Limerick F.C.

Limerick Football Club was a football club based in Limerick, Ireland. The club currently play in the First Division of the League of Ireland. The first Limerick FC was created in 1937 and has had a number of names since its creation, known at different times as Limerick FC, Limerick United, and Limerick City. Under UEFA rules, the club could not get a licence to play in the First Division in 2007.RTE Website - Limerick FC fail in licence bid, 15 December 2006. Retrieved on 26 February 2008. A separate club, Limerick 37, was formed to replace Limerick FC in the league and competed under this name for two seasons. Limerick 37 has been renamed as Limerick FC. Although the current Limerick FC and Limerick 37 are a different club to the original Limerick FC, however there has only ever been one senior football club in Limerick City at one time since 1937.

Limerick FC won the League of Ireland title twice, in the 1959-60 and 1979-80 seasons, and the FAI Cup twice, in 1971 and 1982. They also won the League of Ireland Cup three times, 1976–77, 1992–93 and 2001-02. The club has competed in European competitions on six occasions, playing against bigger clubs such as Real Madrid and Southampton FC.

Stadiums
Limerick FC has used a number of stadiums around the city as their home ground over the years, including The Market's Field in Garryowen, Jackman Park on Carey's Road, Hogan Park in Rathbane, Thomond Park and Pike Rovers ground at Crossagalla. The Market's Field has always been considered to be the home of football in the city as the club enjoyed success at the venue and moving from there to Hogan Park heralded a serious decline in the club's fortunes. The club is currently using Jackman Park, which belongs to the Limerick District League (LDMC), for home games. It has a training base at Knocklisheen, on the north side of the city.Raleigh, David, Limerick reaches agreement on a 'long-term' land deal, Limerick Independent, 01 October 2008.  Retrieved on 26 February 2008.

Limerick F.C. in Europe
Limerick played in European competitions six times in its history. In 12 matches they scored 7 goals and while the club never won a European game, it drew twice. One of those draws was at The Dell against a Southampton team that included former European Footballer of the Year Kevin Keegan and Mick Channon. In the home fixture famous rugby international Tony Ward played well against a Yugoslav international defender Ivan Golac.
Limerick first competed in 1960 in the European Cup against Young Boys Berne, but suffered their heaviest aggregate defeat. Limerick moved their 1965 Cup Winners' Cup home leg to Dalymount Park - one of only two 'home' games played outside of Limerick. Interestingly, Pat Nolan is the only player ever to have scored for Limerick in Limerick in a European game.

The most famous European game was the 'home' match against Real Madrid in the European Cup in 1980. The match was played at Lansdowne Road where Dublin football fans stayed away en masse. Only 6,000 people watched the match. The final score 2-1 to Madrid.Uefa Website - European Cup History. Retrieved on 25 February 2009. Des Kennedy scored twice in the tie, one at home and one away. English born Left winger Johnny Matthews had a 'goal' disallowed. Had it been given he would have completed a unique treble, as he had previously scored in European competition against Manchester United and Celtic while at Waterford United.
YearCompVersusResults and Limerick Scorers1960European CupYoung Boys Berne(H - Thomond Park) 0-5 (A) 2-4 Leo O'Reilly & George Lynam1965CWCCSKA Sofia(H - Dalymount Park) 1-2 Dick O'Connor (A) 0-21971CWCTorino(H- Thomond Park) 0-1 (A) 0-41980European CupReal Madrid(H - Lansdowne Road) 1-2 Des Kennedy (A) 1-5 Des Kennedy1981UEFA CupSouthampton(H - Markets Field) 0-3 (A) 1-1 Tony Morris1982CWCAZ Alkmaar(H - Markets Field) 1-1 Pat Nolan (A) 0-1

Honours
National titles
 League of Ireland: 2
1959–60, 1979–80
FAI Cup: 2
1971, 1982
League of Ireland Cup: 3
1975–76, 1992–93, 2001–02
League of Ireland Shield: 2
1953–54, 1983–84
League of Ireland First Division: 1
1991–92
Dublin City Cup: 3
1958–59, 1966–67, 1969–70

Regional titles
Munster Senior Cup: 11
1937–38, 1948–49, 1953–54, 1958–59, 1962–63, 1976–77,1983–84, 1984–85, 1988–89, 1994–95, 2005–06

Players and managers
Current squad



Notable former managers
   Sam Allardyce
  Ewan Fenton
   Billy Hamilton
   Eoin Hand

Notable former players
  Tom Aherne
  Sam Allardyce
  Terry Conroy
  Tim Cuneen
  Sean Cusack
  Eamon Deacy
  Ewan Fenton
  Al Finucane
  Kevin Fitzpatrick
  Johnny Gavin
  Tommy Gaynor
  Alfie Hale  Billy Hamilton
  Eoin Hand
  Willie Hayes
  Rory Keane
  Des Kennedy
  Johnny Matthews
  Andy McEvoy
  John McGrath
  Turlough O'Connor
  Davy Walsh
  Johnny Walsh
  Tony Ward

 References 

 Other websites 
The Official Limerick FC Website 
Limerick FC Supporters' Club
Discussion Group on Limerick FC

Category:Football League of Ireland
Category:Irish football clubs
Category:Limerick
Category:Defunct football clubs
Category:1937 establishments in Europe
Category:2020 disestablishments in Europe