First Division in review: Limerick end a long wait

The season Limerick dreamed about for almost two decades finally arrived in 2012 as the Shannonsiders topped the First Division and in turn, secured promotion to the top flight. Despite losing to second-placed Waterford United on all four meetings, Pat Scully's team  finished four points ahead of their Munster rivals.

 

In 20 games against the teams outside the top three, Limerick won eighteen and lost just once; the penultimate game of the season against Wexford Youths. Shane Tracy topped the scoring charts for the champions while Rory Gaffney became the most exciting prospect on Shannonside.

 

Limerick secured a record five spots in the PFAI First Division Team of the Year; an accolade that reflects the Blues consistency all year. In a season which was all about the results for Scully, seeing Pat Purcell lifting the First Division trophy confirmed a job well done.

 

Waterford United were left rueing a poor start to the season as they missed out on promotion at the last hurdle. Having finished four points behind  Limerick, Waterford  faced a play-off against Longford Town, which they won 3-1 on aggregate. That set up a duel with bottom of the Premier Division Dundalk. Despite bossing the first leg, they could only muster up a 2-2 draw and were defeated 2-0 in the RSC in the second leg.

 

Positives from the season included the quartet of Limerick wins, and the development of young players in thesquad, none more so that Sean Maguire. The 18-year-old finished joint top scorer in his first full season and will no doubt be of much interest to Premier Division clubs during the off-season.

 

Paul O’Brien looks to be staying on for next season, with chairman John O’Sullivan also set to remain as chairman, but a vast reduction in money invested may play a deciding role on how next season pans out.

 

At the outset Longford Town looked like the team who would run Limerick close, but Waterford’s good mid season form saw the midlanders  settle for a third place finish. That was enough to give Tony Cousins' outfit a place in the play-off with Waterford, though an awful start in the first leg left them with a mountain to climb; eventually losing 2-0 at home and only managing a draw in the second leg at the RSC.

 

The emergence of Thomas Crawley was a huge positive for The Town, while  Keith Gillespie and Noel Haverty were also named in the PFAI Team of the Year.

 

Wexford Youths’ manager Shane Keegan will be very happy with his first season in charge at Ferrycarrig Park. They started well and Keegan’s plans for the next few season may now be moved forward after a good fourth place finish.

 

The Youths finished just 11 points outside of the play-off spot and will be looking to push Longford  and Waterford next season. Danny Furlong’s end of season form ensured a good finish, with season highlights including two wins over south-east rivals Waterford; one being a 6-0 demolition on the opening day of the season.

 

Finn Harps will be disappointed with an inconsistent season and, despite a fifth place finish, Peter Hutton’s side managed just ten wins from their 28 games. Beating Longford Town three times is one of their highlights and they managed to win more points that last season in two less games, with 36 points from 28 games, compared to 28 from 30 games in 2011.

 

Hutton has already penned a deal to stay with the club for the 2013 season and, with a number of young players still learning their trade, the manager’s work during the off-season will be important to help push Harps closer to the promotion places next season.

 

A sixth-placed finish for Athlone Town is not what the club had in mind when the season began. Boasting the only player [Brian McCarthy] in the PFAI Team of the Year outside of the top three, Athlone's weakness this year came in front of goal.

 

In order to progress in this division, you must win your home games. Athlone scored just fourteen goals in fourteen games at home – a poor return from the Midlanders. Noel McGee chipped in with his consistent tally of goals; totalling seven this year. Finishing just nine points from bottom, Athlone will have to improve drastically next year in order to challenge for promotion.

 

Mervue United battled it out with Galway neighbours SD Galway in a tussle to avoid the wooden spoon. The club will not be happy with the regression in terms of placement, but in a season where the club will be discarded in terms of title race, a sense of continuity shone through at Fahy's Field.

 

United's biggest achievement this year will have arrived in the FAI Cup: qualifying for the quarter-finals. Johnny Glynn's young side will be much more experienced heading into next season and some young talent is beginning to take the forefront. Mervue showed their potential this season; next season must be about fulfilling it.

 

Re-branded as SD Galway before the beginning of the season and moved out of Drom, Salthill Devon finished bottom of the pile in the First Division.

 

Despite finishing last, however, they secured nine more points this season than last year, with two less games played. They also tightened their defensive record by halving the negative goal difference from last season. Despite the minor positives, Salthill will not be happy with their season in the second tier and will have to make vast improvements in order to become competitive next term