End Of First Series Report Card

[Lim till i die]

So one series of games completed and we find ourselves in fifth place with 18 points out of a possible thirty, how do people feel it's gone so far?

PROS:

• 18 points isn't a terrible return after ten games, it's 2 more points than we had after ten games last year.
• Believe it or not, we have the meanest defence in the division!! Since conceding two in Ballybofey on the opening day, we've only conceded four in nine!
• Peter Hynes has overall shocked us all and looks a great bit of a business.
• Have a pretty settled back four for the first time in years, John Frost looks brilliant and for a last minute emergency Corey Tracy has worked out very well (had a mare the other night mind). I'm still not 100% convinced by Brian McCarthy starting ahead of Calla but people have been queing up to tell me he's brilliant so who am I to argue.
• Dave O'Leary is starting to play very well.
• Judgie has been superb.
• Only lost one against "the big four"

CONS:

• 3 of those 4 goals we have conceded have been in disappointing circumstances against Cork, Monaghan and arguably Shels.
• Is the midfield finally settled down?? Broughall, White and Calla have all been tried sitting infront of the back four, where the flip is Yellow Lyons?
• Have we really been convincing yet?? Always seem to be one stinker away from being out of contention (maybe that's just the Limerick mentality?!)
• Played like lepers in Cork and failed to put away Shels and Monaghan. We have them at home in the second series but if past form is anything to go by that's more of a hindrance than a help!
• Sean O'Connor and Chris Breen probably haven't done enough to justify their last minute signings (Breen is injured I suppose tbf)
• For a team that supposedly had the resources we had in pre season there's a worrying lack of depth in a few places, like if John Frost for example ships an injury what exactly is plan B?!
• The football has been pretty unispiring stuff at times to say the least (do people care aslong as it's getting results?)

That's about all I can think of for now, overall it's a bit of a mixed bag, though largely a positive one I suppose.

Feel free to add your own or comment.

[bluewhitearmy]

So one series of games completed and we find ourselves in fifth place with 18 points out of a possible thirty, how do people feel it's gone so far?

PROS:

• 18 points isn't a terrible return after ten games, it's 2 more points than we had after ten games last year.
• Believe it or not, we have the meanest defence in the division!! Since conceding two in Ballybofey on the opening day, we've only conceded four in nine!
• Peter Hynes has overall shocked us all and looks a great bit of a business.
• Have a pretty settled back four for the first time in years, John Frost looks brilliant and for a last minute emergency Corey Tracy has worked out very well (had a mare the other night mind). I'm still not 100% convinced by Brian McCarthy starting ahead of Calla but people have been queing up to tell me he's brilliant so who am I to argue.
• Dave O'Leary is starting to play very well.
• Judgie has been superb.
• Only lost one against "the big four"

CONS:

• 3 of those 4 goals we have conceded have been in disappointing circumstances against Cork, Monaghan and arguably Shels.
• Is the midfield finally settled down?? Broughall, White and Calla have all been tried sitting infront of the back four, where the flip is Yellow Lyons?
• Have we really been convincing yet?? Always seem to be one stinker away from being out of contention (maybe that's just the Limerick mentality?!)
• Played like lepers in Cork and failed to put away Shels and Monaghan. We have them at home in the second series but if past form is anything to go by that's more of a hindrance than a help!
• Sean O'Connor and Chris Breen probably haven't done enough to justify their last minute signings (Breen is injured I suppose tbf)
• For a team that supposedly had the resources we had in pre season there's a worrying lack of depth in a few places, like if John Frost for example ships an injury what exactly is plan B?!
• The football has been pretty unispiring stuff at times to say the least (do people care aslong as it's getting results?)

That's about all I can think of for now, overall it's a bit of a mixed bag, though largely a positive one I suppose.

Feel free to add your own or comment.

Agree with everything except Chris Breen he was doing ok first few games and being signed so late on meant he needed more time to get settled in.
He was vey good the last 2 league games he played before he got an injury againt Douglas Hall...Far better signing then O'Connor anyway who i would get rid of tomorrow if we could.

Edit: Actually also i am 100% sure about McCarthy ahead of Calla dont think Calla is very good at all feel way more comfortabe with McCarthy in there.

[joeSoap]

Watch out for David Donnan. He's playing with the A side. Very young, but a class act. One for the not so distant future.

[Lim till i die]

Should already be in the shake up by all accounts of the lads who go to A games regularly, the couple of times I've seen him he stood out aswell.

Seems to be a long way back Scullys pecking order though......

[gael353]

Watch out for David Donnan. He's playing with the A side. Very young, but a class act. One for the not so distant future.

id second that Joe, following the release of Mick Sheehan a few months ago Donnan came into his own as the best defensive midfielder at the club. With the crazy tactics we seem to be employing for the last few games in the closing stages , Donnan is actually a player who could make these "tactics" work

[Jofspring]

I'm happy enough with the way things have gone so far.

The other teams in the league will have bad patches so its all about us being consistent, especially at home. Look at Derry and Waterford last year, after the first round of games they looked like they would be out of sight but Derry didn't win by much, Waterford managed to just hang in there for a play off spot and Monaghan (through consistency) got in their. Shels made a very strong push and only narrowly missed out in the end despite being poor most of the season. A few seasons ago Dundalk looked like they would wrap up the league but only ended up winning it on the last day.

Their is a long way to go with a lot of twists and turns to come.

Some positives have to be our defence, O'Leary coming back into form with a bit of confidence and the fact we could have Garry Sheehan returning for the run in. This must be the first time in years that people have actually been calling Limerick a big physical team. Something we have missed for years.

Out of the whole squad we really only have a few worries. We need O'Flynn to start scoring, a tough commanding midfielder still and maybe a back up for Frost. Barr that I think we are pretty much covered everywhere else. Was delighted with Calla on Friday and it is a relief to know if McCarthy or Purcell are missing we have great cover (maybe not Purcell as much). Plenty of teams have the same problems as us. If one of their key players gets injured it will hit them hard. Cummins would be a huge loss to Cork, Kenny Browne for Waterford, Declan O Brien for Monaghan and Cassidy/Paisley for Shels.

Good to hear one of the younger lads making an impression. These lads coming through to the first team will give great incentive to young players that may want to sign.

The 3rd series of games is what is going to really shape the season. That is the time the pressure really comes on and those who handle it best usually go up.

[Jofspring]

id second that Joe, following the release of Mick Sheehan a few months ago Donnan came into his own as the best defensive midfielder at the club. With the crazy tactics we seem to be employing for the last few games in the closing stages , Donnan is actually a player who could make these "tactics" work

Fire him in Friday. If he is as good as people are saying it could be an excellent player for the first team. Would he have a similar impact to that of O'Leary last season? Would he be of the quality of Shane Duggan?

[nosebleds]

Agree with everything except Chris Breen he was doing ok first few games and being signed so late on meant he needed more time to get settled in.
He was vey good the last 2 league games he played before he got an injury againt Douglas Hall...Far better signing then O'Connor anyway who i would get rid of tomorrow if we could.

Edit: Actually also i am 100% sure about McCarthy ahead of Calla dont think Calla is very good at all feel way more comfortabe with McCarthy in there.

are u after scully,s job.

[bluewhitearmy]

I am Scully

[Jofspring]

I'm Scully and so is my wife.

[bluewhitearmy]

Your not Scully your just a very naughty boy.

[joeSoap]

Fire him in Friday. If he is as good as people are saying it could be an excellent player for the first team. Would he have a similar impact to that of O'Leary last season? Would he be of the quality of Shane Duggan?

He's good on the ball..does the simple thing most of the time and does it very well. Not physically the biggest, but puts himself about and is not afraid of the tough stuff. Bigger games can only help improve him more in my opinion. I just hope the lack of notice from Scully doesnt dishearten him.

[Jofspring]

He's good on the ball..does the simple thing most of the time and does it very well. Not physically the biggest, but puts himself about and is not afraid of the tough stuff. Bigger games can only help improve him more in my opinion. I just hope the lack of notice from Scully doesnt dishearten him.

With Scully over the A team now hopefully he'll get his chance. Last season the likes of Andrew Bhandarkar, Gavin Roche, Fatmadh Dunisha, Stephen McCann, Peter Balogh and David O'Leary all got runs even though they where originally meant for the A team so he does give players a chance.

Sounds very like Shane Duggan, keeps it simple knocks it around and breaks up play. He is exactly what we need. Hopefully he can step up and take his chance. Carrick Utd Monday could be a good place to start and if good enough possibly Salthill on the Thursday.

[gspain]

With Scully over the A team now hopefully he'll get his chance. Last season the likes of Andrew Bhandarkar, Gavin Roche, Fatmadh Dunisha, Stephen McCann, Peter Balogh and David O'Leary all got runs even though they where originally meant for the A team so he does give players a chance.

Sounds very like Shane Duggan, keeps it simple knocks it around and breaks up play. He is exactly what we need. Hopefully he can step up and take his chance. Carrick Utd Monday could be a good place to start and if good enough possibly Salthill on the Thursday.

No problem re carrick but Salthill will not be easy. Ski seems to have made a difference and they will be tough to beat at home. Last season we struggled there twice and were very very fortunate to win both.

[bluewhitearmy]

No problem re carrick but Salthill will not be easy. Ski seems to have made a difference and they will be tough to beat at home. Last season we struggled there twice and were very very fortunate to win both.

Being honest though it whouldnt matter who the manager is if we are serious about going up we should be beating teams like Salthill home or away.

Fair enough if he has got them organised but they should still be beaten if we are serious about going up.

[joeSoap]

Being honest though it whouldnt matter who the manager is if we are serious about going up we should be beating teams like Salthill home or away.

Fair enough if he has got them organised but they should still be beaten if we are serious about going up.

I think Gary's point is that its a big league game for the club, and probably not the type of niggly away game to be blooding a new young lad.

[bluewhitearmy]

Oh i know ya i should have said that actually just saying that although its not for blooding people we shouldnt bemaking excuses if we dont beat them.

[gspain]

Anything less than a win v Salthill would be a huge disappointment. However my point is that it is not a foregone conclusion and should not be used to try out players.

If I was offered 6 points v Harps and Salthill and a 3-0 defeat to Carrick I'd take that.