Kernan rewarded for All-Ireland success

Joe Kernan, manger of All-Ireland champions Armagh, has been named the Phillips Sports Manager of the Year for 2002.

Joe Kernan, manger of All-Ireland champions Armagh, has been named the Phillips Sports Manager of the Year for 2002.

The Crossmaglen man guided the Orchard County to their first All-Ireland title in September when they triumphed 1-12 to 0-14 over Kerry in the final.

Armagh's captain Kieran McGeeney praised his manager for the half-time team talk which he said spurred them onto victory, having trailed the favourites by four points at the interval.

"Joe showed us his All-Ireland runners-up medal from 1977 and he asked us 'did we want one of those' or a winner's medal," was McGeeney's comment at the time.

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"Joe didn't bang tables or do anything drastic, but his words certainly had the desired effect and you could see that from the difference between our performances in the first half and that after half-time."