would like to offer a special welcome to our vis-itors from Longford Town to this afternoon’sAirtricity U19 League match, the first of whatpromises to be a very special season for us, hereat LIT/St.Nessan’s. We’ve had a very exciting off-season which has created a sense of anticipationand expectation around the team. The summer started off brightly with no lessthan nine players receiving call-ups to Nationaltraining squads which gave great experience tothe players and gave huge credence to whatwe’re trying to achieve here in Limerick with ourapproach to underage football. Four of theseplayers, Ronan Coughlan, Val Feeney, MichaelGuerin and Ross Mann were called up for full in-ternational duty with the Irish U18s in Ipswichfor some friendly matches and to have four ofour players on the Official National Squad wasa huge achievement for all involved in the cur-rent U19 and scouting structure.This was followed by the wonderful resultsachieved by Declan Farmer, his backroom staffand especially our U19 players in their magnifi-cent Macron Galway Cup win a few weeks ago.Defeating Elite squads from Salthill Devon andCork City on the way to lifting the trophy, it wasa competition won in fine style.

A successful summer was rounded out with apre-season tour of the UK where the U19 squaddefeated Huddersfield’s and Blackpool’s respec-tive Development squads, both by large margins.It was a huge statement about the quality of ourunderage set-up and it was done in front ofsome very high-profile people, who have beenhugely complimentary of our squads.The coming season needs to build on the recentsuccess. Promotion to the Elite Division is ourtarget and we hope to get off to the best possiblestart. With your support, I’ve no doubt that ouryoung stars can continue to impress.

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Chairman’s Welcome.A word from our Chairman, Pat O’Sullivan

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PAT O’SULLIVAN

Nathan MurrayGavin WhyteColm MurphyTony WhiteheadPaudie O'ConnorMark HobanNathan KellyShane WalshKieran HanlonSeán McSweeneyCian O'DonoghueJames McGrathGavin DillonAJ O'ConnorMatt KeaneEvan ShineConor McGuireRoss FitzgeraldMikey GreedEvan CusackTadhg RyanVal FeeneyShane CostelloeRoss MannMichael Guerin

1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.

10.11.12.13.14.15.16.17.18.19.20.21.22.23.24.25.

MANAGERDECLAN FARMER

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Manager: Mark ConnorsDavid McNamaraDarren McGarrySean DuarteKarl ByrneJamie MulhallGiordano CinelliAdam CoatesDean MurphyCiarán GroganBrian McNamaraKarl MaloneCraig FitzgeraldPaul KennedyDylan NolanJoe LawrenceLee HigginsAlex O'CallaghanAdrian BajgoraAaron BrillyDylan McKeeverDarren ClarkeRyan Carberry

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10.11.12.13.14.15.16.17.18.19.20.21.22.23.

MANAGERMARTIN RUSSELL

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LONGFORD TOWN

LONGFORD TOWN

ood afternoon and welcome to the first game ofour Under-19 Southern Division season againstLongford Town. We extend a warm welcome toour visitors today. They are a very good teamwho are well organised. We’ve had themwatched twice in pre-season. They are not thesame Longford team that we faced last year.They have looked at over 60 players, so theyhave stepped it up this year in terms of whatthey want to do and how they want to developplayers. It should be a good and even game. We’lltake each week as it comes. Our goal this seasonis to get the club into the Elite Division, but thefirst thing to concentrate on is today’s game andthen build from here. I’ve been really happy withhow pre-season preparations have gone thisyear. In the last couple of seasons, we’ve scoredthe most goals but we’ve also conceded a lot.One of the things we wanted to do this year wasimprove in the centre of defence, and the younglads we’ve brought in and those who developedthrough last season and who are stronger meanswe look more solid at the back. The one goal weconceded was from a mistake, so overall we’repleased with how it has gone. We’ve tried differ-ent formations as well in pre-season, so depend-ing on the opposition or how a game is going,we can change around. The trip to England lastweek has also really cemented the group. Wespoke to them individually after it and they all

said that there was good banter within the squadand that there were no cliques or anything likethat, so that’s good to hear. All the players arebuzzing and can’t wait to get going. As I’ve said,our aim this year is to win promotion to the toptier, but when I took this job at the beginning, Iknew that the main thing was to develop playersfor the first-team squad and that’s what we’vebeen doing. We’re certainly up there as one ofthe top clubs in Ireland doing that, and it re-mains the objective going into this season. Butwe also need to be playing against the betterplayers in a better league. Players are only goingto get better and better that way, so hopefullywe can reach both of our targets this term.

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ManagersNotes.

Matchday notes from U19 Limerick FC manager, Declan Farmer.

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DECLAN FARMER