Limerick District League weekend junior soccer preview

The FAI Junior Cup takes centre stage this weekend when we will find who goes on to represent the League in the open stages of the competition. 

We have two all-Premier ties when Fairview Rgs host Newport and Nenagh AFC take on Charleville. In the other two games the Premier sides, Balla and Regional face tricky assignments away to Hyde Rgs A and Herbertstown respectively.

Following their victory over Pike Rovers in the MFA, Regional followed up with another impressive result beating Geraldines 5-1 last weekend.

They travel to Herbertstown as strong favourites against a Division 2A side, much better than their league standing suggests.

I imagine this week’s training will see manager Sean Russell drilling into his side about the danger of complacency.

The Dooradoyle club were already caught a couple of times this season, dropping five points to the bottom two sides in the league.

That said, the Premier side are in fine form and full of confidence. Winning the Munster Junior Cup will have given them a real hope of a prolonged run in the national competition.

Record winners of the competition Fairview Rangers are at home to Newport on Saturday evening.

Hopes of a successful campaign took a blow for the Blues when they lost a number of key players.

Since then, they have regrouped and are finding their feet with a new look side. They will get better with each game.

They meet a Newport side who have adjusted to life in the top flight comfortably. They do not have the same pressure of expectation that Fairview must live with allowing them a freedom which may stand to them.

Two sides who will treat this cup run as a bonus are Nenagh AFC and Charleville who meet at the Tipperary venue.

Neither side have been able to get a run going in the league but with that pressure off we could get an exciting tie.

The final game in the FAI sees last season’s beaten semi finalist’s Ballynanty Rvs travel across town to meet Hyde Rgs.

Balla surprisingly exited the MFA at the hands of Carew Park in recent weeks and then dropped some crucial league points at Nenagh.

They have had a break which will have given the side time to regroup and they will be well geared up for Sunday’s clash.

They meet a Hyde Rgs side going well in the league and already out of town in the Munster Junior Cup. They already have a Premier scalp in the guise of Mungret.

With nothing to lose they will enjoy the challenge but know they face an uphill battle. 

There are a couple of important Premier League games scheduled with some crucial survival points on offer.

Mungret Reg take on a Geraldines side smarting from a 5-1 defeat to Regional last weekend while Carew Park welcome bottom side Coonagh Utd.

This week’s midweek action saw Limerick’s Inter County Youth side continue their quest for glory with their second group game at home to the Clare DL on Thursday evening.

The concession of a late equaliser in their opener with the Kerry DL, left a sour taste in the mouth after what was a fine performance overall.

The FAI Under U17 Cup continues apace with three games up for decision.

Pike Rvs will be strongly fancied at home to Holycross.

Newcomers Lough Derg host Aisling Annacotty and Fairview Rgs are at home Kilmallock.

In the Munster Youth Cup Cappamore welcome Mungret Reg while Charleville host Fairview Rgs.

The top two sides in the Premier A League cross swords on Sunday when Kilmallock welcome Janesboro to the county venue.

Both sides are locked on 19 points although Janesboro have played a game less.

Trying to keep pace with the leading group are Summerville Rvs who host Corbally Utd and Aisling B who welcome a struggling Murroe side.

Division 1A leaders Regional United face a difficult assignment away to Ballylanders while Division 1B leaders Lisnagry are in local derby action at Newport.

Division Div 2B also hosts a game between the top sides when Mungret Reg D welcome Ballynanty Rvs B to the Cement Factory grounds.