Captain Shane Duggan commits future to Limerick

Limerick captain Shane Duggan has signed a new contract to keep him at the club for a fifth straight season.

The midfielder is the tenth player to commit himself to the Blues ahead of the 2018 seasons after successfully avoiding relegation in their first level back at the top level.

Limerick native Duggan captained his hometown club to the First Division title in 2016 and the EA Sports Cup final in the same year.

The 28-year-old joined Limerick ahead of the 2014 season from Cork City, with whom he had won the First Division title in his three seasons on Leeside.

His father, Ger Duggan, was a mainstay in the Limerick side during their successful period in the 1980s, winning a league title and FAI Cup in his time at the Market's Field.

“I’m delighted that Shane has committed to the football club,” Limerick manager Neil McDonald told the club's official website.

“He is our captain and he is an integral part of what we are trying to build.

“We have a younger and more athletic group of players now, and I want Duggy to be dynamic in that and lead the team to the place we aspire to be.

“He is very important for us and we want to see him drive the players on. I am chuffed that he has signed a new contract and committed to Limerick.”

Duggan played youth football with Fairview Rangers before signing with English side Plymouth Argyle at the age of 18.

After one year with Plymouth, he returned to Ireland and signed for UCD, where he spent one season before joining Cork City ahead of the 2009 season.

Duggan joins Brendan Clarke, Freddy Hall, Tony Whitehead, Barry Cotter, Cian Coleman, Killan Brouder, Henry Cameron, Chiedozie Ogbene and Danny Morrissey in the Blues squad for 2018.