Limerick F.C.

association football club in Limerick, Ireland

Limerick Football Club was a football club based in Limerick, Ireland. The club currently play in the First Division of the League of Ireland. The first Limerick FC was created in 1937 and has had a number of names since its creation, known at different times as Limerick FC, Limerick United, and Limerick City. Under UEFA rules, the club could not get a licence to play in the First Division in 2007.[2] A separate club, Limerick 37, was formed to replace Limerick FC in the league and competed under this name for two seasons. Limerick 37 has been renamed as Limerick FC. Although the current Limerick FC and Limerick 37 are a different club to the original Limerick FC, however there has only ever been one senior football club in Limerick City at one time since 1937.

Limerick FC
Full nameLimerick Football Club
Nickname(s)"The Super Blues"
Founded1937
Dissolved2020
GroundJackman Park
Capacity2,450[1]
ManagerRepublic of Ireland Pat Scully
LeagueLOI First Division
20097th
WebsiteClub website

Limerick FC won the League of Ireland title twice, in the 1959-60 and 1979-80 seasons, and the FAI Cup twice, in 1971 and 1982. They also won the League of Ireland Cup three times, 1976–77, 1992–93 and 2001-02. The club has competed in European competitions on six occasions, playing against bigger clubs such as Real Madrid and Southampton FC.

Stadiums change

Limerick FC has used a number of stadiums around the city as their home ground over the years, including The Market's Field in Garryowen, Jackman Park on Carey's Road, Hogan Park in Rathbane, Thomond Park and Pike Rovers ground at Crossagalla. The Market's Field has always been considered to be the home of football in the city as the club enjoyed success at the venue and moving from there to Hogan Park heralded a serious decline in the club's fortunes. The club is currently using Jackman Park, which belongs to the Limerick District League (LDMC), for home games. It has a training base at Knocklisheen, on the north side of the city.[3]

Limerick F.C. in Europe change

Limerick played in European competitions six times in its history. In 12 matches they scored 7 goals and while the club never won a European game, it drew twice. One of those draws was at The Dell against a Southampton team that included former European Footballer of the Year Kevin Keegan and Mick Channon. In the home fixture famous rugby international Tony Ward played well against a Yugoslav international defender Ivan Golac. Limerick first competed in 1960 in the European Cup against Young Boys Berne, but suffered their heaviest aggregate defeat. Limerick moved their 1965 Cup Winners' Cup home leg to Dalymount Park - one of only two 'home' games played outside of Limerick. Interestingly, Pat Nolan is the only player ever to have scored for Limerick in Limerick in a European game.

The most famous European game was the 'home' match against Real Madrid in the European Cup in 1980. The match was played at Lansdowne Road where Dublin football fans stayed away en masse. Only 6,000 people watched the match. The final score 2-1 to Madrid.[4] Des Kennedy scored twice in the tie, one at home and one away. English born Left winger Johnny Matthews had a 'goal' disallowed. Had it been given he would have completed a unique treble, as he had previously scored in European competition against Manchester United and Celtic while at Waterford United.

Year Comp Versus Results and Limerick Scorers
1960 European Cup Young Boys Berne (H - Thomond Park) 0-5 (A) 2-4 Leo O'Reilly & George Lynam
1965 CWC CSKA Sofia (H - Dalymount Park) 1-2 Dick O'Connor (A) 0-2
1971 CWC Torino (H- Thomond Park) 0-1 (A) 0-4
1980 European Cup Real Madrid (H - Lansdowne Road) 1-2 Des Kennedy (A) 1-5 Des Kennedy
1981 UEFA Cup Southampton (H - Markets Field) 0-3 (A) 1-1 Tony Morris
1982 CWC AZ Alkmaar (H - Markets Field) 1-1 Pat Nolan (A) 0-1

Honours change

National titles change

Regional titles change

  • Munster Senior Cup: 11
    • 1937–38, 1948–49, 1953–54, 1958–59, 1962–63, 1976–77,
      1983–84, 1984–85, 1988–89, 1994–95, 2005–06

Players and managers change

Current squad change

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK   Republic of Ireland Jack Brady
2 DF   Republic of Ireland Shaun Kelly
3 DF   Republic of Ireland Kilian Cantwell
6 MF   Republic of Ireland Cian Coleman
7 MF   Republic of Ireland Eoin Wearen
8 MF   Republic of Ireland Shane Duggan (captain)
9 FW   Republic of Ireland Danny Morrissey
10 FW   Republic of Ireland Connor Ellis
11 DF   Republic of Ireland Shane Tracy
14 DF   Republic of Ireland Tomás O'Connor
15 DF   Republic of Ireland Killian Brouder
16 MF   Republic of Ireland William Fitzgerald
No. Pos. Nation Player
18 MF   Republic of Ireland Colm Walsh-O'Loughlin
19 DF   Republic of Ireland Alan Murphy
20 MF   Republic of Ireland Billy Dennehy
21 FW   Republic of Ireland Jeff McGowan
22 FW   Republic of Ireland Karl O'Sullivan
24 MF   Republic of Ireland Darren Murphy
25 DF   Republic of Ireland Clyde O'Connell
27 DF   Republic of Ireland Darren Dennehy
28 FW   Republic of Ireland Adam Foley
29 FW   Republic of Ireland Ger Barry
30 GK   Republic of Ireland Tommy Holland
77 MF   Netherlands Barry Maguire

Notable former managers change

Notable former players change

  •   Tom Aherne
  •   Sam Allardyce
  •   Terry Conroy
  •   Tim Cuneen
  •   Sean Cusack
  •   Eamon Deacy
  •   Ewan Fenton
  •   Al Finucane
  •   Kevin Fitzpatrick
  •   Johnny Gavin
  •   Tommy Gaynor
  •   Alfie Hale
  •   Billy Hamilton
  •   Eoin Hand
  •   Willie Hayes
  •   Rory Keane
  •   Des Kennedy
  •   Johnny Matthews
  •   Andy McEvoy
  •   John McGrath
  •   Turlough O'Connor
  •   Davy Walsh
  •   Johnny Walsh
  •   Tony Ward

References change

Other websites change