Successive wins could ease relegation worries

BACK-to-back wins for the first time in the National Football league since 2006 could ease Limerick’s relegation worries this Saturday.
On foot of last Sunday’s impressive win over promotion-seeking Down Mickey Ned O’Sullivan’s Limerick travel to Pearse Park to play fellow strugglers Longford this Saturday (2.30pm).


Saturday’s round six game is a meeting of the bottom two sides in the league - two teams are to be relegated to Division Four.
Limerick enter Saturday’s game with two wins from five starts while with new manager Glen Ryan at the helm Longford opened their NFL campaign with a win and a draw, but have lost their last three outings to slump to the bottom of the league table.
Ryan, Kildare’s former inspirational captain, is boosted by the return of ace-attacker Brian Kavanagh, who was centre-forward on Kilmacud Crokes All-Ireland club winning side on St. Patrick’s Day.
For the vital clash, Limerick could have to plan without speedy wing-forward Stephen Kelly as Shannon have an AIL rugby tie on Saturday afternoon.
Kelly kicked the winning point last weekend and the Newcastle West man was one of four players (Pa Ranahan, Jim O’Donovan, Kieran O’Callaghan) who made their first starts of the league in the win over Down.
That game also marked the first appearance of Bruff’s Bobby O’Brien at senior inter-county level.
Absent last weekend were Seanie Buckley (hamstring), Diarmuid Carroll (groin) and Maurice Carrig (knee) and all three are making steady progress. Midfielder Thomas Cahill misses out due to a suspension for picking up two yellow cards.
Dual players Stephen Lucey and Mark O’Riordan were on hurling duty last weekend, but could asked to make themselves available to both squads in the space of 24 hours this Saturday and Sunday.
After the trip to Longford just a visit to Tullamore to play Offaly on April 12 remains in Limerick’s efforts to avoid relegation.
With Longford also needing a result, nothing will be easy this Saturday.
The Limerick footballers will look for improvement in all sectors of the field - to date, Limerick have the poorest attacking and defensive record in the league.
Last year, Longford were 3-5 to 2-7 winners in the Gaelic Grounds while back in 2006 the teams finished all-square.
The bookies make Limerick slight favourites on Saturday to make it third time lucky against the midlanders - hopefully they are proved correct.

Jerome O’Connell