Barrett urges home crowd to lift Limerick

LIMERICK FC boss Tommy Barrett wants the home crowd to make a difference as his side fight tonight for the right to stay in the Premier Division, WRITES AIDAN FITZMAURICE.

Finn Harps take a 1-0 lead from the first leg of the promotion/relegation play-off to the Markets Field, Paddy McCourt with the key goal.

Limerick have other battles to fight, a court date later this month as part of a winding-up order by the Revenue Commissioners over unpaid taxes, but manager Barrett is keen for locals to back the Blues in a game they need to win.

“The crowd makes a massive difference. There was a good crowd up to support us in Donegal. In fairness, they are vocal and they’ll get behind us; we want a passionate crowd but I would ask for a bit of patience as well,” he says.

“We have to be careful – whilst we have to go out and attack, and try to get the win, we have to be careful not to leave ourselves open to a second goal because that would really kill us.”

Harps travel south in confidence, one factor of the fixture being the departure from football of McCourt. The former Northern Ireland international turns 35 next month and he will retire from playing to focus on his role as head of youth development at Derry City.