NEWLY-signed Limerick FC striker Dean Clarke is fit and ready for his debut season on Shannonside, having arrived from UCD shortly before Christmas.
The 21-year-old had a difficult 2014, missing out on the majority of the season through a serious back injury and then seeing his team-mates suffer relegation at the hands of Galway in the play-offs.
He has teamed up once more with Martin Russell, under whom he became a key player for the Students, and the Dubliner is raring to go for Limerick’s first league outing against Bohemians on March 7.
Clarke said: “I’ve enjoyed it. Training full-time is something I’ve done before and at previous clubs I’ve always tried to keep myself as full-time as possible. On my days off I’ve been in the gym or trying to do something that will keep me up to the same level as people who I’ll be playing against.
“I’ve actually been delighted with my fitness. I haven’t had any problems and through the off-season I was worried that once I started training full-time, I might have had a little niggle. I thought the gym and the heavy lifting might have caused problems but I haven’t felt a thing, even with being on the astro the whole time. That can aggravate players a bit but so far so good for me.”
With Rory Gaffney joining Cambridge towards the end of 2014, Limerick were left with a significant void in terms of strikers, but Clarke proved adept at finding the net during his time at Belfield and, with Russell and several of his former UCD team-mates alongside him at Limerick, he has settled in seamlessly to life by the Shannon.
He has, in fact, already been on target for the Super Blues, scoring twice in their 3-1 win against Leeds in the Munster Senior Cup in late January.
“I thought Rory really came to life when Martin came in. I know he got a few goals before but the way he finished the season was something else. I’ve been playing under Martin since I was 18 and he’s always found me a way to get goals, so hopefully he can do it again here,” said Clarke.
Another Limerick FC striker aiming to make a name for himself in 2015 is Ross Mann. The 19-year-old made his first team debut last year and also received a call-up to the Republic of Ireland under 19 squad.
He is optimistic that first team opportunities will be more frequent this season, one which he is relishing as the club returns to the Markets Field.
The teenager from Kilcornan said: “Hopefully now I’ll come on and play a lot more games this year. I want to get goals and assists under my belt and to push on from last year.
“As a group in pre-season we’ve just been focusing on football. We’ve got nothing to do with the off-field problems. We’re just focused on the first game against Bohemians on March 7; that’s all we’re thinking about.
“It’s exciting to have our own pitch again. It was hard playing at Thomond Park and it’s good to have our own pitch again. Maybe more people will come to support us and hopefully it’ll be a good season.
“Everyone is excited as a group. We’re going to be in the new pitch where hopefully there’ll be a great atmosphere and hopefully we can get off to a good start against Bohs and push on from there. Shamrock Rovers and them have bought a lot of players but hopefully we’ll come together as a group and be a very hard team to beat. Hopefully I can keep impressing Martin in training and get games under my belt.”
Mann is also hoping for another fruitful year at international level as he targets a place in the Ireland squad for the European Under 19 Championship in March, where the Boys in Green will take on Germany, Czech Republic and Slovakia.
Speaking about his Irish call-up, he said: “It’s a very good experience. I got the call last year from Paul Doolin and he’s a very good manager. Hopefully I might get the call for the Euros in March and see where I’ll go from there.
“It’s a very tough group. You mightn’t think Slovakia are great but they’re seeded third in the world at under 19 level and it’s a very hard group, but Paul has got a very good record. We beat Netherlands 1-0 and hopefully we’ll do well in the group.”
