WATCH | Billy Lee says Limerick are in a “really good spot” as Tipp await in Munster semi-final

Limerick and Tipperary face off this weekend in the semi-final of the Munster Senior Football Championship.

Billy Lee’s Limerick footballers look to continue their great 2022 season as they prepare for Tipperary in the Munster championship semi-final on Saturday evening.

The Shannonsiders will have to travel to FBD Semple Stadium with their clash throwing in at 7pm this Saturday night.

Limerick booked their place in the semi-final after a dramatic penalty shootout win over rivals Clare while Tipperary had to to overcome a challenge from Waterford to set up this game.

Kerry will be watching with baited breath as they await their final opponents as they defeated Cork in the other semi-final last weekend.

The Limerick footballers have been enjoying a great season in both the league and championship thus far as they were promoted from division three in just their second year at the grade..

Their development, both as players but physically has been evident with manager Billy Lee trusting in his players from day one as he prepares for a fourth provincial semi-final since his appointment in late 2016.

“These guys came in, we had to stand by them and stick by them and many people are asking why would they stick by it?

“It’s very simple really like, they were good lads, Limerick lads. They are our own people who were striving to represent people in Limerick and why wouldn’t you support them. It wasn’t going to be easy, it was going to be harder for them then it was for any member of the management because they are lads who put their bodies through it.

“They had to try and learn and then get the experience and that’s never an easy journey. We’ve all gone on journey’s in life that gain that experience and we would all reflect on life and say we’d have done that differently if we were a bit more experienced.

“So it was important I think that a lot of us stuck around and helped them come through and they’re really in a really good spot now they’re very accomplished at the level we’re at.

“Then you can always strive to try and go to the next level whether we get there or not it doesn’t matter. What matters is that we’ll show you and we’ll challenge ourselves and yeah it’s very pleasing, both on a sporting and a personal level to see these lads mature and they’re getting on well in their working place and that’s all really positive because I just think that helps.”

Facing off against any Tipperary side will be difficult, especially a side that knows what it takes to win the Munster Championship, with the Premier claiming a first provincial title in 85 years following their success over Limerick two years ago.

Having played against Tipperary often in recent years, Lee and his side know what to expect against David Power’s side.

And with a win in Semple Stadium in 2019 and a tight loss in 2020 this would be the perfect occasion to come off as the winners in a trilogy of sorts.

“They won the Munster championship in 2020, they’re certainly not a division four team they proved themselves after the slow start in the first two games to pull themselves out of it. I suppose that you are talking about resilience character and they have an abundance because they’ve been into two All-Ireland semi-finals not the whole squad but a lot of the squad and they won a Munster championship.

“They are certainly a division three possibly looking at a division two side. That’s not just because we’re playing them at the weekend that’s it, that’s where they are that’s what they’ve been and hares breath off going to division one not too many years ago.”

Watch the full interview with Lee below!

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