Promotion/Relegation play off

[Nesta99]

Half tempted to bring a bag of cans and pretend it's a bus full of supporters going to the game.

Dont forget the empty bottle. A Bus Eireann bus wont be pulling in every 10 minutes for a **** stop!

[ForzaHoop]

7 hours, that serious dedication

Is there not a bus from McGettigans to game, few scoops in McGettigans to chill after 7 hour bus journey and 20 minute bus to game

[legendz]

Congratulations to Limerick FC on avoiding automatic relegation. I hope they go on to retain their Premier Division status.

[nigel-harps1954]

Congratulations to Limerick FC on avoiding automatic relegation. I hope they go on to retain their Premier Division status.

Away te f**k with that sort of nonsense!

[Town Legend]

Don't know who I want to win the play off. Would be great to see Harps back up in the Premier....but then I didn't make it to MF this year so would be hoping to go next year. Could the League not let Harps sneak on up without a play off???

[nr637]

Anyone know if there is radio coverage for tonites game?, what about Limerick Live 95FM or Donegal's Ocean FM and Highland Radio local radio sports coverage?

[NeverFeltBetter]

95 FM will be covering the first leg anyway.

[NeverFeltBetter]

Don't know who I want to win the play off. Would be great to see Harps back up in the Premier....but then I didn't make it to MF this year so would be hoping to go next year. Could the League not let Harps sneak on up without a play off???

Depends on how strict they want to be about licensing.

[Sam_Heggy]

Limerick only 1 clean sheet all season v Harps with 17 clean sheets. And that's where our positives end......

Limericks run of form since the start of August is impressive no matter who you are. They've gathered 23 of their 29 points since the 1st August, scoring 28 goals in 12 games since.

Since 1st August their record is - Pld 12 - W 7 - D 2 - L 3 - F 28 - A 24 - Pts 23
Prior to 1st August is was - Pld 21 - W 0 - D 6 - L 15 - F 16 - A 49 - Pts 49

The turnaround is remarkable and really underlines our tag as underdogs going into this play-off.

[Sam_Heggy]

Anyone know if there is radio coverage for tonites game?, what about Limerick Live 95FM or Donegal's Ocean FM and Highland Radio local radio sports coverage?

Highland Radio will be covering the game live with Declan Boyle as co-commentator for the night.

[MattB11]

I'd of preferred any other team in the bottom half over Limerick, game live on Highland radio

[nr637]

Great Stuff!

Should attract big Radio audiences for both stations from outside interest, when you see the interest about TV coverage on alot of forums.

Nice venue, good weather forecast for tonite, big potential crowd, has all the makings og great entertainment.

Another lost opportunity for the FAI to promote the league again!

[Town Legend]

13 could be a lucky number for the league! And sure didn't the previous Galway club get promoted by putting together a trilogy of dvd's?!! Harps could put together a 3D one or something like that to totally blow the big wigs off the head honchos in their suits!

[Sam_Heggy]

13 could be a lucky number for the league! And sure didn't the previous Galway club get promoted by putting together a trilogy of dvd's?!! Harps could put together a 3D one or something like that to totally blow the big wigs off the head honchos in their suits!

I prefer Maxi's method.

[Mr A]

Only Harps could manage to meet one of the form teams in the premier in a playoff! With all the walking wounded we have we shouldn't really stand a chance. But whatever happens it's good to be back in contention at least. Would be delighted if we can keep it alive for Friday as we should be able to get a really good crowd for it and our board really deserve that lift.

[brendy_éire]

Only Harps could manage to meet one of the form teams in the premier in a playoff! With all the walking wounded we have we shouldn't really stand a chance. But whatever happens it's good to be back in contention at least. Would be delighted if we can keep it alive for Friday as we should be able to get a really good crowd for it and our board really deserve that lift.

Limerick will be a big test tonight, but would be great to get a half-decent result tonight.
Strangely, there was more interest in the play-off match from people I was chatting to than in our own match against Longford. Even Radio Foyle sacked the Longford match and had the Harps game on instead.
We're taking a minibus down from Derry for Friday too, looking forward to it.

[MattB11]

With the length of queue's outside market fields for tickets this afternoon not hard to know the harps are coming to town

[ForzaHoop]

If Harps can get passed the nerves etc and play the way the have all season they can get a result tonight
Good result tonight will result and massive numbers on Friday ! ! !

[thomas72]

Stand sold out limited number of tickets available already and ticket office only opened 2hrs game will sell out by 5 o clock or less

[nigel-harps1954]

Stand sold out limited number of tickets available already and ticket office only opened 2hrs game will sell out by 5 o clock or less

There'll be an extra 200 or so spaces to sell in the away stand anyway after 6:15.

[Jofspring]

They have sectioned off the away stand already. I reckon probably space for 150 harps fans max.

I arrived at 1:30 for both stand tickets and they were sold out. I reckon the rest of the away stand is nearly sold out at this stage and a lot of people buying terrace.

[gael353]

Harps at full strength...as expected

[NeverFeltBetter]

Limerick with a good few chances already, dominating by the sounds of it. But no goals.

[NeverFeltBetter]

One-nil. 25 yard strike from Shaun Kelly. Announced by 95 FM with a hearty "Wooooooo!"

[White Horse]

Shaun Kelly scores. Couldn't happen to a nicer lad.

[NeverFeltBetter]

Harps with two great chances minutes after the goal. Knife edge stuff.

[White Horse]

Harps with two great chances minutes after the goal. Knife edge stuff.

Limerick determined to let Harps back into it.

[NeverFeltBetter]

HT 1-0. Limerick have fallen asleep since scoring by the sound of it. Break badly needed.

[NeverFeltBetter]

Limerick have had a load of chances but can't score a second. As they struggle to work the ball out of defence, 95FM man declares "This is the crap I keep talking about every week...." Radio lads also insist Harps should have had a penalty.

[White Horse]

The Limerick Radio lads are tearing the hair out watching the game.

[NeverFeltBetter]

Ha, I've really warmed to them over the last two years or so, used to find them very irritating sometimes.

[Jofspring]

Completely controlled the game. Very hard second half to watch. Harps came to keep the score down and try to nick a goal. They did half that job.

I'd be worried heading up to harps, especially if they narrow the pitch.

No attendance announced as far as I know. I reckon touching 5,000. Place completely full.

[thomas72]

Limerick really should have this tie dead and buried form the 2min missing a sitter 10mins later another one probably missed 2 or 3 free headesr which we should of scored.
It nearly cost us midway through 2nd half the sub who came on keeper came out of his goal lad took it past him a bit wide 25yrds out put it wide should of done better.
Buy IMO if Limerick do end up going down to finn harps I'll be very disappointed Limerick are a few steps ahead of them I'm quality.

[MattB11]

Well done the Harps tie very much still alive, took a 25 yarder to separate the sides, too bad Banda couldn't take his chance and the ref bottled the penalty decision, seemed like some half decent noise at times from the limerick fans.

[LK37oldskool]

Thought harps were very cynical and dirty. How they kept 11on the field is a mystery. That said we had enough chances to kill of the game in this first leg.

[Acornvilla]

Harps are very good at kicking the ball 50 yards in the air, and even better at kicking people. Limerick should have had the game dead and buried by half time.

Harps came more in to the match as both sides tired, missed an absolute sitter when Hall went walkabouts, and it probably was a peno. On the other hand, the harps right back should have been sent off, was good for at least 3 yellows if you count the amount of times fouls were made, two were blatant, one which he was carded for.

Massive crowd, I don't think it was 5k personally, but I couldn't see how many were on terraces to the left of the stand, so maybe it's possible. Limerick might struggle on a narrower pitch in the 2nd leg, but they should never lose to harps over two legs, there's a big gulf in footballing ability. You'd just worry about their ability to do all sorts of nonsense in defense.

On an aside, some sections of the crowd were so, so negative, and very vocal about it, jeering the players when they had the temerity to pass backwards and retain possession, I'm all for seizing the initiative and trying to win the game by more, Limerick were so obviously knackered and incapable of really stretching the game beyond the 60 min mark, still getting decent chances, but getting a fair amount of stick when they weren't piling men forward.

[Market's Field]

Well done the Harps tie very much still alive, took a 25 yarder to separate the sides, too bad Banda couldn't take his chance and the ref bottled the penalty decision, seemed like some half decent noise at times from the limerick fans.

Think he bottled a lot more than just that penalty decision. Advantage must be with Harps now. We completely ran out of ideas on how to break down the 6 man midfield in the 2nd half.

[Jofspring]

Harps are very good at kicking the ball 50 yards in the air, and even better at kicking people. Limerick should have had the game dead and buried by half time.

Harps came more in to the match as both sides tired, missed an absolute sitter when Hall went walkabouts, and it probably was a peno. On the other hand, the harps right back should have been sent off, was good for at least 3 yellows if you count the amount of times fouls were made, two were blatant, one which he was carded for.

Massive crowd, I don't think it was 5k personally, but I couldn't see how many were on terraces to the left of the stand, so maybe it's possible. Limerick might struggle on a narrower pitch in the 2nd leg, but they should never lose to harps over two legs, there's a big gulf in footballing ability. You'd just worry about their ability to do all sorts of nonsense in defense.

On an aside, some sections of the crowd were so, so negative, and very vocal about it, jeering the players when they had the temerity to pass backwards and retain possession, I'm all for seizing the initiative and trying to win the game by more, Limerick were so obviously knackered and incapable of really stretching the game beyond the 60 min mark, still getting decent chances, but getting a fair amount of stick when they weren't piling men forward.

It was the same a few weeks ago against Rovers. As soon as rovers scored a large portion of the crowd just started turning on the team. A lot of those people are the type that started coming in mid August and seemed to think we would smash in 3 or 4 goals every game.

[wonder88]

With that result it should be a bumper crowd in Ballybofey(weather forecast not great but won't put off Donegal folk) and while it is impossible to keep all off these "floating/occasion" fans some have hopefully caught the loI bug. Limerick fans, am I correct in understanding that the home time got more tired in 2nd half compared to Harps? They looked fit enough to me a few weeks back at Galway.

[Acornvilla]

With that result it should be a bumper crowd in Ballybofey(weather forecast not great but won't put off Donegal folk) and while it is impossible to keep all off these "floating/occasion" fans some have hopefully caught the loI bug. Limerick fans, am I correct in understanding that the home time got more tired in 2nd half compared to Harps? They looked fit enough to me a few weeks back at Galway.
Only difference was Harps bringing on some pace, helped them stretch the game more. Russell obviously doesn't trust the options he has on the bench, making only one sub, bringing on Lynch, for Clarke who was being hacked to death. Both sides looked tired enough, you'd imagine Limerick expelled a huge amount of energy in Sligo, emotionally and physically after everything. Limerick were still the better side at the death. You'd hope both are in better nick by Friday.

[osarusan]

Harps were very defensive all night, defending deep, defending wide, and defending in numbers. They set us the challenge of breaking them down, and we never really did all night. We hit the crossbar and had a few chances from headers but we looked really limited for most of the game. We never had any space in the middle of the field and never found or made any.

Duggan, and Lynch when he came on, had to drop way too deep to look for the ball and try and create something.

Harps created very little (I have no memory of the penalty they might have had - when was it?) apart from Banda going in behind the defence but being pushed wide and shooting wide.

That we didn't put the tie to bed was evidence of just how poor we are and how little guile we have.

Harps will (rightly) feel they have every chance of nicking it on Friday. They'll have to be more attacking, so hopefully there will be more space for us to exploit.

EDIT: And that f**king announcer should be told to take a jump off the stand roof. Would he ever shut his mouth.

[Acornvilla]

Kanyuka running through a man, a bit like the pen in Sligo.

As Brian Kerr would say, the man has the turning circle of a milk truck.

[osarusan]

Still have no memory of it - did the Harps players claim for one?

When was it?

[Acornvilla]

2nd half, left of the box, think it was before Banda's chance, harps player runs in, Paddy came in from the right and tumbled in to him with the subtlety of Boris Johnson.

Big calls from Harps if I remember correctly, most around me thought it was going to be given too. I was surprised it wasn't in the highlights at least, to have a 2nd look.

He's far too big and awkward to be over committing like he does, regardless.

[joey B]

The lads on 95FM were pretty convinced it was a penalty and also that it should have been a red card for Kelly. Friday will be one bag of nerves for everyone involved and one thing your gonna get up here is a battle may the best team win!

[nigel-harps1954]

Limerick are very poor at the back, but good going forward. We done what we set out to do, frustrate them and defend. We never went into that game attacking Limerick and it was clear from the first whistle we were looking to take the game back to Finn Park and have a go there.

In saying that, we missed two open nets, the first half Hall jumped for a catch and missed it completely and Boyle put it wide, second half Hall was rounded by Banda and on his weak left foot Banda shot wide when it should have been 1-1. Stonewall penalty turned down when Funston was bundled over in the box, and for all the suggestions of Harps hacking Limerick, Shaun Kelly should have been sent off for a horrible two footed challenge, only getting a yellow.

For us, there was an awful lot of heavy challenges went in and we were indeed lucky to remain with 11 on the field. It was more like the Harps of earlier in the season and even last season, but I think we went in physical on purpose knowing Limerick wouldn't be able to deal with it.

For match day organisation down there, Limerick need to take a good long hard look at themselves. They outsold the ground by far too much. The Popular side ended up being so crammed that half the crowd took down the barriers and ended up on the grass banks.

The away fans had one male toilet and one female toilet between them. 100 seats were kept for Harps fans, about 60 of which Harps fans got in the end with the rest either left standing in front of the terrace or standing on the steps in the stand. The head steward was a disgrace to deal with and when questioned why home fans were let into the away section became defensive that no home fans were in there. Despite also being told that a bus carrying 33 Harps fans had broken down and would be late, they almost refused to let them in the gate.

We'll not even go into the fact a burger and bottle of water cost 11 euro.

Limerick will not enjoy coming to Finn Park. Pitch is not in great shape, and it's been narrowed as much as it possibly can be. Can't wait for Friday now.

[nigel-harps1954]

Only found out this morning, the Harps fans that arrived late where charged €17 for student tickets because the lad in the ticket booth 'didn't have the correct change'. Not only did they miss the first twenty minutes of the game, they were grossly overcharged for the experience.

Fair play Limerick.

[nr637]

After the atmosphere and attendance created at the Markets Field last nite, any chance RTE or Setanta are considering covering the second leg at Finn Park on friday!

There should be another 4000+ and another wonderful occasion.

[Acornvilla]

After the craic last night being allowed to go on, would it be safe/legal to allow 4k into Finn Park?

[nigel-harps1954]

After the craic last night being allowed to go on, would it be safe/legal to allow 4k into Finn Park?

I think Finn Park is limited to 5,500 since they closed the river end. Used to be 7,000. It's a lot bigger than people think.

What'll hurt attendance size is if the entire gantry side of the ground is given to Limerick fans, then capacity will have to be limited greatly, but I'm sure provisions are being put in place by the club.