Sport is full of those games that will always be recalled for scores that shouldn't have been. Two years ago in Tralee, the last time Tipperary met Kerry in the championship, the score that shouldn't have been also helped prevent one of those freak upsets in Munster football.

Tipperary hadn't beaten Kerry in the football championship since 1928. And from the throw-in it was clear this would be a major contest, until, after eight minutes, luck played a major hand.

When Kerry corner forward Gerry Murphy shot on goal, most people saw the ball swerve wide. Suddenly it bounced back off a stanchion next to the goal and Murphy sent the rebound into the net. All the Tipperary defenders had seen the ball go wide but unfortunately the man who didn't was Cork referee Michael Collins.

Kerry struggled to stay in front before eventually winning by a nervous six points. Tipperary lost their appeal to the Munster Council on the basis of "human error".

Two years on and the fortunes of each county could hardly have rolled in more contrasting directions. Kerry, with another All-Ireland in their record books, have been made strong favourites to retain the title. Tipperary, with a fresh young manager and short their only All Star, will be hoping luck returns a few favours.

However, when the sides meet in Clonmel on Sunday, one man with perhaps the least recollection about the goal that wasn't will be Tipperary manager Tom McGlinchey. At 28, he is the youngest inter-county manager in the country and he wasn't even involved with Tipperary when fate took that unlucky twist in Austin Stack Park.

The Cork-born McGlinchey came in as coach to the side last year. When the manager's position was vacated at the end of the championship, he was glad to be asked and happy to accept.

"We've prepared for this game exactly the same as we would for any other county," he says. "Of course Kerry are a great side and it is a huge challenge, but the players have put in a huge effort over the last few weeks. It doesn't really matter to them now who they play."

McGlinchey insists none of the players will be thinking about the cruel blow suffered in the last meeting: "No one has mentioned that goal once in training this year. It was one of those things that shouldn't have happened but no one here is going to dwell on it."

McGlinchey is thinking only about the future. With his appointment as manager came a decision to favour youth, and the senior panel currently includes 10 of the county's under-21 panel.

However, the absence of Declan Browne, the county's first football All Star in 1998, is a major loss. Browne has taken the time out to clear up a troublesome groin injury yet McGlinchey is still looking on the bright side.

"It's not like he hurt his leg yesterday. We've known for months now that he would be out and he's not been part of our plans since then. We have brought on a lot of new players through the league and they've got some experience. So I think it's a good blend of youth and experience now."

Among the more experienced players will be goalkeeper Philly Ryan, one of the few men left from the game of two years back, as well as defender Liam Cronin. And even with the new role of second chances in this year's championship, McGlinchey has focused his players solely on the task at hand.

"A team will always be disappointed when they lose no matter what is to come. In fact most players don't even want to know about their next game if they lose. So we haven't spoken at all about the second chance. This is going to be the most attractive game for us all year, and maybe Kerry will be the ones holding back because of the second chance. We certainly won't."