Limerick confident as Buckley on the beat for Banner test

THE prevailing view about the weekend’s Munster championship semi-finals is that the Fitzgerald Stadium clash of Kerry and Cork will decide the destination of the title.

But Limerick captain Sean Buckley is adamant that the winners of their meeting with Clare – in the other semi – will enter the provincial decider with “good confidence and good belief in themselves”.

Buckley is one of three players in the Limerick panel from county champions Drom-Broadford, who shocked Nemo Rangers in last season’s provincial club championship and went on to win the title. He is a Garda, based in Ennistymon and, understandably, the subject of some good-natured banter this week.

“There’s a good bit of craic,’’ he says. “The lads are hopping it off me, but all in good spirit. It will all be forgotten by the weekend.’’

He came into the squad the year after their 2004 adventure when they should have beaten Kerry in the drawn Munster final. Last year they were put out by Cork in the semi-final but won a lot of kudos by beating Meath in the first round of the qualifiers (on a day when Ian Ryan scored 4-3). Recalling that this was their “one good result”, Buckley points out it was in a first-round game. This time, the prize for the winners is that provincial finalists enter the competition in the third round (while the champions go straight through to the All-Ireland quarter-final).

“That’s a big incentive for the two teams. The best thing (about the open draw) is that it gives one of the so-called weaker counties momentum going into playing one of the bigger teams.

“If you were playing them (Kerry or Cork) in the first round you’d have no real form going into the game. Whoever wins will go into the Munster final with good confidence and good belief in themselves.”

What gives Limerick extra hope is that the return of dual players Stephen Lucey and Mark O’Riordan (both of whom started against Tipp) has complemented the level of experience in the team – with up to five who played in the final five years ago now involved.

“We came flying out of the blocks against Tipp. We knew it was going to be a massive occasion and a massive game. We played very well in the first half, but we were a bit disappointed with the second half. We held on to win and that was the most important thing. Tipperary are a good young side, they will be back.’’

While agreeing that Limerick should benefit from having played a first-round game – “ever since the draw was made, we were building up to this game” – he’s not convinced that Clare will be at any great disadvantage.

“I’m sure they were prepared for either team to come through. This was their date from the time the draw was known. They’ll be flying – that’s what we expect. We won’t get anything easy from them. Whatever is in at it the finish, it won’t be more than the kick of a ball.’’