Managers make light of pressure situation

GAELIC GAMES/Munster and Ulster SF Finals: Only when the two managers sat side by side did the even split in expectations become so apparent.

Kerry manager Jack O'Connor and Limerick manager Liam Kearns, two men under the same weight of pressure, and for different reasons. Sunday's Munster football final comes burdened with history and these are the men that could be defined with it.

For O'Connor, a victory would deliver Kerry their 69th Munster title. Also it would harden his reputation as the new face in Kerry football management. Defeat would end an unbeaten championship run over Limerick that extends back to 1895. Not good for the reputation.

And for Kearns the opposite. Victory would give Limerick only their second Munster title, ending the 108-year gap between the first one in 1896. It would also ensure his reputation as the man who turned the fate of Limerick football. Losing might slide them back to square one.

Against that background, the two managers sat together at yesterday's press conference in Dublin. O'Connor admitted it was his biggest test to date as Kerry manager. "It's higher-profile of course, with a lot more exposure, but I've been involved with a lot of these players at under-21 level and in school, and it's no different than those occasions. The same principles apply, in that we're going in to play the game, not the occasion."

The mention of 1896 provides incentive to both teams - Limerick to win, and Kerry not to lose: "I know, I'm aware of that," adds O'Connor. "But you have to be realistic about it too. Limerick are desperate to win this game. It's an All-Ireland final for them. So we'll be treating it with similar respect. I mean there are some serious teams left in the qualifiers so the front-door route is definitely the better way to go."

So many years without success has created the "now-or-never" scenario in Limerick, yet Kearns - a Kerryman by birth - prefers to look forward. "The average age of this team is just 24," he says. "I suppose we are coming under more pressure because it's our second Munster final now, and we do need to win one. But now or never is a bit strong.

"And I don't want to say this is a defining game for them. Certainly we have to win a final at some stage along the road, and it is coming close to that stage. So we're going in there to do our best to win, simple as that.

"The idea if we lose then this team is finished is a bit strong for me. With or without me these players still have a good future ahead of them. But I know it's time we won one. And it would do an awful lot for the development of football in the county."

The main talking point surrounding Limerick's chances of winning is Kerry's loss of Séamus Moynihan and Declan O'Sullivan, who'll miss the final at the Gaelic Grounds with injury. Moynihan's ankle problem might allow him play some role but O'Sullivan is gone for several more weeks.

"Obviously these are two key players for us," says O'Connor. "Declan has been a revelation for us this year at centre-half forward, playing something like 13 games in the same position. And everyone knows the influence Séamus has on the team. So obviously that's a disruption."

Kearns offers words of consolation, and then continues: "You'd have to be very disappointed for the two players. But then we've had injuries all year too, and it's part of the game. And you'd like to think you could win anyway, no matter who the opposition have or haven't. Those two are big losses to any team.

"But we topped the league missing the likes of John Galvin and Jason Stokes. We'd something like seven or eight injuries all the way through. And you won't win a Munster or All-Ireland title without the panel being tested like that. And Kerry still have a lot of resources."

After their positive run through Division One of the league, and the lessons of last year's Munster final behind them (where they fell to Kerry by five points), Limerick can only come out on Sunday as a more battle-hardened team. Kerry still have tradition on their side. But time can't stand still forever.

"We are a stronger team than last year," says Kearns, "and a lot more experienced. And we've a good home record too at the Gaelic Grounds. The only time we lost this year was to Kerry in the league play-offs. And we learnt from that. So that's a nice advantage."

As the closing note it shifted the pressure slightly more onto O'Connor's shoulders.