Promotion/Relegation play off

[Charlie Darwin]

As much as I am in despair of the possibility of Russell staying on, I imagine the likely squad budget and the lackadaisical way Limerick tend to go about constructing a team in the off-season would leave any manager struggling to get promoted.
Why would you be in despair about Russell staying on? He'd walk the First Division with half the squad you started the season with.

[NeverFeltBetter]

I've come to believe that Russell is incredibly over-rated, between his tactical mistakes, his nepotism, his ability to motivate players for big games, and I was one of the people defending him for much of the season. If he'd walk the First Division with half the current squad, he surely should have stayed up with the full thing, even if he only had them for half a season. He just managed that squad to one goal over 210 minutes against a First Division side.

But its all academic, because Limerick won't have even half that squad, knowing how they do business.

[Charlie Darwin]

His son's always looked one of the better players in the team. As for staying up this season, no, the First Division is a lot worse than even the dregs of the Premier.

[Mr A]

I am very happy.

[Acornvilla]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IyDNGjf_kSM

[DannyInvincible]

Good quality video of Banda's goal here too: https://www.facebook.com/finnharps.underage/videos/425001597710823/

Magic scenes.

[Acornvilla]

Made an absolute balls of the knee slide.

[Dunny]

Made an absolute balls of the knee slide.
:D

Great scenes,brilliant video.
Incredible that no supporters ran on the pitch either,not a steward in sight! I would've been on :p
Again- well done Harps.

[cestlavie]

Delighted, local squad, no prima donnas, huge amount of travel, lots of knock backs, so many almost their, smallest budget ever, back were we belong. UTH

[nigel-harps1954]

F**k.

[Charlie Darwin]

F**k.
Haha :)

[bluewhitearmy]

His son's always looked one of the better players in the team. As for staying up this season, no, the First Division is a lot worse than even the dregs of the Premier.


No he hasn't not at all not even close. And for all the fuss about Martin he is an awful manager when it comes to actually having to make decisions. Plays some lovely football but he will never win a thing if stuff gets tight and comes down to him having to do something.

[osarusan]

Congratulations to Harps, played with real purpose lat night. Limited us to one goal and (I think) just two shots on target over the two legs. Very organised and disciplined defensively and we were fairly clueless as to how to break them down.

As was the case all season, we had no plan B, and were still doing the same things in the 210th minute as hadn't worked for any of the previous 209 mins.

[Town Legend]

Well done Harps. Be great seeing ye back in the Premier. Hard luck Limerick, if they can retain a good few of that squad I'm sure they'll give the First Division a good rattle, but it won't be easy.

[LK37oldskool]

First off, well done to Harps. Russell has to go. His playing style is too one dimensional. As said previous we have no plan B. Playing from the back out with what will be sub standard players even by the current teams limitations will have us re applying this time next year to stay the First Division.

[patrickccfc]

Any limerick fans reckon that if ye had begun the season in market's field, the season might've been different?

[Market's Field]

Any limerick fans reckon that if ye had begun the season in market's field, the season might've been different?

Yes it would have been. Even as a season ticket holder I hated starting the season in Jackman so no hope of big crowds. Tiny crowds, tiny budget fueled a negative spiral which wasn't broken til we moved to markets field

[Acornvilla]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xt0Uz_KoguU
Excuse the music, but good view of the 1st goal and Paddy Kanyuka, being, well....

[osarusan]

His son's always looked one of the better players in the team.

No. Just, no, not by a long long way.

[pineapple stu]

Excuse the music, but good view of the 1st goal and Paddy Kanyuka, being, well....
That's quality (except for the music of course). Like watching a Sensible Soccer repeat. How was it set up?

Guess seeing Harps go up softens the blow a bit for us. Should have a decent chance of play-offs at least again next year with Drogheda and Limerick replacing Harps and Wexford.

On the comments earlier in the thread on Russell, I think he's an ok manager - our First Division title in 2009 was an excellent achievement, even if we had a great (if completely new) squad. But he doesn't seem to be able to arrange defensive coaching at all. Playing the ball from the back is grand - to be encouraged - but it's a problem if your defenders aren't being coached properly. And apparently when Conor O'Donnell rejoined us, our goalkeeping training was way more intense than at Limerick, where they hadn't really been doing much at all (which might explain his form there - though he's still good for a brain fart per game anyway)

Still, well done Harps. Great to see any LoI ground packed like that. Be even better if that can carry over to the start of next season.

[Jofspring]

Never been any complaints by Barry Ryan or Freddy Hall about Eddie Hickeys goalkeeping training. They do one on one goalkeeping specific training in every session as far as I know. It's easy when you have been absolutely shocking to blame the intensity of the training. Not being able to catch a ball, kick a ball or command an area is down to the individual player.

On last night, we deserve to go down. If you can't beat a first division side over two games then you do not deserve to be in the higher division. Throw into that we couldn't acore away from home then there really are no complaints.

[pineapple stu]

Never been any complaints by Barry Ryan or Freddy Hall about Eddie Hickeys goalkeeping training. They do one on one goalkeeping specific training in every session as far as I know. It's easy when you have been absolutely shocking to blame the intensity of the training.
I think it was just how wrecked he was after training with us which was the indicator; it's not that he was off openly blaming Limerick. (Apparently, third-hand, fan rumour, etc, etc, etc)

But yeah, other keepers didn't do as badly with ye. Russell's weakness has always been defending (look at our record) - so probably the usual mix from both sides. As I say, with us, he was an exceptional shot-stopper at times, but with a brain fart per game. His confidence could easily go one way or the other like that - either you eliminate the brain farts and get better, or they take over and you get worse.

Anyways, if Limerick can keep even a modicum of the momentum built up over the last third of the season, they should easily be pushing for play-offs next year I would say. And I can (for about the third or fourth time) tick off all the grounds in the league again. Until someone else moves or arrives in.

[Jofspring]

When Martin took the job I said it, he needs to change his philosophy a bit and not over play from the back. It costs some decent UCD teams a lot of goals and in the end it has had the same effect on us. When you sign a certain type of player you need to play to your players strengths not your players play to your philosophy. When Kanyuka came in he was a bit of no nonsense in his first few games but as it went on he started playing the ball more and more from the back and continued to go downhill.

On Martins son I think in the last two games he actually had fine performances. People just have it out for him. Fair enough last night he missed a great chance but when he came on we actually got our midfield on the ball a lot more and he won back quiet a number of balls too. On Monday night he ran himself into the ground and did the simple thing.

[White Horse]

On last night, we deserve to go down. If you can't beat a first division side over two games then you do not deserve to be in the higher division. Throw into that we couldn't acore away from home then there really are no complaints.

The play off was lost in the first tie at home. I always thought you needed a two goal lead going to Finn Park.

Harps punished you were you are weak, defenders trying to play too much ball.

While I congratulate Harps, the division will be poorer without Limerick. I'll get slammed for this, but Harps and Wexford add nothing to the division.

[oriel]

I probably would have preferred Limerick to stay up and possibly agreed they may have brought more to the PD, however you can't argue Finn Harps didn't deserve this, so congratulations to them, they had a very strong finish to their season and got through two tough FD Play Off games also remember.

Limerick lost too many games, even after getting themselves back into contention from August, turning even one of those defeats in Sept or Oct into a win could have saved them. They need to make sure they have the right attitude now to get out of the FD quick. The momentum they build up over those last 3 months was impressive as was the support and facilities they have in the Market Fields.

Finn Harps have a huge potential support so that will add to their return to the PD, they will probably need a huge turnover in players though to compete. What's the latest on their ground move by the way ? Must check on stadium updates, as can't see them spending much money in Finn Park if they are due to move anytime soon, even if it does need upgrading for the PD.

[nigel-harps1954]

The play off was lost in the first tie at home. I always thought you needed a two goal lead going to Finn Park.

Harps punished you were you are weak, defenders trying to play too much ball.

While I congratulate Harps, the division will be poorer without Limerick. I'll get slammed for this, but Harps and Wexford add nothing to the division.

Dundalk will add nothing to the cup final tomorrow. Better off with UCD there..

Why exactly will Wexford and Harps add nothing to the division if you don't mind me asking?



On the game last night. It was intense. From the first whistle, both teams gave it everything, but Horgan had his game plan, stuck to it, and Russell had no answer for the tactics. Harps sat back when we needed to sit back, and we attacked when we needed to attack. Limerick had a couple of excellent chances from relative long range, but they never really had anything clear cut where you'd have expected them to score. Our defence has been the backbone of our promotion chase and last night again, the centre halves Keith Cowan, Damien McNulty and Packie Mailey in particular, were absolutely immense.

A note on the atmosphere though. Finn Park was rocking last night. Limerick fans came in their numbers and they created a serious bit of noise which we had trouble keeping up with, a bit annoying that a lot of our lads didn't get sold out stand tickets last night, despite being sold out, there was space for at least another 300 or 400 people in the stand. Thanks to the FAI for that.

Can't truly believe that it's really happened though. It's incredible. Letterkenny and Ballybofey were insane last night after the game. Partying with the team until 4 O'clock in Letterkenny was just something else.

[Charlie Darwin]

No. Just, no, not by a long long way.
I should have said I can only comment on the few games I've seen - he's always been one of the better of a rubbish group of players. All the better as he was being booed by his own fans (do you only cheer for the opposition down there?) in one of the games.

[Acornvilla]

I should have said I can only comment on the few games I've seen - he's always been one of the better of a rubbish group of players. All the better as he was being booed by his own fans (do you only cheer for the opposition down there?) in one of the games.
One of the moments of the season for me was Russell getting boo'd on to the pitch only to score under a minute later.
I thought he was hit and miss, but stepped up to the plate as much if not more than anyone else for the last 3 games of the season. There are other players who deserve more abuse.

[Sam_Heggy]

3200 (plus a few more....) watched a hard fought but fully deserved win for Harps last night.

Limerick fans were superb, great atmosphere. Finn Park was rocking. That would have been a superb advert for LOI if it had of been on TV.

I'm in bits.

[EAFC_rdfl]

The play off was lost in the first tie at home. I always thought you needed a two goal lead going to Finn Park.

Harps punished you were you are weak, defenders trying to play too much ball.

While I congratulate Harps, the division will be poorer without Limerick. I'll get slammed for this, but Harps and Wexford add nothing to the division.

If you know you'll get hammered why not state some of your reasons for thinking they'll bring nothing to the division? What was it limerick brought that was so much better?

[Sam_Heggy]

Say what ye like folks, we're up, I don't give a fiddlers f**k what anyone says.

Looking forward to ****ing off some Premier Division sides in 2016.

[Charlie Darwin]

If you know you'll get hammered why not state some of your reasons for thinking they'll bring nothing to the division? What was it limerick brought that was so much better?
An extra 1,000 Dundalk fans.

[Acornvilla]

Say what ye like folks, we're up, I don't give a fiddlers f**k what anyone says.

Looking forward to ****ing off some Premier Division sides in 2016.
Thems fightin words..

[bluewhitearmy]

When Martin took the job I said it, he needs to change his philosophy a bit and not over play from the back. It costs some decent UCD teams a lot of goals and in the end it has had the same effect on us. When you sign a certain type of player you need to play to your players strengths not your players play to your philosophy. When Kanyuka came in he was a bit of no nonsense in his first few games but as it went on he started playing the ball more and more from the back and continued to go downhill.

On Martins son I think in the last two games he actually had fine performances. People just have it out for him. Fair enough last night he missed a great chance but when he came on we actually got our midfield on the ball a lot more and he won back quiet a number of balls too. On Monday night he ran himself into the ground and did the simple thing.

No-one said he didn't play well the last 2 games he was very good but there is a long jump from having a few good games to looking like one of the better players in the team. I actually have huge respect for the lad the way he handled himself and worked even harder after getting a bit of stick but he isn't one of the better players in the team.

[Longfordian]

If you know you'll get hammered why not state some of your reasons for thinking they'll bring nothing to the division? What was it limerick brought that was so much better?

They'll both certainly bring more than Drogheda did this year.

[bluewhitearmy]

Also have seen loads talk about how solid Harps were and this and that but I think it needs to be said for as much as Russell is this beautiful football playing manager and as much as we have played lovely stuff at times lately Harps played way better football than us lastnight. I honestly thought they would kick their way to the premier if they got there but some of their passing play and movement was very good and a lot better than the long diagonals we tried about 10,000 times in the first 75 mins.

[LK37oldskool]

I'd sooner have us play kick and rush football all day long and be in the premier division than Martins beautiful game in the first division.

[bluewhitearmy]

I'd sooner have us play kick and rush football all day long and be in the premier division than Martins beautiful game in the first division.

Winning football is good football.

[LK37oldskool]

True, I'd love to hear the chant 1 nil to the super blues all season long. That'll do me.

[WoodquayBoy]

Congrats to Harps, commiserations to Limerick. That is all.

[ForzaForth]

Huge congratulations to Harps on their promotion. Looked like a fantastic night in Ballybofey.

[Sam_Heggy]

https://www.facebook.com/finnharps.underage/videos/425296854347964/


https://www.facebook.com/finnharps.underage/videos/425001597710823/

No idea how to embed videos onto the forum but here's both Harps goals from last night.

[Olander]

https://www.facebook.com/finnharps.underage/videos/425296854347964/
Clear your lines Kanyuka... jesus christ. Horrendous defending

[jinxy lilywhite]

The play off was lost in the first tie at home. I always thought you needed a two goal lead going to Finn Park.

Harps punished you were you are weak, defenders trying to play too much ball.

While I congratulate Harps, the division will be poorer without Limerick. I'll get slammed for this, but Harps and Wexford add nothing to the division.


Limerick or Drogheda didn't earn the right to stay in the PD. Wexford and Harps have. It doesn't matter how much potential support a club has it is how the teams play. Limerick got what they deserved. It might of been a great escape with 10 or 12 games but they left themselves with too much to do and deserve what they got.

Btw Wexford and harps offer a great geographical spread now to the pd


Congratulations to harps. Always loved going to Ballybofey although my last journey was a heart breaking play off defeat.

[Martinho II]

I am so delighted for the harps lads. They will be a super addition in the top flight! Really looking forward again to visiting Sligo,Derry and Ballybofey again like last season. One of the harder games for us was the cup match v Harps.

[oriel]

Just re-thinking an earlier post. I had absolutely no right to say 'I possibly would agree Limerick would have taken more to the PD'

That was disrespectful to the massive hard work and to everyone involved with Finn Harps FC on their achievement in getting promoted.

I touched on the fact earlier they had to go through two additional play off games, they deserved this and they should be rightly congratulated for their hard work.

Welcome to the PD guys.

[nigel-harps1954]

That was disrespectful to the massive hard work and to everyone involved with Finn Harps FC on their achievement in getting promoted.
.

This bit right here.

The work behind the scenes at Harps this year is something completely unheard of. Unbelievable.

To put it into perspective, Harps entire weekly budget was less than the weekly wage of Freddy Hall alone.

[nigel-harps1954]

425296854347964

425001597710823

No idea how to embed videos onto the forum but here's both Harps goals from last night.

Stick them inside [(fb)]Facebook video URL code, ie, in the instance of the first 425296854347964[(/fb)] (without the brackets) similar to that of a quote. If any of that makes sense.

[Jofspring]

This bit right here.

The work behind the scenes at Harps this year is something completely unheard of. Unbelievable.

To put it into perspective, Harps entire weekly budget was less than the weekly wage of Freddy Hall alone.

How would you know what Freddy Hall was on per week?

[nigel-harps1954]

How would you know what Freddy Hall was on per week?

I don't. But apparently Shaun Kelly does.