Gavin Cummiskeytalks to Laois manager Liam Kearns on his approach since taking over from Mick O'Dwyer.

Liam Kearns inherited a Laois team from Mick O'Dwyer that spent four years threatening to make an impact on the latter stages of the championship. If they beat Wexford on Sunday they progress to a fourth Leinster final in five seasons. They were champions in 2003. They have yet to make an All-Ireland semi-final.

In the last six months under Kearns, the approach has modernised significantly from the four years of stamina work O'Dwyer's philosophy demanded.

"I'll be honest with you, they are not stronger. I've put them on a weights programme and there was an article written in a Sunday paper a few weeks ago and a big heading on it saying Laois will not be pushed around. It was innuendo. There were no quotes from me or any member of my panel or my management team.

"It said people who are observers and are at the training sessions on a regular basis said there is a one-in-all-in attitude. Absolutely crazy stuff."

The article referred to Laois holding their own when the physical stakes were raised by Kerry in a challenge match.

"Do you think I have a magic wand? Donie Brennan, Paul Lawlor, Michael Tierney, they are not huge guys. They have started a weights programme this year."

The talent coming out of Laois this past decade has been phenomenal but they have struggled when the likes of Dublin or Armagh raise the tempo.

"That's what most people are saying - that they are physically not strong enough for the big-tier teams. I had a big, strong Limerick team and they were able to look after themselves but they were a decent football side as well.

"The bottom line then is I go to Laois and 'oh, he's going to make Laois a physical team'. But anyone who knows anything about the game knows you work with the people you have. If you have a number of six-foot-four guys you use it to your advantage."

So what is the Kearns model for Laois?

"It's well documented that I put Brendan Quigley in full forward. Laois would not have worked with a big target man previously. That was so I could play Noel Garvan and Pádraig Clancy in the middle of the field, but Noel is gone now and I don't have another physical presence in there. We won't be able to afford to play Brendan inside now. It's only after seeing them play for a year that you start to realise where you can improve."

So how far off are Laois in the physicality stakes?

"Well, I would say the Dublins, the Corks, the Armaghs, the Kerrys, they all have four, five years of constant weights done. They are at the stage now where they are huge. People are questioning now is the game less skilful as a result because of the amount of emphasis on strength work. There is a balance needed between the two."

Kearns inherited a Laois team that has been cursed by injuries. The list of wounded would severely inhibit any county panel.

"Tyrone have gotten more publicity but we've been plagued throughout the year. We had 10 players in civvies for our last league match when we drew with Kildare. Tom Kelly, Noel Garvan, Aidan Fennelly, Beano McDonald, Gary Kavanagh and Barry Brennan are all on the injury list at the moment."

None are expected to feature at Croke Park this Sunday. Is this bad luck or something else? "I know when I was at Limerick I had three years or four years relatively injury free and in my last year or two we got very badly hit by injuries."

Injuries or not, this Laois team is running out of time: "You can have all the underage success you like. They are not serious All-Ireland candidates at the moment. Unless they can progress it further and start to challenge the big teams on the big stage. All they are is serious Leinster candidates."