Sligo Match

**LFC in Exile** · 13/04/2003, 10:26 AM

Got your message - thanks.

What was the game like (and more importantly the performance). We scored at the very end I see. Was Derek playing?

I heard about the sending off. A punch in the box is not necessarily a penalty though in fairness. If the ball was dead e.g. the ref had blown for a free out and the defender retaliates then the player is sent off but the free out stands. If it was a thump while the ball was in play (which would be unusual) then it is a peno.

I'll be up for the Bray game.

**LFC in Exile** · 13/04/2003, 12:00 PM

From the Sligo Rovers website:

"Limerick won a free just in side their own half but just as they were about to take the kick, referee, Paul Duddy's attention was drawn to an incident in the Rovers penalty area in which a Limerick-man was grounded in the box. He consulted with the lines-man who identified Rovers centre-half Jim Sheridan, as the culprit and Sheridan promptly got his marching orders.

Worse was to follow, however, as Duddy bizarrely then pointed to the spot for a Limerick penalty. The ground erupted in protest, and fortunately so did the referee's assistant on the stand side of the ground who reminded Duddy that he could not award a penalty after the ball had gone dead for another offense. He duly pointed back to where the Limerick men had lined up the free prompting a tirade of abuse from Limerick players."

Seems the right decision - even if it shows again how ****e these referees are.

**sadloserkid** · 14/04/2003, 9:04 AM

Originally posted by LFC in Exile
What was the game like (and more importantly the performance). We scored at the very end I see. Was Derek playing?

Yeah, turns out the linesman was right...

We were poor overall to be honest.

John Healy - Made a couple of good reflex saves and looked handy on crosses but didn't seem to inspire any confidence in his back four. The Sligo faithful had very little positives to say about him too. - 6/10
Eoin Keating - Class. We can now lay claim to having the best right side in the division. Never looked flustered and never got caught out. - 8/10
Frank Browne - Was very poor. Looked out of his depth against Sligo's winger and his positioning was poor. Undoubtedly a game he'll want to forget in a hurry. - 4/10
Paddy Purcell - Scored the goal but was shockingly poor otherwise. Was caught in possession, sloppy in his passing and not his usual self at all. - 5/10
Paul Finucane - Solid and reliable as ever. - 7/10
Colm Heffernan - Not his best game by any stretch but he put himself about well and was never afriad to take on his man. A constant threat. - 7/10
Ciar�n Foley - Ran about a lot and started quite brightly but ran out of steam as the game ran on. - 6/10
Brendan Sweeny - See above. Exactly the same comments apply. - 6/10
Conor Molan - Sweeny and Molan were just too small physically to compete in the middle of the park and while they can't be faulted for effort Limerick could have done with the more robust John Whyte, Oran Welderick or Brendan Hughes in the middle of the park.
Stephen O'Flynn - Saw very little of the ball but aside from moments of sporadic flair O'Flynn didn't show much of his undoubted repetoire of tricks. - 6/10
Barry Ryan - Worked hard and looked sharper than last season but still got very little out of the Sligo defence. - 5/10

SUBS:
Derek McCarthy (for Barry Ryan) - He's still got it, McCarthy reminded us of just what we were missing last year when he came on. Once himself and Steve O'Flynn have bedded down together (

) they should be lethal! - 7/10
Brian Donnellan (for Ciar�n Foley) - Did well when he came on and showed some pace and drive as Limerick pushed forward late on. Crossed well also. - 7/10

On another note we had a grand total of three (count them), three subs on the bench. No sign of the classy Italian right-full we had in pre-season, no sign of Morris-Roe (Still playing leinster senior league), no sign of the phantom left-full from Pats, Gareth Cooney injured, no Poill or Welderick (going abroad in late May-early June apparently), ditto for Brendan Hughes. Not even any Shane O'Donoghue... I'm beginning to think we have a serious shortage of players...

**LFC in Exile** · 14/04/2003, 9:37 AM

Yeah, I was very surprised by the line-out when I read it. Who's Brendan Sweeney? No Cooney, no Ricardo, no Morris-Roe. What's the story. Why can't anything ever be straightforward? Just when we get a bit hyped up about new signings and the return of Derek McCarthy there is more uncertainty.

I might bring my boots along next Friday.

**sadloserkid** · 14/04/2003, 9:42 AM

Originally posted by LFC in Exile
Who's Brendan Sweeney?

Ex Cobh, Kilkenny, under-age international and nominee for junior player of the year. Hardworking midfielder in the Welderick mode. Highly rated by pretty much everybody and if he can stay injury free (doubtful apparently) he should be a real talent. Still only 20-21 ish too.

**gustavo** · 14/04/2003, 2:47 PM

i dont know who he is but your number 6 seemed to have the most life about him. also the baldy guy was decent too.

**LFC in Exile** · 14/04/2003, 3:31 PM

There you go Lims Fan - must be just Limerick fans that can't see Ciaran's limitations.

**LFC10** · 14/04/2003, 5:02 PM

I really think that you guys give Ciaran Foley far too much of a hard time. He's constantly played out of position-he is not a centre forward. I brought a few people to the games who would have never seen us play before and they all identify him as one of our better players-which while I mightn't agree fully with, i definately think he deserves his place. He's just misunderstood, and is not a mutated scumbag as people seem to believe!!!

**gael353** · 14/04/2003, 8:00 PM

foley is a good player and we and im judgeing ur stuff to mean me too never give him a bad time.. he is a centre forward or attacking midfielder what are u on that is what he is. at the moment we play him at left wing which is not his position but he does a good job and we've always said that its another bald lad who plays in defence who gets a bad time and most would say justifiably so in my opinion. roll on Friday night lets hop we get a good crowd and get rid of this Thurday night stunt!