Rainsford - I Want To Establish Myself As A First-Team Player

Limerick attacking midfielder Darragh Rainsford has set a goal to “establish himself as a first-team player” in the coming season, as he prepares to enter his third year in the senior setup.

The local 20-year-old has made 39 appearances since debuting at the start of the 2013 campaign, where he marked his first start with a brace in a home win over UCD.

At the time, the Students were under the guidance of Martin Russell. And now Rainsford hopes to catch the eye of the same man, who the former Fairview Rangers youngster has been impressed with since his appointment last July.

That change in the dugout came during a “really disappointing” year for Rainsford, who felt he failed to follow up a promising opening season in the League of Ireland.

However, now back fighting fit after a bout of illness, he is aiming to cement a place in the team by rediscovering his top form.

“It’s my third year now so I’m hoping to really establish myself as a League of Ireland player and really be a first-team player,” Darragh, who made just three league starts in 2014, told LimerickFC.ie.

“I want to get people talking about me and hopefully try to push myself and get noticed over in England and try to get a move.

“But I really want to establish myself as a first-team player first. That’s my goal. Hopefully I can do that. If I do that, I know I have the ability; I know I can go across the water. But it’s just trying to do that first and trying to get back into the team.

“Martin has been fantastic. He’s a great coach. He’s great on the training field; he’ll give you all the tips and everything and he’s really nice to you.

“He has been really good with us. He has got us playing football, he has got us enjoying our football and I think we’re really going to push on this year and do really well.

“I was really disappointed with last season, personally. My first season, I think I did reasonably well. Last season was a big disappointment.

“When the new Gaffer came in, I was sick again. My immune systems were down and I was really sick. It took me a while to get going, a month or two to build myself back up and by the time I built myself back up the season was nearly finished.

“It was really tough. Before that, I wasn’t really playing so I was down in myself and when I came into training I wasn’t feeling it. Hopefully, I can push on this season, get back into the team and be a regular in the team and really push myself.

“I’m feeling a lot better. I’ve been going to the gym; I’ve been doing my own gym and work, and I’m really starting to eat and build myself back up. I feel a lot better now.”