LIMERICK FC will be in action twice over the bank holiday weekend as their season reaches a pivotal juncture. On Friday evening, Martin Russell’s men host Shelbourne in the First Division (kick-off 7:15pm).
The match was moved forward by 24 hours due to the Super Blues’ involvement in the EA Sports Cup semi-finals on Monday evening, when they travel to meet Derry City.
Limerick have already beaten two Premier Division sides to get to this stage of the competition, winning 4-0 against Wexford Youths and 2-0 against Galway United. However, with Derry in a good run of form and occupying third position in the top flight, not to mention the arduous trek north to The Brandywell, victory on Monday would represent Limerick’s best result of a near perfect season so far.
Three days before that semi-final clash, the Super Blues welcome Shelbourne to the Markets Field as they edge closer to promotion. Limerick ran out 5-1 winners over the Dublin outfit in April and shaded a seven-goal thriller between the teams at Tolka Park at the end of May.
Last Friday, Russell’s side went 20 points clear after a 2-0 victory away to struggling Athlone Town. Aaron Greene opened the scoring with an early goal and Robbie Williams’ header just after the hour sealed yet another three points for the Super Blues.
Limerick could now be promoted as early as August 13, when they host Cabinteely in a game that has been moved forward to a 2pm kick off so as to avoid a clash with the International Champions Cup meeting of Celtic and Inter Milan at Thomond Park that evening.
Even if the job isn’t quite done by that weekend, Limerick’s promotion to the Premier Division is coming. Whether it will be clinched with a cup final to anticipate is another matter. If so, it promises to be quite an autumn for soccer on Shannonside.
