Goal drought annoying Limerick's Dean Clarke

Limerick striker Dean Clarke admits his goal drought is “annoying” him, but he hopes the sight of Bray Wanderers can help him end his wait this weekend.

Clarke will return to the scene of his only league goal last year when the Shannonsiders travel to the Carlisle Grounds on Saturday evening (kick-off 5.45pm).

The young forward, who turned 22 at the end of last month, netted in injury-time in a 5-3 win for UCD at the venue last March, but within two weeks his campaign was over due to a serious back injury.

Now back fighting fit, Clarke has scored four times in three cup-competition appearances for his new club but he has yet to find the target in six attempts in the Premier Division.

That has led to growing frustration for the Dubliner, who has mixed emotions in his happiness levels when it comes to his own performances.

“I have and I haven’t (been happy) – because I’m a striker I’ll always think in my head ‘if I had got a goal today it would have topped it off’. I’m working hard and I think I just need to get that clinical edge maybe – I don’t know,” Dean told LimerickFC.ie.

“It’s not like me not to be scoring – I think this is probably the longest streak I’ve played up front and not scored, so it’s annoying me. It really is – it’s getting at me.

“But I think I’ve been doing alright. I’ve had alright feedback – I haven’t had too bad criticism from anyone. I think I can only take the positives at this stage.”

Clarke was denied by Dundalk’s Gary Rogers last weekend but Limerick eventually became the first team to breach the Louth side’s defence this season at the death as Paul O’Conor headed them to a valuable point against the leaders.

That 1-1 draw lifted Martin Russell’s players off the bottom of the table and their No9 believes it was just reward for their hard work on the training ground.

“I think we have to be happy with that point,” Dean said. “Going into the game we were optimistic about what we could get. Aidan (Price) even said to me before the game ‘I think we’re going to get something’, and luckily we did.

“We fought for the whole game. Their goal was something special from Richie Towell. It didn’t really knock us back – I think we played really well for the rest of the half.

“We were knocking on the door and I had a chance myself that I thought I could have squeezed in. It was one of those – I could have done so many different things and the option I chose obviously didn’t go in. The ‘keeper, in fairness, made a decent save. Sometimes they go in and sometimes they don’t.

“I need one to just hit off my face or hit off my knee or something just to go in. I’ll keep plugging away. It will come. I’m putting in the work and hopefully it pays off. Once I get one I think I’ll be flying, because I’m just not getting that luck so far.

“You could see from everyone’s reaction we were delighted to get the goal. The lads are happy. When you start getting results, the work pays off.

“We’re working hard every day – the lads are taking it just as serious as anyone else. When you’re looking after yourself seven days a week and you’re making sure you’re ready for these games, you need the results just to keep you going. That’s what’s happening.

“We have a big game on Saturday that we’re looking to get three points from. We know if we play well we’ll get them.”

Limerick continue their chase for a first victory this term when they face Bray, who also have three points, those coming from their 3-1 win at Sligo Rovers last Friday. And the former Student knows the importance of this weekend’s clash.

“It just shows anything in this league is possible. Sligo have obviously had a bad start but everyone expected them to go out there and do a job with Bray. But Bray showed they’re not going to lie down to anyone either,” Clarkey said.

“We have to make sure that we go out and beat them because these three points could be a great start to our season or really get us going – but it could also be a way for them to do the exact same.

“We have to go and prepare just like we do against any other team – against Dundalk, Pat’s – and if we beat them we’ll be just as happy as we were when we drew against Dundalk the other night.”