GAA football: McGlinchy hopes Kerry clash will fire his side

Tipperary senior football manager Tom McGlinchy is hoping that the experience of playing against All Ireland champions Kerry will have benefited his charges as they face Louth in the championship play-off on Saturday.

The football squad have managed to regroup after their humiliating experience at the hands of Kerry a few weeks ago and McGlinchy is under no illusions as to the size of the task that faces them again on Saturday.

Louth were defeated by Longford in the Leinster championship but are fancying their chances of going further through the back door system.

"It was hard to get going after the Kerry defeat but in the last two weeks or so, things have really stepped up.

"It was hard to focus on the job in hand when we didn't know who we were playing - we were training in the dark as such.

"We were disappointed with the Kerry result - I don't think we deserved to be beaten by as much but Kerry are a fabulous team.

"Some of our lads need to get a few championship games under their belts and these matches will help them to mature as players," McGlinchy said.

He continued: "The age profile of our team is quite young and it will take a while for players to get used to championship fare. Louth will be tough - make no mistake about that.

"But we have played the All Ireland champions and hopefully we will have learned from that," said the garda college-based PE instructor.