Summary: Defense? What's that? Six goals in the first half, seven more in the second half. Lee Lynch and David Whyte both finished with hat tricks. Truly unbelievable. Historians believe it's the highest scoring game in league history.

Rating: 6.7 - A complete non-factor and a historic goal crazy game. I'm stuck in deep slump right now. I don't know how to get out...

Player of Game: Lee Lynch, Limerick FC (9.6)

Summary: Limerick looked poised for eight more goals after three quick strikes in the first 15 minutes. But, the offense finally cooled off and coasted to a 3-1 win.

Rating: 7.0 - Got moved back into more of CDM role and was again nothing more than a bystander in this one. The slump continues.

Player of Game: Jack Massey, Limerick FC (8.4)

Summary: Penalty right before halftime allows Limerick to escape with a draw. Maybe could have won, or lost. A draw seemed appropriate.

Rating: 6.3 - The struggle is real. At what point does a bad slump become, 'OK, this player wasn't never good to begin with.' The longer this goes, the pressure keeps building.

Limerick rightfully benched me for the Second Round of the League of Ireland Cup against current top flight league leaders Cork City. After Limerick dominated the whole match, Cork City won 1-0 on a deflection goal by Eric Murray.

Player of Game: Cian Coleman, Limerick FC (7.4)

Summary: St. Pat's picked apart Limerick's flawed defense for four goals. Limerick's only tally came courtesy of Marcus Diamond, who had been in the doghouse the last few weeks. Strangely after halftime, Diamond was subbed off and he didn't return to the reserves bench.

Rating: 8.2 - Fired up after my second goal of the season, I let some of my teammates know they had to pick it up in the second half during the break. Goalkeeper Eoghan Daly didn't take kindly to me leading the locker room talk.

"Sit the f*** down Diamond, you haven't done s*** in weeks. Don't come after us once you finally figured out where the back of the net was at," Daly yelled across the room.

I walked over to confront Daly, "Look man, I just want to win."

"Get out of my face," Daly said while shoving me away.

I shoved him back, and that's exactly when head coach Roddy Collins walked into the locker room. A couple teammates jumped up to prevent a fight from breaking out.

"Diamond, your night is done," Collins shouted.

I was handed an additional two-game suspension from the team after the match. This was my second strike after missing some preseason friendlies at the start of the season.

"One more strike, and you are gone," Collins said. "I'm not putting up with this anymore. Shape up son."

Yeah, sure. If I was scoring more consistently and producing, I'm sure you would actually listen to my side of the story.

Player of Game: Jake Keegan, St. Pat's Athletic (8.8)

Limerick lost and drew while I was serving my suspension.

Match Day #14: Cork City def. Limerick FC, 2-0.
Match Day #15: Limerick FC tied Galway United, 3-3.

- Each member gets 5.0 points to spread however they like over the 36 attributes listed above. One post per member.
- Stats work on a decimal system starting at 1.0.
- Stats are bumped up in FM when they hit that number, ex. 2.9 = 2 in-game, and 13.4 = 13 stat in-game.
- The decimal numbers will remain hidden.
- There is a threshold for each stat when more points are needed to increase that stat. It's start off on a 1-to-1 scale where 1 point equals 1 stat upgrade. However, the scales get exponentially further and further apart the closer that stat gets to the maximum of 20. The increasing scale will also remain a mystery and is different from the cycling progression scale.
-Locked stats can't be upgraded.
-Comment below to provide stat upgrades.

Summary: A beautiful day in Belgium for a relatively short, but interesting cobbled stage. EvoPro Racing are the team to beat with a handful of capable riders today and young Belgian Lionel Taminiaux in the yellow jersey. How will they play their cards today?


So far so good for EvoPro as 21-year-old Brit Marcus Diamond leads the peloton onto the final cobble sector of the day. Only 3kms to go and the depleted peloton is all grouped together. Looking like a sprint finish through the twisting roads of the city is unavoidable at this point.


Wait, I take that back. Diamond has found another gear and has rode right off the front of the peloton. He caught everyone napping. There is a gap and it's growing!


Diamond outsmarts the peloton and rides away for a brilliant solo victory! The fourth win of his young career. Now the clock starts. He needs nearly a minute to take the yellow jersey away from his teammate Taminiaux.

Not going to happen. The clock stops at 42 seconds. Taminiaux keeps yellow, but Diamond moves up to third overall in GC. Great day for him.

Result: 1st - Making a gutsy move pays off. I had the green light from the team car to try something and I'm glad I did. My reward: a NSFW snapchat from Alycia. I miss her a lot... I should win more often.

Summary: Big day with a race against the clock. We start our action with our winner yesterday, Marcus Diamond. Sitting third in GC (+12"), he is looking for a time better than 12'18" to move into the provisional yellow jersey that Ide Schelling currently holds after a great TT ride.


Diamond, wearing the white jersey, lunges for the line... 12'23". Five seconds short, but still a solid ride nonetheless.


Diamond will still at least remain third in GC because current 2nd place Eugert Zhupa can't keep pace today and will drop spots to Diamond and Schelling.


Many thought hometown hero Lionel Taminiaux would lose the race lead today. Instead, the yellow jersey has given him wings. A good day of form sees Taminiaux with a time of 12'28". Good enough to keep yellow by a mere two seconds.

Result: 14th - Usually not the best in time trials, but not a lot of stiff competition here gives me a credible result. Still in range of winning the tour tomorrow, but I'm guessing the team would rather have me protecting Taminiaux.

Summary: After the early sprint checkpoints didn't help any of the GC riders, all eyes were on the finish. Time bonuses of 10 seconds for 1st, 6 seconds for 2nd and 2 seconds for 3rd were up for grabs. With the Top 3 in GC separated by seven seconds, the race could be won on the finish line.

Marcus Diamond queues up the sprint early, 3.4kms remaining. Did he go too soon?


It appears so. The rest of the sprinters are flying past before they even reach the banner. But, look. A gap has opened up to the rest of the peloton! Race leader Lionel Taminiaux and second place Ide Schelling are getting left behind.

Diamond's move might not result in the stage win, but the GC win?


Andres Skaarseth takes the stage win, but more interesting things are going on behind him. Diamond crosses the line in 11th.


Matthias Krizek is the last rider in this front 13-man group to cross the finish line. Taminiaux can be seen around the corner.


Taminiaux and the rest of the peloton crosses moments later. There is a look of defeat on Taminiaux's face with the realization that he blew it in the final kilometers. He pulls up to Diamond waiting on the side of the road and gives him a pat on the back.

"Congrats man, hell of a sprint."

Moments later the race director approached.

"Taminiaux, podium. Let's go."

Diamond turned around, confused.

"Wait, what?"

A glance over to the timing boards revealed no gap was given.


Lionel Taminiaux wins the 2021 Triptyque des Monts et Chateaux.

Result: 11th, 3rd GC - I had to be restrained by teammate Adam Blythe after the race. I was heated, and may have said a few things I now regret. But... But this is bullshit. I won this race and was robbed by a bias Belgium race organizer. I'm sorry that's the truth.

My teammates keep telling me to stop playing the victim and be happy for the team. But, this is utter bullshit. Pardon my language. My tirade probably made a few more enemies on the team, but I don't care.

Summary: Sprinters slog through the rain.

Result: 10th - I need a tougher run-in toward the finish to beat the more pure sprinters. But, a Top 10 is nothing to scoff at.

Summary: All late attack attempts are pulled back and the sprinters that remain are throwing their bodies around corners at dangerous speeds. Anything to pick up the stage win and possibly the yellow jersey.


Perfect lead out by Lorenzo Manzin sets up a win for Edward Planckaert.

Result: 7th - Was in the running, but started my sprint a tad early again. One day I will learn. Sometimes it works, other times I just look silly.

Summary: Gather the boys (and gal) up for a critical TTT. Not something a lot of these teams are used to, but they put on a respectable show.

Result: 2nd - Solid. Big shout out to Alex Vogel for dragging the team to the line in the final meters. Showing the boys how to get it done.

Summary: All eyes were on Great Britain 21-year-old talent Marcus Diamond after the youngster had some interesting words for the local paper after yesterday's stage. Confidence or cockiness to publicize a possible attack?


Actions speak louder than words. With everyone now expecting Diamond to attack on the final climb, the kid actually held true to his word.


Only one man reacts quick enough to follow: Andreas Vangstad.


There is a gap at the top. Vangstad isn't a threat for GC, so Diamond is going to have to keep pushing the tempo himself. Vangstad just wants the stage win.


Wheel sucking Vangstad is hoping Diamond has enough gas left.


He doesn't. Caught with 800 meters to go.


Edward Planckaert throws his bike at the line for his 2nd stage win of the tour. The result earns him 2nd overall as well. Borja Ventana, in yellow, is at the back of the lead group and will win the tour. Great ride from the 20-year-old.

Result: 13th, 3rd GC - Would have won if Vangstad would have put in a shift. Whatever. Once again the victim... I know.

Summary: A messy race. Morning breakaway contains two EvoPro Cyclists (Adam Blythe and Andrew Fenn) to take the pressure off Marcus Diamond. It works, somewhat, until Diamond misses a vital attack to bridge the gap to the breakaway leaders with 7kms to go.

By the time Diamond dragged himself to the leaders, the sprint was on and he didn't have anything left to challenge. He will want a redo for this race. He looked like the strongest rider in a rather weak peloton.

Result: 8th - I don't want to talk about it.

Summary: Large crowds flood the streets of Rome for this one-day spectacle. Anything but a sprint finish would be a surprise.


An Italian, Matteo Malucelli, winning was icing on the cake.

Result: 10th - I can't time a good sprint to save my life right now.

- Each member gets 3.0 points to spread however they like over the 13 attributes listed above. One post per member.
- Stats work on a decimal system starting at 55.0.
- Stats are bumped up in PCM when they hit that number, ex. 55.9 = 55 in-game, and 61.4 = 61 stat in-game.
- The decimal numbers will remain hidden.
- There is a threshold for each stat when more points are needed to increase that stat. It's start off on a 1-to-1 scale where 1 point equals 1 stat upgrade. However, the scales get exponentially further and further apart the closer that stat gets to the maximum of 85. The increasing scale will also remain a mystery.
- Comment below to provide stat upgrades

Summary: Hat trick hero Graham Burke shreds the Limerick defense. Rovers were more clinic with the finishes, as Limerick held more possession.

Rating: 6.4 - Subbed off at halftime again. "Poor performance" was the reason. I couldn't argue, but it was another rough day for the whole team. Why take it out on me? The only way to break a slump is by getting more minutes.

Player of Game: Graham Burke, Shamrock Rovers (9.6)

Summary: Controversy at Markets Field in Limerick. Tied at 1-1 in the last minute of stoppage time, Marcus Diamond cut his way inside the 18-yard box. A lunging challenge sends Diamond to the turf, penalty kick signaled for. Derry City players are fuming, and believe Diamond embellished a flop.

Nonetheless, the call stands. Diamond brings the ball over to the spot and prepares for what could be a game-winning kick. Not to be, at least not for Diamond. Limerick captain Lee Lynch walks over, flashes the captain armband and tells Diamond to move aside. Reluctantly, Diamond puts his arms up and backs away.

Lynch, with no hesitation, buried the PK to win the game.

Rating: 6.8 - Yes, I wanted the PK. I earned it. But, I'm not that dumb to get into a confrontation with our captain in the middle of a big moment. Glad Lynch got the job done. Also, much thanks Alycia for some acting tips, I put them to good use today.

Player of Game: Rory Hale, Derry City (8.3)

The Limerick youth team won a 3-2 decision four days later against amateur side St. Mary's Cork in the semifinals of the Munster Senior Cup. They will face defending cup champions Cork City in the Final.

Summary: Limerick dominates with five goals in the first half. They let off the gas in the second half, allowing two goals and nearly a third (called offsides), but the end result was never in any doubt.

Rating: 7.2 - Moved back into a CDM role and didn't have much input in the offensive attack. I might have switched off in the final 10 minutes, which allowed Waterford to score a pair of goals. It happens.

Player of Game: William Fitzgerald, Limerick FC (9.3)

Summary: Seventeen year old Cian Connolly goes off for a hat trick, as Dundalk scores on all four of its shots on target. The goal given up was a costly turnover that Marcus Diamond capitalized on.


Rating: 7.0 - Still a below average rating with a goal. Getting a yellow card didn't help, obviously. Or getting beat 4-1.

Player of Game: Cian Connolly, Dundalk (9.6)

Summary: Limerick tried everything in its power to lose this game, from bad turnovers to poor goalkeeping. Yet, David Whyte finds the game-winning goal in the 91st minute to complete his hat trick. Limerick are lucky to escape with three points.

Rating: 6.6 - Pulled in the 81st minute after allowing Dinny Corcoran to score and tie the game. I'll blame fatigue on that one. Starting to get a little sore after a busy month of cycling and football.

Player of Game: David Whyte, Limerick FC (9.5)

- Each member gets 5.0 points to spread however they like over the 36 attributes listed above. One post per member.
- Stats work on a decimal system starting at 1.0.
- Stats are bumped up in FM when they hit that number, ex. 2.9 = 2 in-game, and 13.4 = 13 stat in-game.
- The decimal numbers will remain hidden.
- There is a threshold for each stat when more points are needed to increase that stat. It's start off on a 1-to-1 scale where 1 point equals 1 stat upgrade. However, the scales get exponentially further and further apart the closer that stat gets to the maximum of 20. The increasing scale will also remain a mystery and is different from the cycling progression scale.
-Locked stats can't be upgraded.
-Comment below to provide stat upgrades.