Fairview face a huge final challenge

FAIRVIEW Rangers face a huge challenge this Sunday when they face Carrick United in the Munster Junior Cup final at Jackman Park (2.30pm).
Although Fairview enjoy a storied history in the provincial competition winning the coveted title on six occasions (1965, 1970, 1992, 1998, 1999 & 2000) they will enter Sunday afternoon’s decider as underdogs.
Carrick, beating Killester United 2-1 in the final, won last season’s FAI Junior Cup and during their run to the Munster Junior Cup Final they have already claimed the significant scalps of Newcastle West (5-0) and Regional United (1-0).
Fairview manager Jason Purcell, who is joined on the management team by Jimmy Sheehan, Stewart Fitzgerald and Kevin Keegan (physio), travelled to Waterford last week to watch Carrick against Waterford Bohs and came away more than impressed with Sunday’s opposition: “In fairness Carrick United are a very good side and even though we are playing them at home in Limerick you would still have to make Fairview the underdogs to win it. I’m not playing games saying that. I really mean it, Carrick really are excellent. They’re dogged, physical and they can really play football.
“They’ve been knocking on the door for the past two or three years in all the major competitions and their win in last season’s FAI Junior Cup was no fluke.”
To further complicate matters Jason Purcell’s squad have to deal with a Lawson Cup quarter-final clash with Carew Park tonight while the club are also gravely concerned about an injury to defender Martin Neary who they hope can recover in time for Sunday’s game. Meanwhile, in the Premier League, Fairview trail Pike Rovers by a single point with the sides scheduled to meet on Thursday, May 21 at the Fairgreen.
The drama is coming thick and fast for Fairview, but Jason Purcell wouldn’t have it any other way: “All I can tell you is we’re not giving up on anything. We have Carew Park in the Lawson Cup tonight, we’re hoping Pike will slip up in the league and, of course, we’re really looking forward to a Munster final on Sunday.
“The league really is in Pike’s hands, but we are still in the running in the other two cup competitions and both of those mean a lot to us.”
En route to this final Fairview have seen off Abbey Rovers (5-0), Geraldines (6-0), Ballynanty Rovers (3-0), Cork’s Ballyvolane (6-0), Clare’s Rineanna Rovers (1-0), Dungarvan United (1-0) and Carrick’s Waterford rivals Tramore AFC (1-0) at the semi-final stage.
“To be fair we’re playing some good stuff lately and scoring plenty of goals,” explained Jason Purcell.
“We were really delighted to beat Tramore - they’re the best side we’ve played all season. There wasn’t much between the sides that day. There was only ever going to be one goal in it and thankfully we got it.”
And, the Fairview Rangers manager is also appealing to the Limerick public to come out in force and support the ‘View on Sunday.
“To be honest about it, down the years, I’ve always felt that once a club got out of town they were representing Limerick and deserved the support of every other club.
“That’s the way I have always approached it and I would like to think that everyone will come out and support us this weekend.
“We’re representing Limerick in this final and I hope plenty of people will see it that way. It’s a huge ask for us to go and beat Carrick in the final. They have to be favourites.
“We’re still a very young side. We’re trying to re-create a team like the team that dominated the FAI Junior Cup, well that’s the plan anyway, but we still have a lot of work to do to get there. The lads are a good honest bunch, they’re really looking forward to Sunday and who knows if we get plenty of support and a bit of luck the game might go our way.”
Limerick clubs have won the MFA Cup 22 times with Pike Rovers last collecting the coveted title in 2007 while Ballynanty Rovers lost last year’s decider to Leeside.

Fairview Rangers: Rob Crowley, Michael Costello, Trevor Cosgrove, Brian Buckley, Cyril Maher, Paul Harmon, Eoin O’Sullivan, Brian Keating, Martin Neary, Darren Harrington, Ross Cosgrove, Willie O’Brien, Jonathan Grant, Jeffrey Judge, Colm Heffernan, Paudie Fitzgerald, Dave Morris, Robbie Kelleher & Christy Doyle.

Brian McDonnell