AS HIS Limerick FC team prepares to face Cobh Ramblers for the second time in four days, and third in a month, Martin Russell is expecting a very different game in the EA Sports Cup from the sides’ First Division encounter at the weekend, which Limerick won 6-1.
The Super Blues hit the goal trail in front of their own fans at Markets Field on Saturday, but tonight they travel south to St Colman’s Park, where they have actually come unstuck against Cobh in one cup competition already this year, Ramblers winning in the Munster Senior Cup a month ago.
With Limerick already looking very strong favourites for an immediate return to the Premier Division, the team and fans will no doubt crave a good run in the cups in 2016, something that is not lost on Russell.
“It will be very different [tonight]. It’s on the opposite end in terms of playing conditions, so it will be a different game. What we know for definite is that every time we play Cobh, they’ll be competitive and we want to try and go as far as we can in the cup competitions. We’ll look at how the boys recover before we see what team we put out against them.”
In terms of pitting themselves against leading Premier Division opposition in the cups this year, Russell said: “We’re looking for that day to come sooner rather than later but we’ve got to work our way through the league and make sure we’re in the Premier next year. If we play [Premier teams] and challenge them in cup matches, that’ll be good as well but we’ll take it as it comes.”
Reflecting on Limerick’s emphatic win on Saturday, the manager was quite pleased with how his side continued to push for goals in the closing stages of the game, scoring thrice in the final eight minutes.
“We kept going to the final whistle, scored six goals and conceded one, so we have to be happy with that. Cobh worked very hard. It was only 1-0 at half-time and they were making us work for everything, but we kept on going as we have done since the start of the season and we’ve been rewarded.
“I think it’s good when people come and they see goals and see teams trying to attack and play. We definitely did that tonight, albeit late on in the game, and it’s a testament to the lads that they keep going to the end. They’ve got a hunger and desire to get more goals.”
Russell was also happy to see six different players getting on the scoresheet at the weekend, including substitutes Garbhan Coughlan and John O’Flynn, and he declared himself very satisfied with the depth of his squad, something Limerick have not really had in recent seasons.
“We want that competition [for places]. We want to be able to bring freshness to the team at different times. Lee-J [Lynch], who came in for Garbhan, has done very well and we feel we’ve got a squad, as opposed to just an 11, who can encourage each other and be competitive with each other.
“When people come off the bench you always say ‘make an impact’ and that’s what the two lads did. We want that and I’m glad we have that. Especially as a forward player, you want to hit the back of the net and they’ve all looked threatening in the games so far. There’s goals in the team from different areas and that’s good to see. Let’s see more of that if we can. “
