Limerick host Sligo in crucial Allianz Football League fixture

LIMERICK'S senior footballers play their third Allianz Football League Division 3 fixture this afternoon when they welcome Sligo to Mick Neville Park in Rathkeale.

Jimmy Lee has endured a tough start in the senior management hot seat after losses to Antrim and Down in their opening two games but will be hoping for big improvements against a Sligo side that reached the 2023 Connacht SFC final.

It has been well flagged that Limerick are down 17 players from last year's panel but Lee needs his new recruits to hit the ground running in the coming games.

Following the fixture, Limerick travel to Westmeath, before hosting Clare in their fifth game. Games against Wicklow and Offaly complete their fixtures in March.

Limerick have a -23 scoring average from their first two games and issues up front and in defence have blighted their campaign thus far. Lee's charges made a positive start against Down, before the northern side took full control.

There were also plenty of positives to take from the Antrim loss but Lee will know only too well that results will define Limerick's progress during his tenure.

Tony McEntee has led Sligo to one win and one defeat from their games to date. They lost out to Clare by a solitary point in their opening league fixture and then saw off Wicklow in their second fixture one a 2-10 to 1-11 scoreline.

McEntee boasts some exciting talent within his ranks and can call on several players that reached the All-Ireland U20 football final last year where Sligo lost out to Kildare. They senior sides drew 0-14 to 0-14 in the All-Ireland series last May.

Limerick will again be underdogs heading into this fixture in Rathkeale. They last met in the league back in 2020 with Limerick earning a two-point win. The game on Sunday has a 2pm start in Rathkeale