Jimmy Lee takes positives from Limerick's draw with Laois in National Football League

THE LIMERICK senior footballers will play their first home game of the year in the Allianz Football League against Down on Saturday at 2pm in Mick Neville Park.Down will provide a big challenge for Limerick on Saturday afternoon, the Ulster side have been heavily tipped for promotion from Division Three.

“In this Division you need to be able to dig deep because there is bigger challenges coming down the track. We will recover and look to Down, it won't be an easy task. It will be a difficult task, we will have to see where bodies are at and stuff. In saying all that and while it might be a difficult ask, I expect us to perform to our capabilities,” said Limerick senior football manager Jimmy Lee.

The Limerick senior footballers played out an exciting 0-13 to 1-10 draw with Laois in their Allianz Football League Division 3 opener at O'Moore Park, Portaloise on last Saturday night.

The sides were also level at half time with Limerick on 0-7 and Laois notching 1-4 after the opening 35 minutes. Jimmy Lee's side nudged into a one-point lead, 0-13 to 1-9, in second half injury time after Eliah Riordan landed a two-point free. However, home side Laois struck for a late equaliser through Niall Corbett to secure a share of the spoils.

Limerick senior football manager Jimmy Lee had mixed emotions after his side's draw with Laois.

“We were lucky to get out. It was a point gained if you look at the second half, but if you look at the first half, it was a point lost.

“Lads got game time in a League scenario, which is where is ahead of where we would ideally like them to be in their development. We have to take that as a positive”.

Lee was only able to call only able to call on seven of the Limerick starting XV that started against Kildare in the Tailteann Cup final last summer.

Captain Cillian Fahy, Tommie Childs, Tony McCarthy and Peter Nash all missed Saturday's night clash against Laois. Josh Ryan and Darragh O'Hagan remain long-term injury absentees. Emmet Rigter was introduced off the bench late on for the Shannonsiders.

Eliah Riordan, Jack McCarthy, Conall O Duinn and Diarmuid Buckley were some of the players to get an opportunity last weekend. O'Duinn and Paul Maher limped off through injury and manager Lee confirmed that they will both need to be assessed this week.

Barry Coleman captained Limerick against Laois in the absence of Cillian Fahy. Coleman's two pointer in the second half brought Limerick back into this contest.

“Leaders lead, and he stood up to the plate when needed. You must remember Barry is still a young lad. He is a young lad leading a team”, added Lee.

Down edged past Clare, Wexford defeated Fermanagh and Westmeath just did enough to get past Sligo in the three other games in Division Three.