2 weeks Ago By Paul Shaughnessy
LIMERICK senior football manager Jimmy Lee said it will be a challenge for his side to play four weekends in-a-row on this Saturday. In the last three weekends, the Shannonsiders’ have maintained their unbeaten record against Wicklow, Waterford and Wexford in Division 4 of the Allianz Football League. Limerick's are bidding to create history by recording a championship victory over Cork for the first time since 2003.
Last year, Lee's side suffered a defeat to Cork in the Munster SFC quarter-final. “It's a step up, we need to look at the bodies. There's squad depth there, we'll face Cork with whatever team we have.
I'll be happy enough doing that,” added Limerick manager Lee. Lee's side host Cork on Saturday evening in the TUS Gaelic Grounds at 6pm in the Munster championship. “It is a big challenge because you're four weekends on the trot.
Dylan Kenny is the S&C guy, he's put in massive work with lads. He has them in great shape. They'll be resilient enough in their levels of fitness to sustain it.
” Limerick are very focused on their performance ahead of this weekend's clash against Cork. “These lads would love the opportunity to perform against Cork. It's a Munster championship, it always feels that bit different for them.
At the end of the day, it's about controlling our own performance. “If we put in a performance it may be an opportunity to take a scalp. They're a Division 2 outfit, if a result had gone either way they'd probably be a Division 1 outfit.
We'll focus on our own performance.” The Newcastle West native feels last weekend's Division 4 league title is a huge boost for this current group of Limerick footballers. “It's humongous for the boys inside there.
Some of them, you look at Killian Ryan, Tommie Childs, Iain Corbett, you know, they were here in 2022 (Division Three League final). But to win silverware is momentous for them, I am absolutely thrilled for them. “Paul Maher is there as well, Danny (Neville), Nasher (Peter Nash).
It's massive for these lads, and the youngsters as well. Winning silverware, it builds characters, do you know what I mean?” Mark McCarthy, Darragh O'Hagan, Andrew Meade and Emmet Rigter are some of the younger players that have impressed for Limerick throughout the spring. “As a manager you couldn't be more happy where the younger lads are at.
There's that level of competition for places there. It's something that you would always be keen to develop.” Jimmy's brother Billy Lee has previously managed Limerick and he brought them from Division 4 to Division 2.
Jimmy is in his second year in charge of the Limerick footballers this year. Lee guided his club club Newcastle West to a Munster final in 2022 where they came up short against Kerins O'Rahillys, of Kerry. “You'd have always been involved in it in the house, let it be hurling or football.
My mother was very involved in the local club in Newcastle West. That's where we get it from, my sister Margaret was the chairperson of the Newcastle club. “Joe does work with the ladies, I suppose we grew up with it.
Billy and Joe were involved with county teams going up along, the GAA is always in the background for us.” Jimmy Lee says he often leans on his brother Billy for advice when it comes to inter-county football. “He'd offer (advice) anyways, would I listen that's the question? We'd have our own ways of thinking, but at the same time, we'd always have that support network.
The passion and the drive would stem from my mother. “Joe and Billy would have got involved earlier, it was only whn I managed Newcastle, it was actually Joe who asked me would I get involved in the role. That's how I ended up in the role.
”.
