Limerick eye crucial Allianz League clash with Wexford in Rathkeale

ALTHOUGH winless in their first two outings back in Division 3 of the Allianz Football League, there have been plenty of positives for Jimmy Lee and his Limerick side to take as they prepare for the visit of Wexford to Mick Neville Park on Sunday.

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Lee and his management team have been experimental in the opening two rounds of this year's league, fielding a mixture of youth and experience, with the Shannonsiders performing admirably against Laois and Down, who are among the favourites to win promotion from the division.

A late Eliah O'Riordan two-pointer ensured Limerick would leave O'Moore Park with a point three weeks ago.

The Treaty County looked to be on course to pick up their second point when level late on with Down at Mick Neville Park last time out, but a late Shane Annett point in the 74th minute meant that Conor Laverty's side would be leaving Rathkeale with two points, maintaining their 100% start.

After the match, manager Jimmy Lee was disappointed that his side didn't take something from the tie with their Ulster opponents.

"We're disappointed, no points on the board which is the big thing for us, we were a bit up and down in the first half, we didn't do what we said we would and you get nothing for moral victories, so I suppose it's hard at the moment to put it into words,” Lee said.

"The lads know it, we just have to dust ourselves off and go again against Wexford."

Despite his disappointment, Lee acknowledged that there were positives to take from his side's one-point defeat.

"There were positives to take away from it absolutely, there will always be positives, it's just that the initial reaction after the game is the disappointment factor.

"We’ll sit down and have a look at it, there were positives and negatives, but at the end of the day, they're young fellas and they're trying their best.

"I think we finished the game with only six or seven players from the Tailteann Cup final so we have to put that into context too.

"We just have to dust ourselves off and go again, we are in the exact same position that we were in last year, the next match is very important and that's the reality of it."

Lee admits that the belief to challenge teams in Division 3 ‘will always be there’ within the group.

"That belief will always be there. We've just got to believe in ourselves. That inner belief is there and they're getting there, but as I say, we've got to consistently do it and this is where we need to go with it.

"Division 3 football is hard and you get no points for moral victories, we just need to start managing games a bit better.”

Lee paid tribute to the younger members of the panel who have been given minutes in the opening two rounds.

"They're buying into the coaching, they're buying in to what the lads are doing with them and it's a great coaching team that's there."