FOR the first time since it reopened nearly two years ago, Markets Field will host the hotly anticipated Munster derby between Limerick FC and Cork City when the teams clash on Friday night in Garryowen (kick-off 7:45pm).
The Super Blues will be the latest team to try and end Cork’s perfect start to the season, with the league leaders registering six wins out of six so far in the Premier Division and buoyant on the back of last weekend’s triumph over champions Dundalk.
Limerick manager Martin Russell is under no illusions as to the challenge that lies in store against the Leesiders, saying: “We’ve produced some good performances so far, but it will take a bigger and better performance again to get a result on Friday night.
“We know we’ll have to be at our best. Cork are top of the pile and come here with an unblemished record. I think they’ll go fairly close to getting that long awaited league title and there’s no bigger challenge in the league right now, but we’ll give everything we can to get a result.
“It’s an appetising fixture as they’ll be looking to continue their perfect start and, in a Munster derby, of course we want to do well for ourselves. We know we’ll need a very good standard of performance.”
While John Caulfield’s men enter the game in impeccable form, Limerick also take to the field on Friday on the back of a hugely positive result last weekend.
The Super Blues came away from their trip to the Carlisle Grounds with a 1-0 win away to a Bray Wanderers side that had begun the season impressively. Paul O’Conor’s stunning thunderbolt in the sixth minute ensured that Russell’s men claimed the points for their first win since the opening game of the league.
The victory moved them up to seventh in the table and Russell hailed the clean sheet which means Limerick have conceded just four times in five matches, the joint-second best defensive record in the Premier Division.
“It was a great test of character [against Bray]. We could have felt sorry for ourselves after recent results but we gave a performance with heart in a very tough place to go.
“The team has worked hard to improve all round the pitch. We’re not conceding many goals and I’m pleased with our defensive record so far, so we just need to work hard to keep it going.”
