TIPPERARY MANAGER Liam Kearns is detecting a “blasé” attitude among Kerry pundits and fans ahead of the Munster SFC final clash between the counties on Sunday week, 3 July.
Kearns has noted the comments made by ex-Kerry players Darragh Ó Sé and Micheál Quirke in recent newspaper columns, with both suggesting that Tipp won’t provide a test for the Kingdom at Fitzgerald Stadium.
Kearns believes that Kerry’s sights are set further down the road on a potential clash with Dublin – and that beating Tipperary in the provincial showpiece is merely a means to an end.
But when Kearns was manager of Limerick, he came desperately close to a Munster final upset in 2004, when Ó Sé’s iconic catch under his own crossbar denied the Shannonsiders victory at the Gaelic Grounds, before Kerry won the replay.
Last year, Tipp went in with high expectations against Kerry in the Munster semi-final in front of a big Thurles crowd – but lost by six points.
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Kearns, who worked with Roscommon as forwards coach in 2015, recalls Tipperary “talking themselves up in the papers” and is conscious not to provide too much ammunition to the reigning Munster champions this time.
He said: “I notice that the (Kerry) players said after the game last year when Kerry beat Tipperary by six points that Tipperary players were talking themselves up and that they were particularly wary because of that.
“That they were talking themselves up in the papers and they were particularly wary because of that. So the players and the managements take notice of what the opposition’s camp are saying and I think you’ve got to be careful.
“Looking at the Kerry pundits, they feel there’s no test for them now before they play Dublin. That’s the general reaction, let’s be honest.
“They feel that if Cork had come through they’d get tested at least, even though they’d expect to beat Cork as well I’m sure.
“I know that’s exactly what the players will be hearing from their supporters, that Cork and Kerry in Killarney is kind of a real good day out for everybody because Cork supporters seem to travel for that occasion when they don’t travel for others, and it’s gone now.
“We wouldn’t be popular with the boys who run the pubs down in Killarney anyway!
“But, at the end of the day, we can’t concern ourselves with what Kerry are thinking and what they’re about.”
But Kearns acknowledged: “Yeah they’re blasé enough now. Micheál Quirke said, with all due respect to Tipperary, that Kerry won’t get a test again until they meet Dublin.
“Darragh Ó Sé, he dismissed us more or less as well. He was having a right go at Cork but he dismissed us in the process as well.
“That’s what’s happening out there now. That’s the general feeling amongst the public, that Tipperary brought off a massive shock.
“I don’t think it was ever done that one of the minnows beat Cork and Kerry in the same year to win a Munster title.”
Tipperary manager Kearns detecting 'blasé' attitude in Kerry ahead of Munster SFC final
TIPPERARY MANAGER Liam Kearns is detecting a “blasé” attitude among Kerry pundits and fans ahead of the Munster SFC final clash between the counties on Sunday week, 3 July.
Kearns has noted the comments made by ex-Kerry players Darragh Ó Sé and Micheál Quirke in recent newspaper columns, with both suggesting that Tipp won’t provide a test for the Kingdom at Fitzgerald Stadium.
Kearns believes that Kerry’s sights are set further down the road on a potential clash with Dublin – and that beating Tipperary in the provincial showpiece is merely a means to an end.
But when Kearns was manager of Limerick, he came desperately close to a Munster final upset in 2004, when Ó Sé’s iconic catch under his own crossbar denied the Shannonsiders victory at the Gaelic Grounds, before Kerry won the replay.
Last year, Tipp went in with high expectations against Kerry in the Munster semi-final in front of a big Thurles crowd – but lost by six points.
Kearns, who worked with Roscommon as forwards coach in 2015, recalls Tipperary “talking themselves up in the papers” and is conscious not to provide too much ammunition to the reigning Munster champions this time.
He said: “I notice that the (Kerry) players said after the game last year when Kerry beat Tipperary by six points that Tipperary players were talking themselves up and that they were particularly wary because of that.
“That they were talking themselves up in the papers and they were particularly wary because of that. So the players and the managements take notice of what the opposition’s camp are saying and I think you’ve got to be careful.
“Looking at the Kerry pundits, they feel there’s no test for them now before they play Dublin. That’s the general reaction, let’s be honest.
“They feel that if Cork had come through they’d get tested at least, even though they’d expect to beat Cork as well I’m sure.
“I know that’s exactly what the players will be hearing from their supporters, that Cork and Kerry in Killarney is kind of a real good day out for everybody because Cork supporters seem to travel for that occasion when they don’t travel for others, and it’s gone now.
“We wouldn’t be popular with the boys who run the pubs down in Killarney anyway!
“But, at the end of the day, we can’t concern ourselves with what Kerry are thinking and what they’re about.”
But Kearns acknowledged: “Yeah they’re blasé enough now. Micheál Quirke said, with all due respect to Tipperary, that Kerry won’t get a test again until they meet Dublin.
“Darragh Ó Sé, he dismissed us more or less as well. He was having a right go at Cork but he dismissed us in the process as well.
“That’s what’s happening out there now. That’s the general feeling amongst the public, that Tipperary brought off a massive shock.
“I don’t think it was ever done that one of the minnows beat Cork and Kerry in the same year to win a Munster title.”
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