Limerick play from memory

The rivalry between Kerry and Limerick in Munster football is far from fervent but Sunday's game in Killarney will revive memories of the last meeting of the teams in the summer of 1991, when Kerry's superior status was severely tested.

Although Kerry were then at a different stage of maturity to the team that will line out this weekend, no one quite expected Limerick to push them to the edge. Few counties have ever put up 3-12 against Kerry in a Munster final and lost but that was Limerick's unfortunate fate.

Things have changed since then yet there is a feeling that Limerick are again building to the sort of form that saw them hit that peak in 1991. Sunday's team will include five members of last year's under-21 Munster-winning side, and other players have gained their fair share of seasoning in recent years.

But they will meet Kerry as they too approach a peak - a direct contrast to the team of 1991. Managed then by Mickey O'Sullivan, it was a side built on players either over the top or not yet arrived.

"There is no comparison between the Kerry team now and the one of 1991," says O'Sullivan. "We were definitely in a trough at that stage, and were far from world beaters. Players like Jack O'Shea and Pat Spillane were at the end of their era and most of the others were still around under-21 level, including Maurice Fitzgerald.

"But it was a very exciting game. The open draw had been introduced in Munster and Limerick saw some light that year. They put in a massive effort and certainly got to the final on merit. It was a peak for them really, but they were an exceptionally good side and had been coming for a few years."

Managed by O'Sullivan's former team-mate John O'Keeffe - now a Kerry selector - the Limerick team was built around some of the county's strongest players, such as John Quane and rugby international Philip Danaher. They hadn't won a Munster title since their sole honour in 1896, but they saw a chance to dent Kerry's reputation. "That was also a time when standards had levelled off a bit in Munster. Each time we got ahead they would come back with a goal and our defence was quite weak at the time. Anyone who scored 3-12 in a Munster final would expect to win but we just did enough in the end," says O'Sullivan.

"Having said that, I think Limerick are starting to come again. They have a good number of under-21 players at the moment and it definitely won't be an easy game for Kerry. It may not be as close as it was in 1991 but you'll have players like Maurice Fitzgerald who will be on their toes because of what happened in the last meeting."

Last summer it was Cork who had to face Limerick to progress through Munster and they came perilously close to losing. Cork led by a single point going into the last five minutes and it took late goals from substitutes Podsie O'Mahony and Kieran Daly to deny Limerick the chance of a shock.

Under manager Liam Kearns, who also took the under-21 side to the All-Ireland final last year, Limerick are still building with an emerging side. Jason Stokes is capable of playing with the best at midfield and Colm Hickey is a dangerous forward.

Unlike a decade ago, however, Kerry don't have too many deficiencies to work on. "Right now this Kerry team are building towards a very successful run. I expect them to win by five or six points but if Limerick can get a good supply of ball into their forwards then they could make it difficult for Kerry," says O'Sullivan.

It's been a long time since Kerry had to score 0-23 in a Munster final to beat their opponents by just two points. Limerick will do well to push them as close this time, but the memory will at least help.