A winter's worth of fitness sessions and miserable league Sundays packed away and the Tipperary footballers are at it again, looking meddlesome and trying to find ways to be the last ones standing at the party.

They thrive in that grey area of Gaelic football's hierarchy, spending most of the year eking out solid results against pedestrian counties in the league backwaters, but once the sun shines, they generally end up running with the best of them.

The lie of the draw may have favoured them but no one even blinked when they cropped up in another Munster final against Kerry last year, even if all bar the team and the most optimistic of their supporters anticipated that the road would end there.

So it did, and a year down they line they find themselves quizzing themselves once more over how to beat Kerry, this time in the first round. The times of respectable defeats are over.

"We'll have only two lads who didn't play in last year's Munster final, Dessie Lyons and Damien Byrne, and I think as a squad we have matured a lot with the experience of that game. We have to approach this game with belief. There is no tangible benefit in turning up, acquitting ourselves well and losing by a few points," considers Sean Collum.

The Tipperary centre back is one of four county players living in Dublin, and over the winter months they hooked up for city training one night each week, journeying for team sessions in Golden two nights later. You listen to Tipperary talk of winning this game, and though it is a vague image it is not totally unfeasible.

And chances are Kerry are viewing this game with a considerable level of seriousness.

"Yeah, well, I think that in the long term, Kerry are thinking in terms of winning Munster and then beyond that. But I also believe they regard us as a potentially awkward team and I'd be surprised if they are looking past Sunday at this point," says Collum.

A cursory glance through the Kerry selection suggests a team firing with half artillery. Could this be interpreted as complacency?

"Well, Liam Flaherty is on the bench and he would seem to be a player who would enhance any team but then Seamus Moynihan is filling in at centre back so it doesn't exactly weaken them!

Maybe a few surprise names in the forward lines, but, I mean, it's an extremely strong-looking side. I think I'm paired against Noel Kennelly, whom I haven't marked before, but know to be a very talented underage player. He already has invaluable Sigerson (Cup) experience behind him with Tralee, so they are lining out with a very good side."

Kerry were competent if not sparkling in the league this year, ending up crashing to Meath on a drenched day in Limerick in the quarter-final but Tipperary had a savagely poor campaign, their interest going south with a pivotal loss to Longford, by a single goal.

"We had good intentions regarding the league, But Kilmacud Crokes went well in the club championship as did Moyle Rovers and a lot of our players were tied up in that. It impacted on training and then we had that loss to Longford and, no, it just wasn't a good season. But nor was it a disaster and I think we regrouped well in the past few weeks."

Collum himself remains completely enthused by the whole adventure, revelling in the prospect of just maybe shocking Kerry tomorrow.

"He is a wonderfully enthusiastic guy, an ideal personality for any team really," offers manager Colm Browne.

"The thing about Sean is that he immerses himself in everything he does. Potentially, his work could make training difficult but he organises himself very well."

"He contributes so much to our side. I moved him from wing back to centre back this year and I think he is thriving there."

Collum is equally enthusiastic about the impact Browne has had on the squad.

"It's been amazing, the effect he's had. It's just his preparational qualities which are so impressive and his general attitude towards the game is innovative. For instance, he constantly brings in examples and methodology from other sports, always gets us to think about the game, to believe in our own ability. Especially on one off occasions.

"He has cited various examples of teams pulling off so-called upsets during knock-out events. The more you hear of it, the less unlikely it seems. It's always at the back of your mind, you know."