Liam Kearns


Liam Kearns is a Gaelic football manager. He previously managed Limerick, Laois and Tipperary. He is currently manager of Clann na nGael GAA
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

Liam Kearns coached Na Piarsaigh to the Limerick U21 Football Championship in 1997, the club's only U21 football county title, a team that contained Declan Lynch, Mike Prendergast, Ian Costello and captained by Comdt Joe Mullins.
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.
In 2010 he led Aherlow to the Tipperary Senior Football Championship.
In November 2015, Kearns was named as the new manager of the Tipperary senior football team.
In June 2016, Tipperary reached the Munster final after a 3-15 to 2-16 win against Cork. They went on to defeat Derry by 1-21 to 2-17 in round 3A of the qualifiers to reach the All Ireland Quarter-finals for the first time.
On 31 July 2016, Tipperary defeated Galway in the 2016 All-Ireland Quarter-finals at Croke Park to reach their first All-Ireland semi-final since 1935.
On 21 August 2016, Tipperary were beaten in the semi-final by Mayo on a 2-13 to 0-14 scoreline.
On 8 April 2017, Tipperary won the Division 3 final of the 2017 National Football League after a 3-19 to 0-19 win against Louth in Croke Park.
On 9 June 2019, Kearns resigned as manager of the Tipperary senior football team after defeat to Down in the 2019 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship.
He is currently the manager of Clann na nGael GAA

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.