With an Allianz Football League Division 4 title already under their belts this season, Limerick's confidence is high going into tomorrow night's Munster SFC quarter-final against Cork, according to forward Ger Collins.

The Rebels have never got anything easy in the Gaelic Grounds, but the bookies have still made them the hottest of favourites to progress to a semi-final meeting with Mick O'Dwyer's Clare on June 16 (odds of 8/1 are available on a home win). However, Limerick are quietly confident of upsetting the odds and making amends for recent heart-breaking losses to their illustrious neighbours.

In their last championship meeting - an All-Ireland qualifier in 2010 - Cork needed extra-time to get past the Treaty County en route to winning the All-Ireland. In the 2009 Munster final, goals from Donncha O'Connor (penalty) and Daniel Goulding helped the Rebels to a dramatic 2-6 to 0-11 victory after Limerick had led for most of the game.

And in the 2008 Munster semi-final at the Gaelic Grounds, which was Conor Counihan's first championship game in charge of the Rebels, Graham Canty's late goal handed the visitors a 2-9 to 0-12 victory. Such a run of defeats has made Limerick's famous 0-16 to 0-6 win at Pairc Ui Chaoimh in 2003 seem like a very long time ago.

"It's hard to believe we haven't beaten them in 10 years," says Collins, who is raring to go after missing last month's Division 4 final victory over Offaly through illness.

"I know that might sound strange when you consider that Cork have a long winning tradition against us, but we should really have beaten them in the last few years. Losing the 2009 Munster final the way we did was shattering, and the following year's All-Ireland qualifier fourth round defeat was just as painful.

"We also lost to Kildare after extra-time in last year's All-Ireland qualifier fourth round, and those defeats are a huge motivation for us. They are what make you come back and train that bit harder."

The Monaleen clubman, who is entering his seventh championship campaign, believes Limerick are in fine fettle after lifting the Division 4 title for the second time in three years at Croke Park on April 27 last. The final victory was tempered somewhat by the ankle injury sustained by Ian Ryan, who will miss this weekend's game as a consequence.

Ryan was top scorer in last year's Munster championship, but his attacking colleague reckons Limerick's panel is strong enough to cope in his absence.

"Ian is out after twisting his ankle in the last few minutes of the Offaly game, so it's going to be another test of our panel. Fellas are going to have to step it up. Injuries are part of the game and you have to get on with it. Look at Cork, they're missing Colm O'Neill and he's just as big a loss to them as Ian is to us.

"But our confidence is high after winning the league. There is a good buzz about the place and the supporters are looking forward to this game. We don't win silverware too often in Limerick, and to win in Croke Park was an added bonus. We had a lot of injuries over the course of the league which meant our panel was tested to the limit.

"We gave Offaly a six-point head-start, but knuckled down after that and the strength of our squad eventually told. You saw that when both Derry O'Connor and Seamus O'Carroll came on to kick great scores in the closing stages."

Ger continues: "One of Maurice Horan's strengths as a manager is that he isn't afraid to make changes or to bring on young players. We're at a stage now where there is a perfect mix of youth and experience in our panel. Whereas last year we weren't strong enough to come out of Division 4, we were strong enough this year and that speaks volumes for the strides we've made."

The 24-year-old is in no doubt that the Treaty County's up-and-coming stars have benefitted from playing alongside stalwarts like John Galvin, Stephen Lavin, Stephen Kelly and Johnny McCarthy.

"I remember going to matches when I was 13 and 14 and seeing those lads play. It is a credit to them that they are still going as strong as ever. John has come back from serious knee injuries and Stephen was the player most responsible for dragging us back into the league final against Offaly. They are a great example to any young player," he enthuses.

The final year accountancy student at LIT is hoping this will finally be the year when Limerick end their 117-year wait for Munster SFC honours. However, he is under no illusions about the task that awaits them tomorrow.

"From the time the draw was made, we've had one eye on Cork," he explains.

"Since the league final, everything has been geared towards this game. Our first goal was to gain promotion in the league and we've achieved that. That was very important because the only way we are going to improve is by playing a higher level of football. A lot of lads on this team have played in every division - I was lucky enough to play in Division 1 for a season myself.

"Winning a Munster title has been a long-held dream in Limerick, but we can't afford to look past Cork. They are one of the top teams in the country who have massive strength in depth. The subs they can bring on would get on most other county teams. We have a huge task ahead of us, but we've train hard and are hopeful that things will go our way."

Despite the duopoly enjoyed by Cork and Kerry in Munster, Collins would hate to see the current provincial championship format being discontinued as it would deprive Limerick of the chance to test themselves against two of the giants of Gaelic football on an almost annual basis.

"People have said we are unfortunate to be in the same province as Cork and Kerry, who usually end up in the last four of the All-Ireland every year, but I don't see it like that.

"I look upon playing against Cork or Kerry as a great challenge. You learn a lot from playing against their players and I had the privilege of playing with some of them for Munster in the Railway Cup earlier this year. I certainly wouldn't like to see the Munster championship being done away with.
"We'd love to win a Munster championship and we'll keep knocking on that door until it opens for us."

Collins represented Limerick in minor football and hurling before former manager Mickey Ned O'Sullivan handed him his senior football championship debut against Louth in a 2007 All-Ireland qualifier tie. He has since won two Allianz Football League Division 4 medals (2010 and 2013) and captained his county last year after being nominated by Monaleen, who he won a Limerick SFC medal with in 2011.

When Ger played in the 2005 All-Ireland minor hurling final against Galway, his club was Milford, but he was granted a transfer to Monaleen two years ago.

"I actually started my GAA career with Monaleen before joining Milford when they were set up. I spent nine years with them before returning to Monaleen at the start of 2011. They had won the Limerick SFC in 2010 under Micheal McDermott, and I was lucky enough to be involved when they retained it the following year," he explains.

As already mentioned, Collins missed the Allianz League Division 4 final through illness but, thankfully, has since returned to full health.

"I was out for three weeks with tonsillitis. Luckily, I only missed the Offaly game which I was named to start, but Maurice (Horan) decided not to take a chance on me as it turned out. I've been back training away for the past month or so, and am really looking forward to the Cork game now," the affable full forward concludes. Tweet

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