limerickdl.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/pikecarew.jpg?w=600

[L09C]

"Sure, time will tell! I'm sure the lad himself knows he's better than that. We'll see how things look in a couple of weeks time when we reach the quarter-way point."
AlanOB you are spot with your prediction here ! He was a torment to the Janesboro defense last night,got the opening and closing goals of the contest and greatly contributed to his teams best result to date.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/l09c/21457307471/
He is very comfortable at this level of football.

[AlanOB]

What can I say? 60% of the time, I'm right every time.

I'm not surprised in the slightest that he's scoring at over a goal a game. Given the number of chances he had against Geraldines, his movement off the ball was always going to translate into goals once he attained some level of match sharpness. Creates a lot of chances for himself too, obviously, through his on-the-ball running and long range shooting.

Gutted I missed it. First big one of the season I couldn't report on, as I have work commitments on Tuesday evenings.

I left Thursdays and Sundays free at the beginning of the season, but of course there was no accounting for the apparent obsession with getting the season done by Xmas...

[L09C]

In the Geraldines v Regional game,Nyong was probably MOTM with two or even three big saves to prevent Coughlan from scoring.From what I have seen in recent games his physicality within the rules of the game has come on in leaps and bounds.With their best 11 on the field, Regional are a match for most teams in the division.

[AlanOB]

That's slightly revisionist to be fair. While Nyong was indeed MOTM in the game, Garbhan did also miss several presentable chances that were just as if not more attributable to his own failings.

Just because we were right to keep the faith, that doesn't mean we can gloss over what was a poor performance.

As for Regional, they have indeed improved dramatically. Shame they were missing so many key players for the Pike game. That would have been very interesting. I think Coughlan would have had a field day - but I wonder how he would have coped with McGann's...enthusiasm.