Former Blackpool and Carlisle United boss Neil McDonald has been appointed as the new Limerick FC manager.
McDonald, 51, will succeed Martin Russell as the club's personal manager and replace Willie Boland who filled in as Limerick's interim manager over the past number of weeks.
The Englishman signs a contract which will keep him at the club until 2019 and will look to build on their progress so far this season.
Limerick currently sit sixth in the table, just three points behind the top four.
McDonald has enjoyed a close working relationship with former another former Limerick boss, Sam Allardyce. He worked under the former England boss at Bolton Wanderers, Blackburn Rovers and West Ham United.
Most recently, he was assistant to Mike Phelan at Hull City but left the role in January.
As a player, McDonald made over 300 appearances during his time at Everton and Newcastle.
"I'm really pleased to be given the opportunity to manage a great club like this," he said on Thursday morning.
"Everyone I've spoken to since Monday speaks very highly of the football club. They're trying to push the club to become an A-star club all the way through from youth up to the first team."
Asked whether he had spoken to Allardyce before applying for the job, he said: "I did and he's always spoken very highly of Limerick. He said it's a progressive football club."
He added: "I'd like to leave a legacy and push the club to boundaries where they've never been before."
AUDIO: "I'm really excited about the challenge" - new boss McDonald, who took advice from Sam Allardyce on the job. https://t.co/aytHydPYKT
— Limerick FC (@LimerickFCie) May 18, 2017
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