This is the second in our special series in which a team of professional journalists offer an up-to-date look at the clubs in the eircom League, First Division, and outline their plans. This article was submitted by the Limerick-based Bernard O'Neill.
Limerick FC chairman Danny Drew is heading up a drive to re-capture the golden days of old as Limerick chase promotion to the Premier Division of the eircom League and re-establishment as one of Ireland’s most successful clubs.
Limerick, as Ireland’s third city, should have a top-class club and chairman Drew and his team will settle for nothing less. Development this season has been spectacular and, to keep pace with the rising fortunes of the team, plans are being pursued off the field as well to secure the future.
Limerick FC was established away back in 1937 and, in truth, two Championship titles and two FAI Cup successes represented a modest return for a club that has produced some marvelous footballers.
Some of the proudest days in the club’s history were provided by their appearances in European competition against Real Madrid and Southampton, for example. And Chairman Danny Drew is keen to lure the fans back in support of the team by providing some more of the same.
Current feeling within the club is far different to that which applied three seasons ago when Limerick went into an eircom League, First Division fixture with just the bare eleven players.
Their difficulties on that particular day provoked one journalist to comment in his match report that maybe he should have brought along a pair of boots and he would have got a game.
The Shannonsiders finished bottom of the table that season and there were real concerns that senior soccer's proud history in Ireland's third largest city was about to come to an ignominious end.
However, three years on and all has changed utterly. The Blues are now sitting proudly on top of the First Division, are through to the semi-final of the League Cup, the last 16 of the Carlsberg/FAI Cup, and will be eyeing up their first piece of silverware of 2006 when they meet Cobh Ramblers in the Lucocade Munster Senior Cup final this month.
Manager Noel O'Connor and assistant manager Aidan Ryan have assembled a strong experienced squad while off the field negotiations are continuing to secure a 25 year lease at the club’s Hogan Park ground.
The impressive performances of the Shannonsiders U/21 side under manager Billy Barrett are another reason for optimism and according to Danny Drew, Limerick FC are now looking forward to the future with confidence.
"The is still a lot of work to be done but we are getting there thanks to our hard working committee and everyone involved with the club. On the field things are going exceptionally well at the moment and the manager Noel O'Connor, assistant Aidan Ryan and the squad deserve enormous credit", said Drew.
Limerick last won the old League of Ireland title under former Republic of Ireland International team boss Eoin Hand in 1980 and then went on to ask some serious questions of the mighty Real Madrid in the 1st round of the following
Season’s European Cup.
The Blues played the first leg at Lansdowne Road and lost 2-1 with Des Kennedy netting
Limerick’s goal and Johnny Matthews having what looked like a perfectly legitimate strike ruled out for a debatable offside.
That flag denied Matthews what he has described as a "Holy Trinity" of hat-tricks as he
had already scored against Manchester United and Celtic in European competition whilst
playing for Waterford.
The Shannonsiders had Madrid on the ropes in Dublin but the predecessors of the current day Galacticos recovered to win the second leg 5-1 at the Bernabeau Stadium. Des Kennedy again finding the net for Limerick.
Interestingly Madrid conceded just four goals (one against Inter Milan in the semi final) in that season’s European Cup. One of those strikes was from another Kennedy - Alan, of Liverpool FC, who fired home the only goal of the 1981 final in Paris to bring the cup back to Anfield.
Drew believes that if they work hard enough that the glory days of European soccer will return to the Treaty City
He added, "I have stated before that we want to return Limerick FC to the Premier Division and want to see European soccer back in this town once again. If we work hard enough those ambitions can be realised".
"Off the field we hope to secure at least a twenty five year lease at Hogan Park. As I said there is a lot of work to be done yet at this club but we are looking to the future with confidence".
Meanwhile the Munster Senior Cup final between Limerick FC and Cobh Ramblers will take place at Limerick Desmond League headquarters in Clounreask, Co Limerick on Tuesday July 25th (7.30pm)
Brief History of Limerick FC
Founded 1937.
Colours, Blue & White.
League Of Ireland Champions, 1959/60 1979/80.
FAI Cup Winners, 1971, 1982.
League Cup Winners, 1976/77,1992/93, 2001/02.
Munster Senior Cup Winners, 1938, 1949, 1954, 1959.1963, 1977.1995.
European Record.
1960 - European Cup 1st Rd v Young Boys Berne (lost 9-2 on agg, 0-5, 2-4)
1980 - European Cup 1st Rd v Real Madrid (lost 7-2 on agg, 1-2, 5-1)
1981 - EUFA Cup 1st Rd v Southampton (lost 4-1 on agg, 0-3, 1-1)
1965 - Cup Winners Cup 1st Rd v CSKA Sofia (lost 3-1 on agg, 1-2, 0-1)
1971 - Cup Winners Cup v Torino (lost 5-0 on agg, 0-1, 0-4)
1982 - Cup Winners Cup v Alkmarr (lost 2-1 on agg, 1-1, 0-1
