For Liam Kearns it was a developmental project so the Tipperary manager is thrilled to have reached a Munster SFC decider 'ahead of time'.

Having stunned Cork in a dramatic provincial semi-final Kearns is encouraged by the progress the Premier County are making.

“These boys have got to a Munster Final ahead of time," Kearns admits.

"The long term goals coming into this we promotion to Division 2, beat one of the top two teams in Munster, get to a Munster Final and obviously winning a Munster Final.

"We've achieved two of them already, we nearly achieved a third as well.

“We'll have to look at the long term goals again after this year, but they are ahead of schedule in what they have done this year and in the circumstances, I think that is the most pleasing thing for that group and for the management, having lost so many players we still have come up to the standard we have come up to and are still in a Munster Final."

Kearns doesn't expect his youthful Tipperary outfit to be 'fazed' by the occasion in Killarney either.

“I won't know until we play it, but I don't think so, not in my experience of them," Kearns commented.

Delighted by how Tipperary performed against Cork, Kearns was anxious to allow his players celebrate.

 “First of all we had to get the celebrations out of the way, it was tough for them, I promise you," Kearns reflected.

“We allowed them to celebrate because they were entitled to celebrate that. I wouldn't be one of the managers who advocates that you don't celebrate anything, that you just move on and it's all about recovery.

“I have studied the science side of it in a degree, but I still believe in the old way as well that you have got to bond and have a spirit and what's the point of doing it if you can't enjoy it and can't celebrate it.

"My players celebrated it, but on their first night back it was a tough enough experience for them, they had to pay the price for that.

“We have had good sessions since and are concentrating on the next step."

With Limerick Kearns earned plaudits and respect before a stint in charge of Laois.

Last year Kearns acted as a forwards coach under John Evans with Roscommon.

What had changed in his years outside the inter-county arena?  “Technology, and the use of technology, the analysis, they are huge changes.

“There were no Whatsapp groups or anything like that, but I have found them very good and we use it to coach all the time and get stuff out to the lads when they are not at training.

"I find it very good from that point of view, but I was educated in Roscommon about that."

Did Kearns talk much to former Tipp boss Evans about taking the Blue and Gold role?

“I wouldn't have picked his brain at all really," Kearns remarked.  "I think John said it when I got it that I am my own man in relation to how I want to go about things. I learned a bit from John, he has a proven track record.

“I did a degree and wanted to get back into inter-county and John asked me would I like to get involved with Roscommon as a forwards coach.

"The idea of concentrating on just the forwards appealed to me and also I didn't have the headaches of dealing with the media or all the other stuff managers have to do and I must say I enjoyed it.

“I also felt that it was six years since I was involved at inter-county and it has changed any awful lot and I felt this way I could find out how much it had changed.

“I felt John got a raw deal, he was jettisoned by Roscommon at the end of last year, that meant I was available to do a job and the Tipperary job came up. If John had stayed there I might still be forwards coach in Roscommon."