The ball is in our court

Liam Kearns believes his Limerick side are very close to a major breakthrough. He spoke to Brendan Larkin.

HALF a dozen years in the job and nothing to show for it, Limerick manager Liam Kearns must be the eternal optimist. After the heartbreak of last year’s Munster final defeat by Kerry, Kearns wanted out, and it took a lot of persuasion to get him to stay in charge for at least another season.

Limerick’s football story should be the stuff of fairytale, a celebration of everything we have always held dear about the underdog.

Having crept out from underneath the two big boys, they need at least a Munster title to prove they have finally arrived as a serious threat to Kerry and Cork. That has been put on hold for at least another year, but Kearns still has the chance of ultimate glory, as he and his charges set out tomorrow to try and make it to the last 12 of the All-Ireland championship, and one step away from appearing in Croke Park.

Tomorrow’s meeting with Derry in Castlebar, is a repeat of last year when the Ulster side emerged winners by three points (0-10 to 0-7).

“That day we eventually ran out of legs and, in the circumstances, the three-point defeat was not a bad result,” says Kearns.

“We had just six days to try and lift the lads after those two gruelling games with Kerry in the Munster final. Had we won, it would have been very easy to raise our spirits, but the defeat was a real downer because we know we should have beaten them on each occasion.

“This time around we’ve had two weeks to prepare between games and we’ll be a lot fresher. You could say the defeat by Kerry this year came with a small bonus.

“Twelve months ago we stayed in touch with Derry for 60 minutes before running out of steam. This time there will be no excuses if we are beaten.”

Kearns is keen that his charges receive due recognition. “At the risk of repeating myself, this crop of Limerick footballers deserve something before they finally break up. There is tremendous credit due to the players for the way they’ve picked themselves up after another defeat by Kerry.

“It would have been so easy for them to throw in the towel and move on with their lives, but they are a very special group of people and despite being given no chance by media pundits having to play Carlow in Carlow in the qualifiers, we sent out a very clear message in that game that we are far from being a spent force.”

Kearns takes justifiable pride in that Carlow win.

“We gave a marvellous performance against a team who were very confident themselves of winning after a string of impressive displays. It’s those kinds of displays that cause doubt in your mind about making the break.

“That performance was excellent and restored our badly dented pride. Tomorrow’s gives us the chance to atone for last year’s defeat, but it is also a step up on the Carlow game.

“I would regard Derry as one of the top teams in the country. They’ve won championships at provincial and national level which is always a confidence booster against a county with no titles.”

Kearns is in no doubt about Derry’s danger men: “In Paddy Bradley and Sean Marty Lockhart they have two players who are household names and there are a host of others equally as good. Fergal Doherty looks likely to miss the game, but they have the reserves to cover that.

“Thankfully we are injury free, and it was only right that we give a vote of confidence to the team which thrashed Carlow.

“We’ll give Derry the respect they deserve but I sense an air of confidence in our lads that our season isn’t quite over yet. A win on Sunday and you are one game away from Croke Park, and that’s our objective now.”

The trouble is, if Kearns’ side are going to achieve the recognition their manager believes they are due, then there is another popularity contest to win: the one in their own backyard.

Limerick may be a mainly hurling county, a county where a sizeable contingent still regard football as an abomination, but victory over one of the glamour sides like Derry would go some way to changing that.

And Kearns knows it. In fact, it’s probably the reason why he has stayed on for so long.