PREVIEW | Billy Lee’s Limerick kick off their 2022 season with trip to Tralee in McGrath Cup

Limerick take on Kerry in the first round of the McGrath Cup tonight.

179 days since they were beaten by Cork in the Munster Senior Football Championship semi-final, the Limerick senior footballers return to action tonight as they face Kerry in the McGrath Cup.

Austin Stacks Park Tralee is the venue as the Shannonsiders begin the defence of their title against the Munster champions.

Limerick won a first McGrath Cup in fifteen years in early 2020 but were unable to defend their title last year with all GAA activities suspended until May.

That year, Limerick overcame both Clare and Waterford before beating Cor in the LIT Gaelic Grounds to pick up a first piece of silverware since 2013, as they went on to capture League honours later that year.

Five of that side are named from the start for tonight’s clash against Kerry with Billy Lee revealing his hand early for the game.

Donal O’Sullivan, Tony McCarthy, Adrian Enright, Padraig De Bruin and Cillian Fahy remain from the 2020 victory alongside a number of new faces.

This will be the first meeting of the sides in five years after they met in the final of this competition in 2017. On that day, Billy Lee’s side pushed the Kingdom all the way before Kerry secured a 3-13 to 2-12 win in extra time.

O’Sullivan and Peter Nash are the sole starters from that game that will take to the field from the off tonight with Fahy and James Naughton introduced from the bench that evening.

For Kerry, tonight’s game will signal the start of Jack O’Connor’s latest reign as the multiple All-Ireland winner replaces Peter Keane.

O’Connor won a brace of All-Ireland titles in his first term in 2004 and 2006. He added a third Sam Maguire success in 2009 after being reinstated that year.

Kerry are without their Austin Stacks contingent after they beat Newcastle West in the same venue just prior to Christmas. They are preparing for a Munster final with St Finbarrs in a fortnights time.

Interestingly, Limerick current lie ahead of Kerry on the McGrath Cup roll of honour with seven titles compared to Kerry’s five.

Regardless of the outcome tonight, Limerick will play Tipperary at 2pm on Sunday in the second round. Kerry meet Tipp next Wednesday with the top team from the group advancing to the final on January 15 where they will meet one of Cork, Waterford or Clare.