Challenged to Kingdom come

HE’LL head to Killarney on Sunday with conflicting emotions.

Mickey Ned O’Sullivan has spent a lifetime travelling to Munster football finals in Fitzgerald Stadium but in roles associated with the Kingdom. Playing for Kerry. Managing Kerry. And always supporting Kerry.

However this weekend he finds himself plotting the downfall of his native patch.

Ever since he was appointed Limerick manager at the close of 2005, the prospect of facing his own nagged at him.

Yet the Munster championship draws worked in O’Sullivan’s favour and he managed to sidestep that complication. Until now that is.

He admitted: “I can’t say I ever thought I’d end up facing against Kerry in a Munster final. I was fortunate in a way that I avoided Kerry over the last four years. But now I must deal with the situation. You have to try not to think of the emotional side. I’ve committed myself to Limerick and I have a job to do.

“I’ve always supported Kerry and I’ll continue to support them in the future.

“But this time I’m 100% Limerick.”

O’Sullivan hails from a county where provincial and national success is hardwired into their system. His adopted home have a history in stark contrast. Limerick enter Sunday’s Munster final amidst the backdrop of over a century of underachievement, with no provincial crown to their name since 1896. It’s been an astonishing drought to endure yet over the last decade they have established themselves as a competitive force, challenging their elite neighbours Cork and Kerry on a consistent basis.

But while their performances have been full of bravery and valour, the result they crave has eluded them and it’s been a series of hard-luck stories, from the 2003 and 2004 reversals that Liam Kearns presided over to last year’s loss to Cork when O’Sullivan in charge.

That defeat 12 months ago was particularly stinging, as Limerick had bossed the match for long stages in Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

“I haven’t looked at that game since but it was very disappointing,” recalls O’Sullivan. “I remember that we lost our shape. We didn’t have the fresh legs to bring in which would have seen us over the line. We needed to maintain the first-half intensity but you can only maintain that if you have a bench you can empty.

“We’ve scoured the county over the winter and I’m very pleased with the panel we have now. They’re a very united and happy group.”

Identifying the need to secure new players was one thing, but Limerick’s football waters have never teemed with players. Still, O’Sullivan and his selectors got the audition process up and running, and have been rewarded for their labour. Youngsters like Gerald Griffins goalkeeper Brian Scanlon, Fr Casey’s defender Eoin Joy and St Mary’s attacker Eoghan O’Connor have come to the fore. Experienced players like Adare’s Conor Fitzgerald and St Senan’s Conor Mullane were cajoled back into the squad. The increased depth in Limerick’s panel has paid dividends.

“I’ve no doubt about our bench now,” says O’Sullivan. “It’s the strongest panel during my time in charge. We got seven out of the U21 team this year and being in Division 4 was a benefit as they were able to get blooded without the serious intensity of higher football. They had more time to get used to inter-county football; it built their confidence.”

They’ve been equipped with another advantage in 2010 as well. O’Sullivan is honest in admitting they have been direct beneficiaries of the bitter conflict that has raged in Limerick hurling circles since last October.

Where last year he was forced to share the talents of players like Stephen Lucey and Mark O’Riordan with hurling boss Justin McCarthy, O’Sullivan now has unlimited access to the players. They have flourished accordingly but O’Sullivan reveals a fine working arrangement existed between himself and McCarthy last year.

“Naturally it has helped. You only had them for a limited period last year because hurling was the priority. This year you have them all the time and this year their touch is better. But last year we got on exceptionally well with Justin. We had no problems and he facilitated us so it worked well.”

Thus Limerick face towards Sunday with a greater array of weapons at their disposal. They have become irritated by the ‘so-near-yet-so-far’ condition that has afflicted them in recent years. For their manager, colliding against the county he is deeply associated with is irrelevant.

This is one Munster football final where Mickey Ned O’Sullivan is seeking to ensure a Kerry defeat.