Quarter Term Report

Noel Mooney - Started appalingly. I think he'd admit that himself. Has improved as the season's progressed but still drops the odd howler and makes some rather eccentric decisions at times. Reflexes are pretty good and reasonably mobile most of the times. It must also be said that man is an absolute gent who's already built up a great rapport with the supporters. More power to him for that!: C-

Stephen O'Mahony - Still not hitting the heights of two seasons ago. It's difficult to put a finger on what he's doing wrong really, he's clearly working hard on the pitch but without the same results as before. His distribution at times has been shocking but overall he's just about done what's expected of him.: C

Paul Tobin - Hasn't quite hit his earlier heights in the last couple of games (ironically as results have improved) but overall, distribution aside, Tobin has looked excellent. Committed, brave and strong in the tackle. Not many people could fill the shoes left by Jalmard Kulsten but Tobin looks to be well up to it.: B

Paul Finucane - Like O'Mahony, Finny hasn't looked quite as peerless as we might remember but for the most part he's been as solid and reliable as ever. Aside from his pace there's very little he can't do though it should also be noted that he looks more comfortable as the supporting centre-half than as the one who attacks the ball first time.: B-

Anthony Wolfe - Nobody seems to think that he's a centre-half but I think that Wolfie's acquitted himself well, especially in the last couple of games where he's looked the part. Against that his distribution has mirrored that of the full-backs...: B-

Mike Ahearne - Difficult to judge on the little football he's been given but hasn't done anything wrong. Actually did very well in his one full game so while we've hardly seen him...: B

Conor Molan - Decent at left-full and excellent (aside from one costly error) in his sole outing at centre-half but looked a bit lost in midfield at times. Not sure if he's injured but hasn't been in sight of late.: C+

Jamie Nolan - To be totally honest I thought a lot of people over-rated him. Plenty of tricks and pace but not a lot of end product. Tends to try and do too much and take on one man too many. Potential is there though.: C

Brian Donnellan - While he's tailed off a little bit in the last few games Donnellan's come back to senior football well. Scored a few goals and hasn't left anybody down. I'd still love to see what he can do on his favoured right side though!: B-

Brendan Hughes - I believe it was fourtothefloor who labelled him a Matt Holland-type player who huffed and puffed to no avail. This season it has looked that way at times but there's a lot more to Brendan Hughes as a player and I hope he get's to show that.: C

Tommy Barrett - For me he's been one of the real successes. Goes box to box, excellent in the air, scores, tackles, versatile. Can do pretty much anything and has a great engine.: B+

Chris Kearns - Works hard but I haven't seen anything to get excited about in him yet. Can sort of do most things but doesn't have the trickery of Donnellan or Nolan going for him.: C-

Derek McCarthy - Didn't look like he was gonna get a chance but grabbed his opportunity with both hands and hasn't looked back. Doing surprisingly well in midfield now and has proven that a striker who scores goals doesn't have to do much else: A-

Robbie Kelleher - Superstar in the making. Stong, fast, can score goals, breaks his back working and running. The real success story of the season so far. Fantastic.: A

Colin O'Brien - Aside from the last game when he worked hard to little effect it's been the same as last season, poor application and work-rate tied into a bewildering reluctance to involve his team-mates. It beggars belief that the likes of Ross Cosgrove, Conor Molan and Brendan Hughes can't make the team, Derek McCarthy is pushed back into midfield and Can't Pass clings to his shirt week in week out. No goals either let's forget (the deflection when he was lying on the ground with his back facing the ball was Kelleher's too I think).: D+ (he hasn't run off home yet this year)

Tomás McGauley - Early days yet of course but look like he'll be a fine addition. Has shown a lot of versatility and already proved what a threat he is at set-pieces.: B-

The others (Conlon, Stokes, Young et al.) haven't been on long enough to grade in my opinion. Any thoughts?

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Originally Posted by sadloserkid

Brendan Hughes - I believe it was fourtothefloor who labelled him a Matt Holland-type player who huffed and puffed to no avail.

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That's the reason he's warming the bench now, he doesn't contribute enough on the pitch, just like our friend Mattie. I think a C here is generous. More like D for me. Has he done anything more than CP to deserve a C? I don't think so. CP was actually playing well tonight until he had to be sacrificed :eek:

I think Mooney deserves more than a C- to be fair, he has saved us on many occasions lately, not least tonight with another cracking save shortly after Cobh had equalised. How you can give Stephen O'Mahoney & Brendan Hughes a better rating than Mooney is beyond comprehension! On Paul Tobin, yeah he is good in the tackle, but he's not related to a footballer to be honest. The first thing he should do is go away and learn how to pass the ball, cos he's absolutely brutal with his distribution. Anthony Wolfe was as bad but he seems to be improving with every game.

Other than that the rest are spot on SLK ;)

I'd agree with the majority of your assessments SLK but players like Mooney and Nolan deserve a higher mark where as Barrett and Donnellan a lower grade. As for Derek, I'd agree with you that he's doing "surprisingly well" in midfield but he's not been used to full effect while playing in that position.

I'm curious to know what grade would you give NOC for his performance so far. I think myself that he is a better manager than from his first time in charge of the club. I still think he doesn't know his best eleven and that he is choosing some players because of a sense of loyalty. The team hasn't played good football for the majority of matches so far despite some individuals turning in some good performances. For example, it is obvious we have better players than Cobh but yet last Friday they were organised and clearly had a game plan and played to their strengths. Hence why they are doing well in the league in comparison to Limerick who at the best of times have been disorganised and incoherent in their style of play. For me NOC gets a C I think this team has the potential to do better as does NOC.

At this stage it would be interesting to see who people think should be the starting eleven for Limerick FC, for me it would be:
Mooney
O'Mahony McGauley Finucane Tobin
Nolan Barrett Wolfe Donnellan/Young
McCarthy Kelliher

Mooney gifted another goal on Friday night, he definitely doesn't deserve a higher mark. My XI at the moment would be as follows...

Mooney

Aherne McGauley Finucane Tobin

Donnellan Wolfe Barrett Young

Kelleher McCarthy

Subs: Healy (I haven't seen O'Sullivan yet), O'Mahony, Hughes, Molan, O'Brien.

Kearns is perhaps a bit unlucky to be squeezed out. Nolan I'm still not sure about and while I like players like Ross Cosgrave and Keith Hartnett because they haven't been given a chance yet this season it's difficult to stake a major case for them. Perhaps after tonight's reserve game it'll be different! :)

Kearns is getting better by the game though

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Originally quoted by 4tothefloor
Kearns is getting better by the game though

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Chris played well against Cobh but his previous performances were of substandard in regards to his attacking prowess. He works hard but until Nolan returns if I was NOC I'd be looking at how Rossi is doing in training or better still switch Donnellan to the right wing (that would make SLK happy) and start Young on the left wing.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Nempton

if I was NOC I'd be looking at how Rossi is doing in training

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Sorry guys but having watched Rossi last season I don't think he is anywhere near good enough to warrant a place in the 1st team squad, he just doesen't do enough for me and IMO since he had that ankle injury a few years back I think its set him back, pulled out of too many 50/50 challenges last season........fear of getting badly injured again I think...........when that happens to players they are of no use to the team.............Hartnett, Ahearne do deserve a chance though.

Mooney (he has turned it around for me - i think Finny was equally at fault for Cobhs goal. The problems at the start of the season can be put down I think to rustiness - he hadn't played in any pre-season games).

O'Mahoney, Finucane, McGauley, Tobin

Nolan, Hughes or Wolfe, Barrett, Young

Kelliher, McCarthy

Subs: Molan, Healy, Kearns, Wolfe or Hughes, O'Brien

Darren Young was the best player on the pitch in last nights reserve game by a street.

This is the side i'd like to see, maybe in the League Cup against Waterford. Get the balance in midfield a little better and give Hartnett a go because we badly need someone who can pass the ball in the centre.

----------------------Mooney------------------

O'Mahoney-----Finucane-----Wolfe-----McGauley

Donnellan-------Barrett------Hartnett------Young

---------------------------------McCarthy-------

-------------------Kelliher-----------------------


Wolfe in midfield? Have ye seen his ball control and distribution?! A butcher doesn't slice as much. He's doing grand at centre-half, nice and solid. Only change i'd make in defence would be to put McGauley in the centre, Tobin left-back and drop Wolfe. He doesn't deserve to be dropped at the moment though.

[QUOTE=sadloserkid]Noel Mooney - Agreed on the start Noel had, has shown small signs of improvement, and the fact he's a nice bloke shouldn't cloud anyones judgement on him. I'll go C

Stephen O'Mahony - Works hard but seems to have lost the natural instaincts that he had two years back. Possibly time to move on at the end of the season if he doesn't improve C+

Paul Tobin - Not sure I agree with him filling Kulsten's shoes just yet, but he looks like he can do the job for us alright B-

Paul Finucane - Lack of a proper centre half partner has hampered him a bit this season. Always gives his best, and still is a quality defender on his day. Deservings captain. B+

Anthony Wolfe - 'Nobody seems to think that he's a centre-half' I'm one of them. He gets this grade for effort though C+

Mike Ahearne - Wasn't at the Cobh game he started in so can't judge him

Conor Molan - Good squad man to have on the books as he does give his all wherever he's put. Should be given a proper run at centre half to see if he's the man to partner Finny C+

Jamie Nolan - Don't think much of him out on the wing at all to be honest. Has the skill to take on his man, and isn't afraid to do it, which is always good, but he sometimes seems in two minds with what to do with the ball after he has taken out the defender. C

Brian Donnellan - Started well but starting to go down the Nolan route in my book. The final ball from the wings has been lacking a lot this season. C+

Brendan Hughes - Always been a Hughes fan, and again the type of player we need in the squad, and like Molan a proper run in one position should see what he's up to. C+

Tommy Barrett - As highly as I think of Kelleher and McCarthy at the moment I'd put Barrett down as my player of the season so far. Always up for challenging for the ball, makes good runs, passes well and knows where the back of the net is. A

Chris Kearns - Like SLK said, works hard but doesn't seem to have the skill D+

Derek McCarthy - Probably wouldn't have got the chance to remind us how good he is if CP hadn't fluffed his chance up front so much. Should be up front partnering Robbie, but thats not he's fault, and he's aquitted himself well playing behind the front two A-

Robbie Kelleher - Superstar in the making. Stong, fast, can score goals, breaks his back working and running. The real success story of the season so far. Fantastic.: A (SLK said it all there)

Colin O'Brien - Where to begin with this clown..... F followed by an OFF would be a good place to start I suppose. How Noel can push Derek out of position just to accomodate him is beyond me. No work rate, no interest, and he's lost whatever skill he had last year as well. Hopefully we only signed him on a one year deal and we can ship off to the minor leagues (thats you Cobh) next year.

Tomás McGauley - Haven't seen much, but looks good for what I have seen of him. Too early to grade yet but looks promising


Noel O'Connor - Has made a few major mistakes since the Return, losing Fyffe and signing CP being the two biggest. Tactically he doesn't seem up to it, but manages to motivate the players well, with the exception of Can't Pass, but lets face it, not even Jesus himself could light a fire under CP. But too many times we've had to resort to hoofing the ball and hoping for a mistake from the opposing teams defence to get a chance. With players like Robbie, Derek, Barrett, Nolan and Donnellan we should be playing it along the ground. C-

Kearns runs around alright but pretty headless if you ask me. he barely crossed the half line in cobh in the first match of the season and was rightly subbed. hes done very little since. nolan, if he can improve his final ball, will be a much better option. in fact for ball retention, skill to beat opponents and delivery i think rossi should get a chance. rossi's lack of defensive cover might even bring the best out of o'mahony again.

cant say i'd like to see aherne in the team though like most of ye lot want. i thought he was hopeless against cobh. ive seen under 10s kick balls better than him. hes weak in the tackle as well. something tobin definitely isnt.