Limerick manager Tommy Barrett delighted with second-half performance after Danny Morrissey's late goal secures a point at Shamrock Rovers. “I think in the second half we were really good. We played on the front foot and they dropped deeper and deep
Limerick manager Tommy Barrett delighted with second-half performance after Danny Morrissey's late goal secures a point at Shamrock Rovers.
“I think in the second half we were really good. We played on the front foot and they dropped deeper and deeper.
“Danny missed a good chance, probably the best chance of the game, a header from two yards out,” reflected Barrett. “But then he got a cracking goal and I was delighted to get the draw.”
Tommy is sanguine about Limerick’s current league position. “I keep saying there’s still a lot to play for – there’s 60 odd points. We haven’t had a full team yet. We’ve had lots of injuries. The fixture list means overloading players and putting players under too much pressure. I know it’s the same for everybody, but Rovers had an extra day’s recovery. They’re not excuses they’re just facts. With a light squad as we have we need everyone available. Hopefully we can be competitive when we get all our players back.”
Barrett’s scant resources were stretched still further when injury struck during the first half. We had to take Conor Clifford off last night, early; he was feeling a bit tight. That’s us overloading him as well, because we needed him on the pitch.”
Barrett’s goalkeeper probably turned in a Man of the Match performance in Tallaght. “Brendan Clarke had been excellent all year. You can’t fault him; his professionalism. He’s one of the top keepers in the league We’re lucky to have him.”
The visiting manager conceded the Hoops supremacy early on. “Rovers came at us in the first half; played a 3-5-2 system. We were alright for the first fifteen minutes and then started to struggle.”
“We changed it after 35 minutes,” said the Limerick boss of his second substitution of the night, which brought Sean Kelly in for Connor Ellis. “We matched them up and did very well.”
“It’s just another game to be honest,” said Barrett of next week’s encounter with fellow basement strugglers Bray. “It’s just another three points. We have to worry about ourselves and we’re capable of taking three points off any team in this league.”
Tommy Barrett signs off on an upbeat note. “The lads work very hard. We played some very good football in patches. We had a purpose. We played out from the back, down the wings and got at them – created some good chances.”
