2018 Season Preview - Limerick FC

Manager: Tommy Barrett

Stadium: Markets Field

Players in: Shaun Kelly (Ballynanty Rovers), Darren Dennehy (St. Patrick’s Athletic), Kilian Cantwell (Finn Harps), Cian Coleman (Cobh Ramblers) Eoin Wearen (Bohemians) Connor Ellis (Cork City – undisclosed), Billy Dennehy (St. Patrick’s Athletic), Daniel Kearns (Sligo Rovers), Danny Morrissey (Finn Harps), Clyde O’Connell (Ballynanty Rovers) Mark O’Sullivan (Waterford)

Players out: Barry Cotter (Ipswich Town – undisclosed), David O’Connor (released), Stephen Kenny (released), Rodrigo Tosi (released), Dean Clarke (St. Patrick’s Athletic), Chiedozie Ogbene (Brendford – Undisclosed), Joe Crowe (end of loan), John O’Flynn (Finn Harps), Bastien Hery (Waterford), Lee J Lynch (released), Tommy Holland (Carew Park), Peter Berki (released)

Extratime.ie Key Man: Brendan Clarke

At the beginning of 2017, Brendan Clarke found himself as second choice for Limerick. Eight months later he’d firmly shown those on Shannonside that he was more valuable than a place on the bench. A hat-trick of penalty saves directly led to points, as the former St. Patrick’s Athletic keeper justified his move down the M7. 

Clarke, 32, would play 26 times keeping seven clean sheets. With Shane Duggan absent and the departure of Robbie Williams, he would also captain the side on a number of occasions. The penalty saves were truly at crucial moments, holding delicate 1-0 leads to St. Patrick’s Athletic and Bohemians and while drawing 1-1 in Bray, Clarke denied Conan Byrne, Georgie Poynton and Gary McCabe as the Blues secured seven points from nine in those clashes.

A league winner in 2013, Clarke clearly influenced results and proved one of Martin Russell’s best signings for Limerick. His experience should also prove valuable if Limerick call upon inexperienced defenders Killian Brouder and Alan Murphy.

This season, he’ll be a natural leader for a new-look side, with an experienced starting side contrasted by an in-experienced bench. Aside from that, with Limerick likely to be in the bottom half, having an in-form goalkeeper could prove enough to help his side up the table.

Should Limerick iron out deficiencies at defending set pieces, it will go a long way to improving a defence which will feature experience with Darren Dennehy, Shane Tracy and the returning Shaun Kelly.
 

Extratime.ie One to Watch: Cian Coleman

Coleman was signed just weeks after the season by Neil McDonald. An athletic, disciplined and physically imposing midfielder could be exactly what Limerick require. Having played in a successful u19 side with fellow winter acquisition Connor Ellis, Coleman moved to Cobh Ramblers. Under Stephen Henderson Coleman netted four goals in 28 First Division outings. Highly thought of on Leeside, John Caulfield handed him his Premier Division debut for Cork City in 2015, aged just 17.

His qualities should complement Captain Shane Duggan and Dubliner Eoin Wearen in a revamped Limerick midfield. Having featured heavily in pre-season, it appears Coleman should be the deeper lying of a midfield trio. He featured in defence on occasion during his time as captain of the Rebels U19s, where he would lead them against HJK Helsinki and AS Roma in the 2016 UEFA Europa League.

It could be a breakthrough year for Coleman in the top-tier, under the guidance of a manager who enjoyed more than his share of seasons at the heart of the Super Blues midfield.

How they did last season:

League: While the Super Blues achieved the ultimate goal by surviving the choppy waters to retain their top-flight status, the season was one of upheaval and inconsistency throughout.

A seventh place finish doesn’t emphasize just how close Limerick sailed to relegation.

The opening day 5-1 hammering of Sligo Rovers, proved a false dawn, as Limerick failed to hit the heights consistently. They failed to score in 10 outings and were beaten 3-0 in half of those games.

With Martin Russell sacked after little more than a month of the season, Willie Boland had a lengthy interim spell in charge, which initially saw a five game unbeaten run. However, the Blues did need a permanent solution due to Boland’s lack of a UEFA Pro-Licence and looked to Englishman Neil McDonald.

McDonald immediately brought about change. Multiple switches in formation didn’t always yield positive results. After the mid-season release of Paul O’Conor, Shaun Kelly, Ian Turner and Robbie Williams, fans were bemused at the lack of replacements.

However, a cup run seemed to galvanise the side and Limerick became far more difficult to beat in the final third of the season. A surprise league triumph over eventual champions Cork showed the potential on Shannonside, but ultimately Limerick stumbled over the line, with Galway United’s failings aiding their survival, as Freddy Hall saved a penalty in the pivotal 2-2 tie in the Markets Field. Despite winning just four league games after the mid-season break, the side had enough credit in the bank to avoid the large trap door.
 

FAI Cup: After wins over Cobh Ramblers, Finn Harps, Galway United – Neil McDonald’s side eventually found a trip to Turners Cross a bridge too far. The facile victory in Cobh ended a run of four without victory, while 10-man Harps were eventually dispatched from the last 16. A dominant display at Eamonn Decay Park was perhaps one of the best under McDonald, which set up a Munster derby with Cup holders and champions elect Cork City.

An early Garry Buckley goal settled the tie as Limerick failed to create any clear opening for Tosi, Ogbene or Hungarian substitute Peter Berki. City had learned from their league defeat in Limerick and suffocated the influence of Ogbene in particular. It marked a best FAI Cup run in 23 years for the club.

EA Sports Cup: Interim manager Willie Boland oversaw a makeshift side well-beaten by Cork City at Markets Field. Familiar foe Garry Buckley notched, as did Shane Griffin, as John Caulfield’s side won 3-0 in Limerick for the second time in April. Teenager Barry Cotter, now of Ipswich Town, made his senior debut in an otherwise forgettable day for the Blues.

What to expect this season:

The bookmakers favourites for the drop will have one goal; survival. While Limerick shared that tag in 2015, the lack of a victory for 21 outings proved costly as Finn Harps relegated the Blues in a play-off.

The Limerick squad is, comparably at least, in better health than at the beginning of 2015, however, a new manager and wholesale squad changes mean that they may struggle to find their feet once more. Barrett’s knowledge of the club and it’s underage talent can only be positive, however the former Shamrock Rovers man is unproven at this level, having taken temporary charge of just one game in 2015, a 3-0 reverse at Athlone Town.

Pre-season has progressed positively to tame fans initial fears. McDonald’s departure on the first day back was quickly submerged with news that former fans favourite Barrett was given the reigns. The squad was assembled quickly and the Blues went unbeaten in games with Galway United, Cobh Ramblers, Shelbourne and Longford Town. Four clean sheets augers well but nobody is getting carried away on Shannonside.

Limerick will need Wearen, Duggan and their first choice attacker to form an understanding, while versatile Cillian Cantwell’s timely signature should aid a rather threadbare looking defence. Billy Dennehy and Daniel Kearns have something to prove after inconsistent spells with St. Patrick’s Athletic and Sligo Rovers respectively. Fans of other teams should watch for the emergence of home-grown winger William Fitzgerald and the improving Tony Whitehead, at centre-half.

It will no doubt be a struggle, with a most competitive Premier Division waiting, 21 of Limerick’s 40 points in 2017 were secured against the five sides finished below them in the table, three of which are now plying their trade in the second tier.

Securing a place in the Premier Division for 2019 would represent a good season for the Super Blues.

Title Odds: 80/1

First game: Sligo Rovers, away, is Limerick’s first tie of the season. The Blues suffered a 3-0 defeat in the Showgrounds last season. However, on the opening weekend last season, Limerick trumped the Bit o’ Red 5-1 in the Markets Field. The third clash between the sides finished 0-0 at Markets Field, Limerick’s only scoreless draw since July 2015.