Michael Duignan leads tributes to 'hugely impressive' Liam Kearns

RIP: Offaly manager Liam Kearns before the O'Byrne Cup Group C Round 3 match against Dublin in January. Pic: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

Offaly GAA chairperson Michael Duignan has said the Faithful County are devastated over the sudden death of their senior football manager Liam Kearns at the age of 61.

Kearns, who previously managed Limerick, Laois and Tipperary, took on the Offaly role last summer having instantly made an impression on Duignan and the football committee.

“We met him in the Faithful Fields around the end of July last year and immediately I was hugely impressed with him,” Duignan said on a special edition of the Irish Examiner’s Gaelic football podcast.

“His knowledge of the game. His straight-talking, his inherent decency, his honesty, you could see it straight away.” 

Kearns was not on the original shortlist with Tomás Ó Sé and Declan Kelly both initially linked to the role before they withdrew but he blew Duignan away with his passion for the game. From the off, the Kerry native said it was going to be his last job and he was determined to do it right.

“It was just unbelievable, the penny dropped. You look at Liam and the type of person he was. Look at the ambition he had, which was a huge thing for me, from day one. He was retired from the Guards; he had been a sergeant for many years. He went back to college and educated himself on strength and conditioning. His football knowledge was second to none.” 

Kearns’ side won three of their first five games in Allianz League Division 3 which was all part of his plan. Duignan also extended deepest sympathies to his wife Angela, daughters Rachel and Laura, friends and family.

“He meticulously targeted the first two games of the league. He told me they would win the first two,” he recalled.

“It will take us a year or two, but we will be a strong Division 2 team in a few years’ time.’ He had it planned to a tee. He had players in mind who would come back next year. He had the players that would be coming the year after. It is so devastating for Offaly football.

“Obviously, it pales into insignificance compared to his family. I wasn’t talking to Angela but talking to Laura his daughter. Rachel his other daughter. His mam and dad are still alive, all his brothers and sisters, it is a huge loss for all of them.” 

Offaly are still in contention for promotion and play their penultimate Division 3 game against his old team Tipperary in FBD Semple Stadium next Saturday.

Kearns took over Tipperary in late 2015 and in his first season brought them to a first All-Ireland semi-final in 116 years after a qualifier win over Derry and quarter-final victory against Galway.

“It is funny, when he started in 2016 we actually didn’t have the greatest start,” remembered Tipperary stalwart Brian Fox.

“We struggled in Division 3. We barely got out of relegation, drew with Sligo. After that league we had a bit of feedback, a meeting amongst players and management to say what went well and didn’t.

“We weren’t happy with some of what he was doing at the time. He wasn’t happy with the effort we were giving at the time. It made us closer, the fact we were able to have a go at each other about it. What we wanted as a group and what he wanted.

“I think he realised he needed to change his approach to us, he had success with Aherlow and been with Limerick got them to a Munster final, he realised we were a different group who needed a different way. In fairness, he changed tact and listened a lot more. From that our confidence grew.

“I remember in 2016, the layout of championship was Waterford in the (Munster) quarter-final and Cork in the semi-final. He said, ‘we’ll get over Waterford and I guarantee you we will beat Cork.’” 

And they did. In the end they forged a closeknit bond. On and off the field.

“One of the matches we played, we were out in Dublin. We were in Ryans and said we would go to Coppers. We were queueing for Coppers, we weren’t like the Dubs with free entry. Kearns walks up behind us and goes, ‘don’t mind that lads. Walk in here now.’ He turns to the bouncer, ‘they are all with me’ and strolled on.” 

How will be he remembered in Tipperary? “As a very genuine football man who really wanted the best for every team he was involved with.”

During his six years in charge of Limerick, Kearns led the county to Munster finals in 2003 and 2004 as well as Division 1. Stalwart Stephen Lucey remembered a man who could easily straddle the fine line between boss and friend. 

"He had charisma, we would have followed him into battle, followed him into war. He made us believe. He made us not care who we were playing. He kicked down any barriers in front of us. Just be defiant.

"Not every manager has that ability to be your friend, to be mighty craic altogether, be one of the lads, and then then the very next night he'd crack the whip and you'd shut your mouth and get on with it. There would be no hard feelings, you'd take it and get on with it and there would be nothing said about it after that. He had that ability to be able to do those two things.

"He was very mature and straight and treated us maturely and we all appreciated that. I'm sure he was the same with every county and club he was with.

"He had that likeability. it was part of who he was."