Liam Kearns

Infobox GAA player |

name =Liam Kearns
irish =Liam Ó Ciarán
placeofbirth=Tralee, County Kerry
countryofbirth=Ireland
dob=1962
dod=
nickname=
height=
sport=Gaelic football
code=Football
county=Kerry
province=Munster
clposition=?
club=Austin Stacks
clyears=
clapps(points)=
clcounty=1
clprovince=0
clubs=Austin Stacks
counties=Kerry
icposition=
icyears=
icapps(points)=
icprovince=
icallireland=
allstars=
icupdate=
clupdate=
|

Liam Kearns is the former manager of the Limerick and Laois gaelic football teams.

Tralee man Kearns, whose mother is from Laois, was appointed as Mick O'Dwyer’s successor in September 2006. He previously managed Limerick for six years and helped to raise the county’s profile in that time. In being appointed he saw off the challenge of former Laois star Pat Roe, who had a successful spell in charge of Wexford.

Managerial career

Kearns is highly regarded as a manager and coach and during his spell with Limerick he turned them into the second team in Munster as they outshone Cork.

He managed the Limerick under 21 side to successive Munster titles and to an All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship final appearance. In 2003 he led Limerick to a Division 2 National Football League final where they were beaten by Westmeath on the same day that Laois lost to Tyrone in the Division 1 decider.

The following year he was in charge when Limerick beat Laois in a Division 1 National Football League tie at the Gaelic Grounds and that year Limerick reached the Munster Senior Football Championship final which they lost on a replay to Kerry.

Playing career

As a player, Liam was a member of the Austin Stacks club and played for the Kerry minor team for two year winning an All-Ireland Minor Football Championship with them in 1980.

He graduated to become a member of the Kerry Under 21 and senior football panels and won a Kerry Senior Football Championship medal with Austin Stacks in 1986.

His father Ollie captained Kerry to an All-Ireland Minor Football Championship final in the late 50s and then was a wing forward on the Graiguecullen team that won their last Laois Senior Football Championship title in 1965.

External links

* [http://www.hoganstand.com/Laois/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=66856 Hogan Stand article]
* [http://archives.tcm.ie/laoisnationalist/2006/09/28/story24083.asp Laois Nationalist article]
* [http://www.laoistoday.ie/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=3807&ArticleID=1802923 Leinster Express article]