It was a good confidence booster - Russell

Limerick manager Martin Russell says it is “important” to enter the new season with a win and he says their 3-1 success over Galway United in their final friendly will come as a “good confidence-booster” ahead of next weekend’s kick-off.

The Shannonsiders completed their warm-up schedule to the new SSE Airtricity League First Division campaign with a come-from-behind victory over their Premier Division opponents at the Markets Field on Saturday night, thanks to goals from Séamus Sharkey, Robbie Williams and captain Shane Duggan.

Those came after Vinny Faherty – the club’s top scorer in the top flight last season – had given Galway a 13th-minute lead. And while Russell was disappointed with the concession of that goal, he said “there were more things to be pleased about”, with the focus now on the visit of UCD to Garryowen next weekend.

“I was happy with most parts – the victory is good leading into the first game,” Russell told LimerickFC.ie. “There were phases of attacking play again, the goals that we scored and chances that we created were good – we could have got one or two more as well.

“I’m disappointed with the goal that we conceded and at times, again, we were sloppy. But overall I was pleased. We got caught for the goal and there was a big space for Vinny to go in and finish off. I was disappointed with that, but there were more things to be pleased about.

“There were elements of the defensive display that were good. We looked solid when we were called upon. The whole performance gives us a right chance of being in a positive mood this week and looking forward to the UCD game.

“It’s important to go in with a win and for some of the lads to hit the back of the net – things like that. And there were elements of the game where it was a good confidence-booster against a good Galway side that had come off the back of beating Longford 4-0.

“We’ll work now from Monday getting prepared for UCD. Tonight is in the past. We’ll focus on the first game of the season now. 

“Playing in the Markets Field, it’s such a big pitch and good pitch. It’s appealing to sides that want to play and try to knock the ball around, which is what we want to do. And we did that at times tonight.”

Limerick’s league opener against UCD takes place at the Markets Field next Saturday, 5 March, kick-off 6.30pm.